The session “AI and Open Networks: Creating Impact at Scale” at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 set out a clear proposition: the future of AI will be determined not only by model breakthroughs, but by the digital public infrastructure and open network architectures that allow innovation to reach millions of people. Drawing on examples from healthcare, agriculture, science, and public service delivery, speakers demonstrated how India’s approach, combining consent-based data systems, interoperable platforms and open participation, has created the foundation for AI deployment at a population scale.