As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly integrated into business operations, public services and everyday decision-making, ensuring that these systems are safe, accountable and respectful of privacy is emerging as a critical challenge. While AI presents significant opportunities for innovation, its growing adoption also raises questions about data protection, transparency, accountability and human oversight. Addressing these challenges requires collaboration between policymakers, businesses, researchers and technology providers to translate responsible AI principles into practical solutions.
Against this backdrop, the second edition of the Safe Human Future (SHF) Conference will take place on October 16, 2026, at Hilton Mumbai International Airport, Mumbai. The conference will bring together representatives from government, industry, academia, research, policy and the legal sector to discuss the challenges surrounding AI governance and identify practical approaches to developing and deploying trustworthy AI systems.
The conference builds on the previous edition held in New Delhi in January 2026 as part of the pre-summit programme of the IndiaAI Impact Summit. The event brought together stakeholders to examine how responsible AI principles can be translated into practice. Discussions focused on privacy-enhancing technologies, responsible AI frameworks and approaches to strengthening data protection and accountability. The programme also featured demonstrations of PrivaSapien’s full-lifecycle responsible AI platform and iSPIRT’s DEPA Training architecture for privacy-preserving data sharing and AI Chain architecture for traceability and accountability. These discussions underscored the importance of combining effective governance with practical technological solutions to support the responsible development and deployment of AI.
Building on these conversations, the 2026 conference will focus on key issues shaping the responsible adoption of AI, including data and AI governance, India’s Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) framework, safeguards for Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), Safe Data and Safe AI research, AI policy and regulation, and industry adoption. The programme will also feature working groups and technology demonstrations to examine how responsible AI principles can be applied in real-world settings.
The conference will bring together participants from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, United Nations Global Compact, IDBI Bank, IIM Bangalore, iSPIRT, Anand & Anand and Khaitan & Co., among others. representing government, financial services, academia, technology and the legal sector to discuss the challenges and opportunities surrounding AI governance.
Mr. Abilash Soundararajan, Founder & CEO, PrivaSapien and Founding Member of SHF, says: “Every organisation today is looking at ways to use data and AI safely to create strategic value, making it a key priority for boards and CEOs, particularly in regulated industries, in India and globally. With AGI on the horizon, strong techno-legal safeguards for data, AI systems and autonomous agents are critical. This calls for safety-by-design, secure models and safeguards across the AI lifecycle. However, awareness of how to identify, develop and deploy safe AI remains limited. To bridge this gap, we established Safe Human Future, a deep-tech community bringing together stakeholders across geographies, including the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, MeitY, the United Nations, academia, global researchers and enterprises, to accelerate safe AI adoption and turn responsible AI principles into practice.”
As AI capabilities continue to advance, ensuring that trust, privacy and accountability keep pace with innovation will require sustained collaboration across sectors. The Safe Human Future Conference 2026 aims to contribute to this effort by creating a platform for stakeholders to exchange knowledge, address emerging risks and advance practical approaches to responsible AI development and deployment.
