Davos 2026: Google’s James Manyika warns about digital divide turning into AI divide

At the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026 in Davos, James Manyika, Senior Vice President at Google Alphabet, warned about growing but less visible risks for India. He talked about the possibility of digital divide turning into an AI divide. With the looming risk, India being at the forefront of the upcoming AI summit places it at the centre of global efforts.

Reffering to the India AI Impact Summit 2026, Manyika told Business Today that “having a summit like this in India and being able to actually show that we’re all (Google) working to make sure this does not become an AI divide, both in terms of access infrastructure connectivity, people being able to use these tools, people being skilled, I think, is fundamentally important.”

He said that India hosting the AI Summit is “one of the most exciting things” for Indians, as well as for the world. Mayika not only acknowledged the country’s growth over the years, but also talked about its optimism. 

People in India are not dominated by fear, but by possibility about “how do we fully capitalise on this technology to transform our economies, our education systems and healthcare.” He further added, “We think it’s important to be both bold and responsible,” highlighting the new phase of global AI adoption.

Alongside India hosting the AI summit this year, Manyika talked about how India is uniquely applying AI in healthcare, agriculture, and education. He told Business Today about the country leading in AI-based diagnostics for diseases like tuberculosis and diabetic retinopathy. 

All these discussion at WEF 2026 highlights that India is not only adopting AI, but is also inventing innovative models to resolve pressure points, while also serving as a blueprint for global developmental challenges.