AI INDIA 2026, the FICCI FLO National AI Conclave held on 22 January 2026 at ITC Gardenia, Bengaluru, marked a defining moment in India’s journey toward inclusive, women- led leadership in the intelligence era. The full-day conclave brought together over 350 entrepreneurs, professionals, and decision-makers for a deep, immersive engagement with Artificial Intelligence – not as a distant or futuristic concept, but as a present-day force reshaping leadership, work, business, and national capability.
The AI conclave was inaugurated by Ms. Poonam Sharma, 42nd National President of FICCI FLO. Her address set a strong national context by articulating the convergence of Artificial Intelligence and Aspiring India, emphasising that India’s next phase of growth will be defined by how confidently and responsibly it adopts and builds AI at scale. She underscored the critical role of women, nearly half of India’s workforce…not as passive recipients of technology, but as leaders, entrepreneurs, and decision-makers shaping ethical, inclusive, and scalable AI ecosystems.
Conceptualised by Ms. Dekyi Yangtso Chawla, Chairperson, FLO Bengaluru, the conclave was designed with a clear intent that AI represents not just a technology shift, but a power and a mindset shift, and that women must be at the centre of shaping this transition. The conclave was curated in two deliberate arcs: the What and Why of AI in the first half, followed by the How of AI in the second, enabling participants to move seamlessly from strategic understanding to real-world application.
The speaker line-up reflected this balance. Dr. Vivek Raghavan, Co-founder of Sarvam AI, spoke on building India-first AI, focusing on language, scale, and sovereignty as foundational pillars for indigenous AI infrastructure. Ravi Machani and Trishika Raju of the Machani Group showcased R.I.A., the Humanoid, offering a compelling glimpse into how embodied AI is already creating real-world impact across sectors, and intelligence systems are evolving beyond IQ to include EQ and human context.
Umang Bedi, Co-founder of VerSe Innovation, reframed AI as an amplifier of human potential, sharing predictions and transformations in an AI-driven world by 2035. The post-lunch sessions focused on application and adoption. Loveena Kamath of Yaas Media, led an interactive workshop on building a “second brain” with AI, enabling participants to use AI for research, writing, and decision-making through effective prompting.
Varun Mayya of Aéos Labs concluded with AI for Management, demonstrating how leaders can practically use AI to manage work, teams, and decision-making at scale. AI INDIA 2026 concluded with a clear and resonant message: AI is not the future – it is the present. The conclave reaffirmed that women must not stand at the margins of this transformation, but lead it with confidence, clarity, and conviction.
The packed hall, engaged participation, and depth of dialogue reflected a community of women ready to learn, adapt, and step into leadership in the intelligence era – signalling FICCI FLO’s role as a future-ready, women-led chamber of commerce shaping India’s AI narrative.