India's AI Agenda: Balancing Innovation and Regulation

India's IT Ministry is devising a mechanism to ensure safety and trust in AI solutions without stifling innovation through regulation. The focus is on responsible and safe AI. The government's IndiaAI mission addresses issues like job impact and data privacy without heavy-handed regulations.

The Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology is currently developing a framework to evaluate the safety and trustworthiness of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions. However, a top official has emphasized that regulatory measures will not be the starting point, as they might stifle innovation within the AI sector.

Ministry Secretary S Krishnan, speaking at CII's Global Economic Policy Forum, noted that India has largely tackled essential regulations, except for a few issues such as copyright and existential risks. Under the IndiaAI initiative, there is a nuanced understanding of 'responsible AI' as defined by Western standards versus 'safe and trusted AI.'

Krishnan highlighted the necessity of regulation for AI-related harms, including misrepresentation and deepfakes, while stating that existing laws are adequate for addressing such concerns. He also commented that job impacts from AI in India are less severe compared to Western nations, and efforts are underway for workforce skill enhancement.

(With inputs from agencies.)