Blab AI
Reliance and Bharti Leaders Join UN-Backed AI for Good Commission
Mukesh Ambani, chairman of India’s Reliance Industries, and Sunil Mittal, founder and chairman of Bharti Enterprises, joined a new International Telecommunication Union (ITU) commission that aims to steer artificial intelligence (AI) toward broad, inclusive benefits.
The commission, launched on Thursday, 1 July 2026 in New Delhi, is called the AI for Good Global Commission. It brings together 38 heads of state, technology chief executives and policymakers, including Ambani and Mittal, to discuss how AI can be deployed to solve real‑world problems while ensuring trust and expanding access.
The ITU, a United Nations specialised agency based in Geneva, has long coordinated global telecommunications policy. The new commission builds on the ITU/UNESCO Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development, which set priorities for connectivity and digital inclusion. According to the ITU statement, the AI for Good commission will “help define practical pathways to strengthen trust, expand access and unlock AI’s potential to solve real‑world challenges at the speed the technology demands.”
A key focus is the digital divide. The commission’s mandate includes reaching the 2.2 billion people who remain offline, a figure that underscores the urgency of making AI benefits accessible worldwide. “One thing is certain: technology is supposed to be a force for good, and we have a responsibility to use it accordingly,” said Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, who serves as co‑chair. “Let us work together to reduce inequality, and allow more and more of our citizens to benefit from the good AI can deliver to all of us.”
Salesforce chair and CEO Mark Benioff, also a co‑chair, added that “the promise of AI is built not only on incredible opportunities for the growth of our economy, but on the foundation of trust that is required for our shared success.” ITU secretary‑general Doreen Bogdan‑Martin, the commission’s vice‑chair, said, “No organisation can single‑handedly put AI at the service of all humanity.”
The commission’s roster includes a mix of industry leaders and policy figures. Among them are Vivek Badrinath, director‑general of GSMA; Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of Nvidia; Julie Sweet, chair and CEO of Accenture; Andy Jassy, CEO and president of Amazon; Brad Smith, vice‑chair and president of Microsoft; James Manyika, president of research, labs, technology & society at Google and Alphabet; Cristiano Amon, CEO and president of Qualcomm; Margherita Della Valle, group CEO of Vodafone; and Xu Ziyang, CEO and executive director of ZTE.
Ambani and Mittal’s participation signals the growing engagement of major Indian corporates in global AI governance. Ambani’s Reliance has announced significant AI investments, including sovereign compute systems and multi‑gigawatt AI‑ready data centres. Mittal’s Bharti Enterprises, through its telecom arm Airtel, has highlighted AI’s role in improving services and security.
The commission’s first meeting is scheduled for 8 July 2026 in Geneva. While the group has not yet issued a detailed agenda, the UN statement indicates that it will explore policy frameworks, ethical guidelines, and infrastructure strategies that can accelerate AI deployment in underserved regions.
In sum, the AI for Good Global Commission represents a coordinated effort by the UN, industry leaders, and national governments to guide AI development toward inclusive, trustworthy outcomes. The inclusion of Ambani and Mittal underscores the importance of private‑sector leadership in shaping AI policy, especially in emerging markets.
The commission’s progress will be watched closely by stakeholders across the AI ecosystem, as its recommendations could influence regulatory approaches, investment flows, and the pace at which AI technologies reach the world’s most disconnected communities.
The commission, launched on Thursday, 1 July 2026 in New Delhi, is called the AI for Good Global Commission. It brings together 38 heads of state, technology chief executives and policymakers, including Ambani and Mittal, to discuss how AI can be deployed to solve real‑world problems while ensuring trust and expanding access.
The ITU, a United Nations specialised agency based in Geneva, has long coordinated global telecommunications policy. The new commission builds on the ITU/UNESCO Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development, which set priorities for connectivity and digital inclusion. According to the ITU statement, the AI for Good commission will “help define practical pathways to strengthen trust, expand access and unlock AI’s potential to solve real‑world challenges at the speed the technology demands.”
A key focus is the digital divide. The commission’s mandate includes reaching the 2.2 billion people who remain offline, a figure that underscores the urgency of making AI benefits accessible worldwide. “One thing is certain: technology is supposed to be a force for good, and we have a responsibility to use it accordingly,” said Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, who serves as co‑chair. “Let us work together to reduce inequality, and allow more and more of our citizens to benefit from the good AI can deliver to all of us.”
Salesforce chair and CEO Mark Benioff, also a co‑chair, added that “the promise of AI is built not only on incredible opportunities for the growth of our economy, but on the foundation of trust that is required for our shared success.” ITU secretary‑general Doreen Bogdan‑Martin, the commission’s vice‑chair, said, “No organisation can single‑handedly put AI at the service of all humanity.”
The commission’s roster includes a mix of industry leaders and policy figures. Among them are Vivek Badrinath, director‑general of GSMA; Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of Nvidia; Julie Sweet, chair and CEO of Accenture; Andy Jassy, CEO and president of Amazon; Brad Smith, vice‑chair and president of Microsoft; James Manyika, president of research, labs, technology & society at Google and Alphabet; Cristiano Amon, CEO and president of Qualcomm; Margherita Della Valle, group CEO of Vodafone; and Xu Ziyang, CEO and executive director of ZTE.
Ambani and Mittal’s participation signals the growing engagement of major Indian corporates in global AI governance. Ambani’s Reliance has announced significant AI investments, including sovereign compute systems and multi‑gigawatt AI‑ready data centres. Mittal’s Bharti Enterprises, through its telecom arm Airtel, has highlighted AI’s role in improving services and security.
The commission’s first meeting is scheduled for 8 July 2026 in Geneva. While the group has not yet issued a detailed agenda, the UN statement indicates that it will explore policy frameworks, ethical guidelines, and infrastructure strategies that can accelerate AI deployment in underserved regions.
In sum, the AI for Good Global Commission represents a coordinated effort by the UN, industry leaders, and national governments to guide AI development toward inclusive, trustworthy outcomes. The inclusion of Ambani and Mittal underscores the importance of private‑sector leadership in shaping AI policy, especially in emerging markets.
The commission’s progress will be watched closely by stakeholders across the AI ecosystem, as its recommendations could influence regulatory approaches, investment flows, and the pace at which AI technologies reach the world’s most disconnected communities.
