Ambani, Mittal join UN backed global commission on responsible AI

MUMBAI: Artificial intelligence may be learning fast, but the world is now deciding who gets to teach it responsibility. India’s two biggest telecom and technology leaders, Mukesh Ambani and Sunil Bharti Mittal, have joined a newly formed global commission that aims to shape how AI is governed, trusted and made accessible worldwide.

Reliance Industries Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani and Bharti Enterprises Founder and Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal have been named founding members of the AI for Good Global Commission, a high-level international initiative backed by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations’ specialised agency for digital technologies.

The commission brings together more than 40 global leaders, including heads of state, government officials, technology executives and heads of UN agencies, to develop practical frameworks for the responsible development and deployment of artificial intelligence.

Co-chaired by Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Salesforce Chairman and CEO Marc Benioff, with ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin serving as vice-chair, the body will focus on three strategic pillars: AI Trust, AI Access and AI Impact.

According to a PTI report, the commission will work to strengthen confidence in AI systems through responsible governance, expand access to infrastructure and digital skills, and accelerate the use of AI to tackle global challenges across multiple sectors.

The initiative comes at a time when concerns are growing that the benefits of AI could become concentrated among a small group of countries and corporations. The commission noted that around 2.2 billion people worldwide remain offline, raising the risk that artificial intelligence could widen existing digital inequalities unless access to technology expands significantly.

Alongside Ambani and Mittal, the commission includes a broad cross-section of global technology leaders, including Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, Microsoft Vice Chair Brad Smith, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, as well as senior executives involved in AI development, infrastructure and policymaking.

The new body builds on the work of the ITU-UNESCO Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development, which helped shape global priorities around digital connectivity, inclusion and economic development.

The commission is scheduled to hold its inaugural meeting during the AI for Good Global Summit 2026, taking place in Geneva from 7 July to 10 July, as part of the ITU’s broader Digital Week programme. With governments and businesses racing to define AI’s future, the commission aims to ensure the technology’s next chapter is shaped not only by innovation, but also by trust, inclusion and global cooperation.