Technology matters, but what matters more is how we use it: MICA Director Jaya Deshmukh

Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], December 27: MICA – The School of Ideas hosted a TEDx-style pre-summit event titled “Empowering People with Responsible AI: Skills, Trust, and Access”, ahead of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 to be held in New Delhi. Conducted on the MICA campus, the programme brought together policymakers, technologists, academics, industry leaders, and creative professionals to explore how India can build an AI ecosystem rooted in ethics, accessibility, and human values. The discussions echoed key summit themes such as inclusion, trusted AI, human capital development, and AI-driven social and economic progress. Addressing participants, MICA Director and CEO Jaya Deshmukh highlighted the need to move beyond fear-driven or overly optimistic narratives and instead focus on how truth, responsibility, and ethical use shape the AI future.

Ms. Deshmukh said that MICA’s role as an institution goes beyond skill creation to engaging with ideas around communication, creativity, culture and community.

“It requires educators to discuss issues we do not usually talk about, to rethink curriculum and to understand that it is human relationships that unlock value. Technology matters, but what matters more is how we use it. We are going to explore different ideas around responsible AI and how they can be applied,” she added.

The event also featured an engaging discussion between Ms. Deshmukh and Dr. Vilas Dhar, global expert on artificial intelligence policy, and President of Patrick J. McGovern Foundation

Reflecting on dignity, productivity and the human impact of AI, Dr. Dhar said, “The future of AI will not be determined only in laboratories or scientific institutions. It will be shaped in rooms like this, where people come together to share their experiences, their fears and their hopes for what the future might look like.”

The programme included 11 short talks across policy, rights, marketing, creativity, skills and workforce readiness, followed by moderated question and answer sessions. Speakers included Avinash Dadhich, Founding Director of Dhirubhai Ambani University School of Law, who spoke on rights in an algorithm-driven society, and Adwait Mardikar, Founder of snappin.ai, who addressed ethical AI in customer engagement.

Industry perspectives were shared by Ganga Ganapathi of Publicis Sapient and Vivek Ganotra of Sentisum, while creative viewpoints came from filmmakers and storytellers including Shekhar Kapur, Siok Siok Tan and Harmony Siganporia.

In his address, filmmaker Shekhar Kapur reflected on identity, creativity and narrative in the age of AI. “AI forces us to ask a fundamental question: who am I? Our sense of individuality is constantly in conflict with nature, and we must confront that uncertainty. In the AI world, the starting point is acknowledging that we do not know everything,” he said.

Mr. Kapur also noted the need for India to develop its own narrative around AI. “We often view AI from a Western perspective. In India, we have technology and innovation, but we also need storytelling. The only way we perceive the universe is through stories. That is how meaning is created,” he added.

Discussions on skills and workforce readiness featured Suresh Malodia, Associate Dean at MICA, Nirja Sharma, Chief Talent and Skills Officer at MICA, and Himanshu Vashishtha, CEO of SixthFactor Consulting.

The event drew participation from policymakers, industry leaders, startups, civil society representatives and MICA’s students and faculty.