Ethical use of AI in culture a key focus for India-hosted BRICS culture talks

On 1 June 2026, India's Union Ministry of Culture announced that the ethical use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the cultural space will be one of the main topics for discussion when the BRICS culture working group meetings begin on 4 June 2026. The Culture Secretary released a full roadmap and calendar for the 2026 BRICS Culture Track, which India is hosting this year. Other topics for discussion include the creative economy, the link between culture and climate, sustainable development, and cultural and creative industries.

BRICS is an inter-governmental grouping of major emerging economies. The name began as an acronym for the founding members Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The group has since expanded, and the culture track now brings together 11 member nations: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Indonesia. Around 10 newly joined partner countries will also take part. BRICS works through many separate "tracks" (focused working areas), and cooperation now spans over 30 such tracks, of which culture is one.

The culture track for 2026 will have four official meetings along with public festivals. The first Culture Working Group meeting was held online on 29-30 April 2026. The second meeting will take place in Varanasi, where five panel discussions will help shape the final outcome document. The five themes are: the creative economy and people-to-people cooperation; copyright and ethical AI in the creative economy; protecting cultural heritage and returning cultural property; working together to safeguard shared heritage; and culture as a driver of sustainable development. After Varanasi, the third working group meeting will be held in Bhopal, followed by a BRICS Culture Festival and the BRICS Culture Ministers' meeting. A BRICS theatre festival is planned in Delhi in October 2026.

For India, this is a notable moment in cultural diplomacy. India hosted the very first BRICS Cultural Ministers' Meeting in Goa in 2016, and its hosting of the wider culture track in 2026 is seen as a step towards deeper people-to-people exchanges within a larger group. By placing the ethical use of AI on the agenda, the meetings link a fast-growing technology with traditional concerns like copyright, heritage protection and creative livelihoods.

For an aspirant, the key takeaways are: BRICS is an emerging-economies grouping that has expanded beyond its original five members; India is the 2026 host of the BRICS Culture Track; and ethical AI, the creative economy and heritage protection are central themes. Remember the original full form of BRICS, the current expanded membership, and that India hosted the first Cultural Ministers' Meeting in Goa in 2016.