Washington

The United States on Friday outlined an ambitious strategy to deepen global partnerships in artificial intelligence, with a focus on AI sovereignty, faster adoption, and the export of American AI technologies, at the India AI Impact Summit 2026.

Leading the US delegation at the summit was Michael Kratsios, Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. He was joined by Under Secretary of State Jacob Helberg, Under Secretary of Commerce William Kimmitt, and Ambassador Sergio Gor. The summit brought together heads of state, foreign ministers and global business leaders to deliberate on the future of AI and its role in national development.

Addressing the gathering, Kratsios highlighted what he described as America’s leadership in AI innovation and its intent to help partner nations accelerate adoption while retaining control over their technological futures.

“Real AI sovereignty means owning and using best-in-class technology for the benefit of your people, and charting your national destiny in the midst of global transformations,” he said.

Kratsios encouraged countries to pursue strategic autonomy alongside rapid deployment of advanced AI systems, rather than striving for complete technological self-sufficiency. He argued that collaboration with the US allows nations to access cutting-edge tools while ensuring that sensitive data remains within their own borders.

He also announced that the US administration is advancing the American AI Exports Program, aimed at positioning American AI technologies as a foundation for partner countries’ digital transformation.

Criticising international regulatory frameworks that rely on centralised oversight, Kratsios said AI adoption would not deliver a brighter future if constrained by excessive bureaucracy or global control mechanisms, signalling Washington’s preference for national sovereignty in AI governance.

Highlighting a widening global divide, he warned that developing countries risk falling further behind developed economies due to uneven AI adoption and deployment. He urged emerging economies to prioritise AI integration in healthcare, education, energy, agriculture and citizen-facing government services to unlock immediate benefits.

Several new initiatives were unveiled under the American AI Exports Program. These include the National Champions Initiative, through which the Commerce Department will integrate leading AI firms from partner nations into customised American AI export stacks, and the US Tech Corps, a new Peace Corps programme to deploy volunteer technical experts for last-mile AI implementation in public services.

Additionally, the US Treasury Department will launch a new fund at the World Bank to help countries overcome financial barriers to AI adoption, complementing support from agencies such as the Export-Import Bank and the US International Development Finance Corporation.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology also announced its NIST/CAISI AI Agent Standards Initiative to develop interoperable and secure standards for agentic AI systems, aimed at boosting public trust in next-generation technologies.

READ MORE: Uttarakhand: Rohit Prakash pleads for Muslim keeping shops open till late

US officials said the announcements reflect a whole-of-government strategy to expand American AI exports, underlining Washington’s intent to position its AI ecosystem as a preferred partner for countries seeking technological advancement alongside sovereign control in a rapidly evolving digital era.