Modi calls for inclusive AI, unveils MANAV framework

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi pushed on Thursday for democratisation of AI, saying it must become a tool for inclusion and empowerment and a force for global good, especially across the Global South, while taking aim at countries and companies that consider AI to be a strategic asset that must be developed in secrecy.

Questioning the walls that have come up around the development of AI as it is leveraged by countries and companies as a force and profit multiplier, Modi said India thinks different. "It is said sunlight is the best disinfectant. We believe AI will benefit the world only when it is shared. When codes are open and shared, millions of young minds can make them safer and better. Therefore, let us resolve to develop AI as a global common good," he said.


Speaking at the AI Impact Summit and with heads of foreign govts and tech giants and representatives of 100 countries in audience, Modi cautioned against reducing individuals to "mere data points or raw material" and unveiled India's approach of "MANAV" framework of "responsible AI". He said AI's transformative power must be a multiplier.

At a time when fears have grown about AI, which, while generating impressive benefits in diverse fields, can lead to risks ranging from autonomous weapon systems, machines breaking free of control of developers, and breakthroughs widening the gap between powerful countries and others, the PM struck a positive yet cautious note. He noted the wariness about the consequences which could have not been imagined until very recently, but focused on the enthusiasm with which the youth have approached, what he called, the latest of turning points in history.

"Today, the world is divided into two kinds of people: those who see fear in AI and speak only of that fear, and those who see fortune in AI. I say with responsibility and with pride that India does not see fear in AI, India sees fortune in AI. India sees the future in AI," Modi said.

He acknowledged the task that govts and societies face and said while history has seen many turning points, the transformative change represented by AI is unprecedented in terms of speed and scale.

The PM sought to strike a balance between increasingly desperate cries for regulating AI and those saying that curbs could stifle innovation, thus nipping potential breakthroughs, which hold the key to challenges of Alzheimer's, cancer and climate change. "We must give AI the open sky, but keep the command in our hands. Just like GPS - it suggests the route - but the final decision of direction is ours. The path we choose for AI today will determine the future we create tomorrow," he said.

On Wednesday, senior White House policy adviser on Artificial Intelligence, Sriram Krishnan, had said that the US wants to make sure that the world uses the American AI stack.

Modi said India's perspective on AI is reflected in the theme of the summit - Sarvajan Hitaya, Sarvajan Sukhaya - Welfare for all, Happiness for all' - and that is India's benchmark. He said that the emergence of AI is a turning point for human civilisation and urged global leaders and innovators to ensure that the technology remains human-centric, inclusive and ethically governed.

Highlighting the need for setting up of global standards, PM flagged deepfakes and fabricated content that are bringing instability to open societies. Drawing a parallel with nutrition labels on food which make a person aware of what they are eating, the PM said the digital world should have authenticity labels on content so that people know what is real and what is created by AI.

"As Artificial Intelligence is creating more text, images and videos, the need for watermarking and clear source standards in the industry is increasing. That's why it's necessary that this trust be built in to technology from the beginning," he added.

The PM said alongside the present generation, there is a need to consider what form of AI will future generations get. Drawing another parallel with nuclear power, where the world has seen its destructive force, and its positive contributions, Modi said, "AI, too, is a transformative power - if directionless, it leads to disruption; if guided rightly, it becomes a solution. How to make AI human-centric, sensitive and responsible is the core purpose of AI Impact Summit," he added.

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