Ashwini Vaishnaw launches the World Bank's World Development Report 2026 on the promise of artificial intelligence
8 October 2026
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw launched World Development Report 2026: The Promise of Artificial Intelligence at The Oberoi, New Delhi, on 8 October 2026.
The event was organised by the IndiaAI Mission and MeitY with the World Bank Group.
The report says AI can widen access to expertise and raise productivity, but gains depend on electricity, connectivity, computing, data, skills and institutions.
It notes that only one of the world's 25 low-income countries has published a national AI strategy.
Vaishnaw cited a 35% rise in TB detection and a 40% rise in sugarcane yields at Baramati with 30% less water and fertiliser.
In plain words
IndiaAI Mission IndiaAI Mission — The government mission built on seven pillars, including compute capacity and the AIKosh datasets platform.
World Development Report World Development Report — The World Bank's annual flagship report on a major development theme.