Why Lucknow is becoming India’s next AI hotspot: Inside the IndiaAI–MeitY Mega meet

The conference will showcase cutting-edge deployments of artificial intelligence in governance and public service delivery, while aligning state-level initiatives with the broader objectives of the IndiaAI Mission.

Serving as a precursor to the India AI Impact Summit 2026, scheduled to take place in New Delhi from February 16–20, 2026, the Lucknow event is part of a national series of eight Regional AI Impact Conferences being organised across the country.

The two-day conference will bring together senior policymakers, state and central government officials, representatives from global institutions, industry leaders, researchers, and innovators to deliberate on the responsible, inclusive, and scalable adoption of AI. Key focus areas will include healthcare systems, digital public infrastructure, economic growth, and AI for social good.

The programme will feature plenary sessions on the global AI landscape, AI-driven healthcare delivery, state-level readiness and capacity building, digital public infrastructure for health, AI-enabled diagnostics and clinical innovation, and workforce empowerment. These discussions will be complemented by startup showcases, hackathon outcomes, and industry-led demonstrations, aimed at translating policy intent into population-scale, real-world impact.

In the lead-up to the conference, the IndiaAI Working Group meeting on “AI for Economic Growth and Social Good” will be held in Lucknow on January 12, 2026, in a hybrid format. The meeting will be jointly convened by MeitY, IndiaAI, and the Government of Uttar Pradesh.

The Working Group constitutes a core pillar of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 process and brings together member countries, international organisations, policymakers, and domain experts to build convergence on priority AI issues requiring global collaboration.

Building on Uttar Pradesh’s growing momentum in digital governance, healthcare innovation, and technology-led public service delivery, the conference will demonstrate real-world AI deployments across health systems, digital public infrastructure, and state-led use cases. It will also foster collaboration among governments, industry, academia, and startups under the IndiaAI framework.

Outcomes from the IndiaAI Working Group meeting, conference deliberations, and associated ecosystem engagements are expected to feed into the national roadmap for the India AI Impact Summit 2026, reinforcing the Government of India’s commitment to safe, secure, and trustworthy AI for public good.