'Saas bhi kabhi bahu thi': Smriti Irani pushes for AI adoption by women at India AI Impact summit 

“Teach the saas, teach the bahu, take the country forward because saas bhi kabhi bahu thi,” former Union minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani said at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, urging families, not just individuals, to adopt artificial intelligence as a tool of empowerment.

Irani was speaking at the Tata AI Sakhi Immersion Program on Tuesday, where she framed AI as a practical enabler for women’s participation in economic growth while cautioning against irresponsible use.

AI as a ‘saarthi'

Drawing from the Mahabharata, she described technology as a guide in women’s progress.

“Like Lord Krishna was Arjuna’s saarthi (charioteer, indicating guide or mentor), there is no better saarthi for a woman than artificial intelligence. That saarthi does not mount the chariot, it mounts the mobile phone – that’s the only difference,” said Irani at the hands-on workshop focused on entrepreneurship and self-empowerment. Business Today & India Today Group acted as the media partner for the event.

She pointed to women’s economic participation across sectors.  “India is the only country where 10 crore women from self-help groups have handled credit of Rs 12 lakh crore and have returned 96 per cent of the credit in the last 10 years. This is the extraordinary accomplishment of ordinary Indian women. Over 30 lakh women in India who are engaged in handicraft and handloom export goods close to Rs 33,000 crore. If we talk only of the domestic market, then these women do business of Rs 38,000 crore annually,” she said.

Irani added that 4.90 crore women are associated with the DISHA (Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice) Scheme, and 2.72 crore women have received digital literacy certificates.

Steering development

Encouraging participation from the roughly 1,600 attendees, she said women should lead development rather than follow it.

“Don’t restrict yourselves to the role of a passenger; you must control the steering wheel of the vehicle of development.”

Responsible AI use

Irani warned participants not to blindly trust AI-generated information and advised them not to share sensitive personal details such as Aadhaar numbers, bank account numbers or passwords.

“I hope that you assist the nation economically, socially, and educationally,” she said.