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Undoubtedly, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the face of various industries across the globe, and India is also becoming an essential part of this shift. The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, has been staying on the frontlines of the battle for AI integration in India, albeit for its limited and controlled use. India is the largest democracy in the world, and therefore, the outlook on AI governance in India lies with that of the global community.
Even in 2024, Modi emphasizes the “human-centric, responsible, and transparent” development of AI. Modi has called for moderation in the use of technology at various other multilateral forums, including the G20 Summit. To put it bluntly, technology developed or intended for use in AI cannot be allowed to insult and abuse women and girls, or indeed anyone, in any form or medium.
This also applies to regulations governing the use of AI in India. In one of his addresses in early 2024, he assertively caveated, ‘AI cannot be weaponized against the people. AI has to be for the benefit of humanity, not a tool that helps diminish the people’s faith in democracy.’
Modi considers AI an indispensable part of ‘Technology for all’ and has focused on making it useful to every section of society without any discrimination, especially in rural and developing regions. Programs such as Digital India and PM Gati Shakti are incorporating AI to enhance the development of connectivity networks, increase the reach of education, and enhance health services in the country’s remote areas.
In healthcare, AI is used to improve imaging and modeling systems of healthcare and agrosystems, risk assessment of biological threats, and crop loss prediction in border regions. He admits that solutions based on artificial intelligence are also used to help farmers with digital agriculture systems and raise the harvest. In several Indian states, such coverage and AI-supplemented interventions in 2023-2024 resulted in a growth of crop output by 20%, as per the latest figures released by the government.
To ensure that AI is developed responsibly and ethically, the Modi government is drafting a National AI Ethics Framework. This framework, whose first draft is expected to be completed by late 2024, will stipulate standards for the design, application, and regulation of AI technology for engineers, industrialists, and policymakers.
One of the areas that Modi concentrated on is Artificial Intelligence Literacy. The government kicked off a programme geared towards “Responsible AI” in 2024, whose purpose is to sensitize the country's growing population about the moral concerns associated with artificial intelligence. This will, in turn, inspire the future generation of programmers to create artificial intelligence that works ethically.
So far, in 2024, Narendra Modi’s drive for the ethical implications of artificial intelligence is high. He is promoting India as a champion in the tourism industry by February, an initiative where there are principles of inclusion, equity, and transparency in using AI technology.
