Tech

VIYONA has received UIDAI’s OVSE certification, enabling offline Aadhaar-based identity verification without real-time database access. The approval strengthens privacy safeguards, accelerates paperless KYC processes and enhances digital onboarding across banking, fintech and enterprise sectors in India.

The Hartford launched its first-ever Global Technology Centre in Hyderabad, spanning 1,60,000 sq. ft., focusing on AI, digital innovation, and engineering. The centre aims to scale to 1,200 employees, supporting global technology transformation

Norwegian-US firm 1X unveiled Neo, a $20,000 consumer humanoid robot promising household help but relying partly on remote human operators. While advances in AI and hardware fuel development, experts warn privacy risks and limitations hinder widespread home adoption

At the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, Reliance Industries showcased AI-generated holographic avatars of Lord Krishna and Arjuna from Mahabharat, enabling interactive visitor engagement while highlighting the company’s AI-driven series and technological innovations across sectors.

Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan said artificial intelligence will create new job opportunities while transforming existing roles, as India strengthens its position in the global AI ecosystem. Delegates at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 highlighted AI’s potential across key sectors.

NASA successfully completed a second fueling test of its Artemis II Space Launch System rocket at Kennedy Space Center, addressing prior hydrogen leaks, as engineers assess March launch readiness for the first lunar crewed mission since Apollo 17

A large-scale study of 27.8 million US Medicare beneficiaries has found that long-term exposure to fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) directly increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. The findings underscore the importance of improving air quality as a preventive measure against dementia.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor defended the Bharat AI Impact Summit despite criticism from Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge. Narendra Modi highlighted equitable AI access, global consensus-building, and regulatory safeguards during the high-level international gathering

Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai told global leaders that AI is the biggest platform shift of our lifetimes, urging bold, responsible collaboration, highlighting AlphaFold breakthroughs and investments, as the AI Impact Summit drew heads of state and industry leaders.

At the India AI Impact Summit 2026, Sam Altman described India as a rapidly growing AI market with over 100 million weekly ChatGPT users. He announced the ‘OpenAI for India’ initiative in partnership with Tata Group to build local AI infrastructure and skills

At the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge highlighted the state’s AI leadership, global collaborations with companies like Anthropic, startup support, and pilot projects in healthcare, positioning Bengaluru as a deep-tech hub

At the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, French President Emmanuel Macron praised India’s digital transformation, citing a Mumbai vendor’s journey to digital payments. He highlighted strategic AI cooperation with Narendra Modi, emphasising innovation, sovereignty, and responsible technology

At the ‘India AI Impact Summit 2026’ in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Artificial Intelligence marks a civilisational turning point. He emphasised youth participation, human-centric innovation, skilling, and ensuring AI’s direction remains guided by human oversight and inclusive growth

Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR and Mumbai together account for nearly 70 per cent of India’s AI-related job openings, led by demand in software engineering, data science and customer operations, according to a CBRE report analysing over 64,500 job listings.

Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales dismissed AI-driven platforms like ‘Grokepedia’ as unrealistic, emphasizing Wikipedia’s reliance on human collaboration, transparency, and attribution, while noting AI’s rise and India’s potential in the evolving technology landscape

A Noida-based university was removed from the AI Impact Summit after social media backlash over showcasing a Chinese robotic dog as its own. The government acted following national embarrassment, despite the university claiming it was for educational purposes

A large sleeper shark was filmed 490 meters deep near the South Shetland Islands in the Antarctic Ocean, challenging assumptions that sharks avoid Antarctica. Researchers from the University of Western Australia say the rare sighting highlights limited deep-sea exploration

YouTube experienced a global outage impacting its homepage, recommendations, and apps including YouTube Music and Kids. Downdetector recorded over 3.2 lakh complaints in the U.S. and nearly 20,000 in India.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged chaos and mismanagement at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, claiming it caused global embarrassment. He criticised the government’s handling of the event and suggested it could have showcased India’s digital and AI capabilities instead

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the India AI Impact Expo 2026 showcased the power of Indian talent and innovation. He reaffirmed India’s commitment to responsible and inclusive Artificial Intelligence while highlighting strong global participation at the Summit

Infosys Chairman Nandan Nilekani said artificial intelligence will fundamentally change software development, making coding no longer the primary task for tech professionals. He said firms must focus on institutional change, new skills and AI adoption amid rising concerns over industry disruption

A white paper released at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 states that 16 per cent of the world’s AI talent is of Indian origin. It adds that India could contribute nearly 20 per cent of incremental global GDP growth over the next 15 years

Confusion surrounds Bill Gates’s participation in the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, with government sources saying he won’t attend, while his foundation confirms he will deliver a keynote on February 19 during the ongoing February 16–20 event

Pixxel Space partnered with French propulsion firm Exotrail to integrate electric propulsion systems in its satellites, boosting its Earth Observation constellation. The announcement coincided with India-France Innovation Year in Mumbai