Welcome Session - Microsoft Research India Academic Summit 2026

The Microsoft Research India Academic Summit 2026 opens with MSR India Lab Director Venkat Padmanabhan outlining the lab's collaborative research philosophy and Microsoft's evolution into an AI infrastructure powerhouse. He details MSR India's four core research pillars: fundamental AI advancements, specialized domain solutions, efficiency across the AI stack (including small language models), and the crucial diffusion of AI technologies for societal impact in India and the Global South, exemplified by diverse projects and collaborations.