The AI Impact Summit 2026 started on February 16 and will run until February 20. Attendees have been sharing their experiences on social media, but one thing stood out – the payment system! Despite being a showcase of India’s digital progress, food at the summit could only be paid for in cash. Yes, no digital payments at all! Keep reading to find out more.
No Digital Payment At AI Impact Summit 2026
The summit, started on February 16, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, brought together global and Indian AI experts. Attendees arrived eager to experience India’s digital innovations, only to discover that digital payment methods were not accepted at the food stalls. Cards, mobile wallets, and even UPI, India’s homegrown digital payment system, were not an option.
Taking to their social media handles, many X users complained about the various issues they faced at the event. In the post, one user, Yavanika Shah (@yavanikashah), highlighted that there was no water available for guests and also no UPI payment options at food stalls. Another user mentioned that there was no WiFi available, attendees had to face queues as long as three hours just to enter the venue, exhibitors were locked out of their stalls, and several other problems occurred.
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Here’s What Netizens Have To Say About It
These tweets by X user have gone all over social media, and many others who attended this event have shared their experience in the comments.
One user mentioned that many people who had nothing to do with AI showed up for no reason, unnecessarily crowding the venue.
Another user disagreed with the water problem and said it was available outside all rooms and that traffic had been managed well. He also mentioned that the attendees were advised in advance to use the metro or public transport. However, he completely agrees with the payment issues. He said that the main issues were the lack of UPI payments and limited seating in major rooms, which prevented some genuine attendees from joining certain sessions.
What do you think about these issues at one of the global events in India? Tell us in the comments below!
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Cover Image Courtesy: X/@MIB_India & Canva Pro/ Ionut Dabija’s