Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said India sees destiny, not fear, in the Artificial Intelligence revolution, while calling for global standards, transparency and water marking in the AI-generated content and ecosystem.Addressing the India AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam, the Prime Minister invited world leaders to design in India and deliver to the world highlighting the tech talent pool of the country.He also made a compelling case for transparency saying sunlight was the best disinfectant.“Just like sunlight is the best disinfectant, transparency is the best security. Some nations and companies believe AI is a strategic asset so it should be confidentially developed but our thought is different. We believe AI will be beneficial to the world when it is shared, when codes are opened and shared,” Modi said in the presence of world leaders including French President Emmannuel Macron, Brazil PM Luiz da Silva and global tech leaders Sunder Pichai and Sam Altman.The PM said only an open and shared AI can ensure a better and secure world. Advocating the need to develop AI as a global common good, he warned against deepfakes.“Deepfake and fabricated content are bringing instability in open societies. In the physical world we see nutrition labels on food to inform our decisions. Likewise, authenticity labels should accompany digital content so that people know what is AI generated and what is real,” said PM Modi.He said as more texts, videos and images are coming, watermarking and clear source standards in the AI world are becoming imperative.“So it is necessary that this trust is inbuilt in technology. We also have to be more alive for children’s safety. Just as school syllabus is curated, AI space should also be child safe and family guided,” the PM said.He also divided the world into two segments and said there is one segment that is fearful of AI and another that sees destiny in AI.“India sees destiny not fear in AI,” he said, citing Indian talent, energy capacity and policy clarity to invite global leaders to make AI in India.He also mentioned three Indian firms that have launched their AI models and apps in the Summit.Earlier in his remarks, the PM termed the India AI Summit as historic and the largest ever.“The Summit being hosted by India, one sixth of humanity, is a moment of pride for the Global South. India has the largest youth population in the world, the largest tech talent pool, is an example of the largest tech enabled ecosystem. India develops new technology and also adopts it,” Modi said marketing India as an ideal AI development destination.The Summit is being attended by leaders and participants from over 100 nations, as well as the who’s who of the global tech world.The PM also said a human being should not be reduced to data points in the context of AI.“We will have to democratise AI. This will have to be made a medium of inclusion. We have to give AI an open sky while keeping the command in our hands. It should be like the GPS which shows us the way but the final call as to what direction to take is ours,” Modi said.He presented India’s ‘MAANAV vision’ for AI and said: “M stands for moral and ethical systems; A for accountable governance based on transparent rules and robust oversight; A for accessible and inclusive; V for valid and legitimate to make AI lawful and verifiable.”“This MAANAV vision of India will become a vital link to the welfare of mankind,” he added.
