AI summit sees smoother second day after chaotic start

After a relatively chaotic first day on Monday (February 16, 2026), the AI Impact Summit saw smoother operations on Tuesday (February 17, 2026), with more areas opened to attendees and fewer surges of crowding, even as turnout remained strong. Students bused in from local colleges, schools, and corporates queued up outside multiple gates, but the lines moved steadily.

All sections of the government’s flagship AI event—promoted for months—were opened to the public, helping ease congestion. Unlike on the opening day, there were no security-led evacuations of large areas. In fact, additional hall space at the 100-acre Bharat Mandapam complex was formally opened, allowing visitors to spread out evenly.

The three-day gap before the gathering of heads of State allowed organisers to address the initial glitches. At food courts, freshly printed banners now announced the acceptance of digital payments. On Monday (February 16), attendees had complained that some cash counters were refusing UPI and card payments.

“Less crowd today (February 17, 2026), smoother movement, and big banners outside meeting rooms for better visibility,” Vijay S., an attendee, posted on X, calling it a “good recovery after yesterday’s chaos.” Visitors had also flagged inadequate clear signage on the opening day.

However, technical issues persisted. Many sessions continued to experience problems with livestreams, with the IndiaAI YouTube channel’s broadcasts constantly starting late, skipping speaker introductions, and audio going silent on several sessions. 

Public transport

Logistical challenges continued outside the main venue. While most events were held within the sprawling complex—which already requires several minutes of walking to attend sessions tightly packed into each day’s schedules—some programmes were conducted at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, with side events organised by third-party organisations across central Delhi. 

The two nearest metro stations are a several-minute walk from the venue, making it difficult for attendees to quickly travel to different sessions. Two speakers were unable to make it to their sessions owing to traffic and long, albeit moving, queues at entry gates. While it is common for conventions spread across such a large area to have fixed-schedule shuttle services that ply regardless of occupancy, the organisers opted for only demand-based runs, leaving many attendees with limited transport options.