Universal AI Awards to debut in New Delhi on Sept. 17 with EY as process advisor

Knowledge Networks will launch the Universal AI Awards 2026 India Edition in New Delhi on Sept. 17, bringing together policymakers, business leaders, academics and innovators to recognize responsible AI, ethics and governance. The event opens the global awards program before a Miami finale in December.

Why it matters: - The India edition puts responsible AI governance in front of policymakers, enterprises and researchers at a time when India is positioning itself as a major AI market. - The awards aim to set standards for how AI is deployed, governed and measured for public benefit. - EY will serve as process advisor, adding outside support to the nomination and evaluation process.

What happened: - Knowledge Networks is hosting the inaugural Universal AI Awards 2026 India Edition on 17 September 2026 at Hyatt Regency, New Delhi. - The full-day summit and gala runs from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM. - The event is organized around the theme “India: The AI Powerhouse for Tomorrow.” - The New Delhi ceremony is the first stop in the global 2026 program. - The next edition and grand finale are scheduled for Miami in December 2026, alongside the G20 Summit.

The details: - The program combines a conference, awards ceremony, networking and a cocktail reception. - The day begins with registration, delegate check-in, welcome refreshments and networking. - Morning sessions will focus on India’s AI governance agenda. - Afternoon programming includes panels, fireside chats and closed-door roundtables with jury members and industry leaders. - The evening concludes with awards across 23 categories, followed by networking until 8:00 PM. - The awards span four pillars: enterprise and industry transformation, innovation and technology, leadership, and social impact. - Categories include AI in financial services, healthcare, e-commerce, manufacturing, food and beverage, mobility, education, agriculture, cybersecurity, robotics, generative AI, AI entrepreneurship, academic research, social good and sustainability. - Nominations are judged on scale and measurable impact, originality, ethical principles and transparency, stakeholder engagement and inclusive governance, and replicability and contribution to global knowledge. - The Advisory Board includes Dr. Ashish Jha, Vivek Lall, Toby Walsh, María Elena Agüero, Nenad Mijatovic and Dr. Aminata Touré. - The India jury and evaluation panel includes Dr. Avik Sarkar, L. Venkata Subramaniam, Sujeet Kumar, Major Vineet Kumar, Nemesisa Ujjain, Kavita Bhatia, Kalika Bali, Ankit Bose and Rupali Gupta. - Speaker highlights include leaders from Hinduja Group, IT for Change, NASSCOM, Microsoft, Mozilla, AIIMS New Delhi, Bharat Innovation Fund, Staqu Technologies, the Global AI Leaders Forum, Deloitte and UnitedHealth Group. - The event is designed for CEOs, chief AI and chief data officers, CFOs, MPs, public-policy officials, investors, board directors, academics, think-tank leaders, civil-society heads and NGO leaders. - Official media partners include StartupNews.fyi, Mojo4Industry, SiliconIndia, Industry Events, The Global Hues, MBA.ai, Capitalbay News, Times of AI, Times International, ET Edge Insights, International Business Magazine and Science Matters. - Nomination is free and open to individuals, organisations and institutions. - More information is available on the awards’ LinkedIn page, Instagram and X.

Between the lines: - The awards frame India as a governance leader, not just a growth market, which reflects the broader debate over how to scale AI responsibly. - The mix of policymakers, corporate executives and researchers suggests the event is as much about setting norms as celebrating adoption. - Positioning the Miami finale alongside the G20 Summit gives the program a global policy backdrop and raises its visibility beyond India.

What's next: - The first India edition takes place Sept. 17 in New Delhi. - The global program continues with the Miami grand finale in December 2026. - Winners will be selected from 23 categories across four pillars after jury evaluation.

The bottom line: - The Universal AI Awards are trying to turn AI governance into a public recognition platform, with India serving as the launchpad for a global rollout.