India's AI Ambitions: Ensuring Innovation with Trust in the Digital Age

Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted AI's risks and stressed the need for global legislative solutions against AI misuse. At an AI summit, he underlined the necessity for regulations to protect creativity and foster trust in new technologies, while advocating for India's robust talent pipeline and AI adoption.

Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, has raised concerns about the darker aspects of artificial intelligence, emphasizing the urgent need for legislative measures to curb AI misuse, particularly in the media industry. Speaking on the pervasive crisis of disinformation, misinformation, and deepfakes, he advocated for global technical and legal strategies. India is currently in discussions with over 30 countries to address these challenges.

During a fireside conversation at the India AI Impact Summit, Vaishnaw highlighted the government's efforts to introduce stringent regulations mandating the watermarking and labeling of AI-generated content. He pointed out that misinformation and deepfakes are eroding societal trust and emphasized that social media platforms and AI creators must share responsibility for ensuring technology reinforces rather than diminishes trust.

The minister stressed that threats like deepfake and data breaches must be considered intolerable at both national and societal levels. Highlighting the impact of AI on jobs and its growing adoption in India, Vaishnaw spoke about the country's initiatives to build a future-ready workforce. He underscored the launch of the Create in India Mission and the broader role AI will play in both the industrial and creative sectors.

(With inputs from agencies.)