AI shouldn't be stifled, but unchecked use will be 'foolish': Sunil Mittal

Calling for AI regulation to be thought through now, Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Mittal on Wednesday said the technology or its growth need not be stifled, but waiting for an "accident" before acting would be "foolish." Speaking at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum 2026, Mittal noted that governments and policymakers are struggling to keep pace with the speed of artificial intelligence and asserted that regulations need to be thought through now, before something goes wrong.

Mittal said India is putting out a consultation paper on regulations, and guardrails around AI.

He cited growing concern voiced by prominent global tech founders and instances of AI agents behaving unpredictably or running "rogue," and said: "it is not something that, we can take lightly." "So suddenly, you're seeing a scrambling around the government corridors, policymakers to say, how we can secure our nation when we introduce AI in every aspect of our lives," Mittal said.

With people already using artificial