Indian Government Has No Plans to Regulate AI, Says IT Minister
The government is making efforts to standardize responsible AI development and use best practices, but will not bring any laws to regulate AI growth.
As per the IT and Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Indian government has no intentions to regulate the expansion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the nation. In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Vaishnaw stated that the government is making efforts to standardize responsible AI development and use best practices.
Ethical concerns and risks associated with AI
Vaishnaw acknowledged the ethical concerns and risks associated with AI, such as bias and discrimination in decision-making, privacy violations, lack of transparency in AI systems, and questions about responsibility for harm caused by it. The National Strategy for AI (NSAI), which was published in June 2018, brought attention to the concerns.
Government’s efforts to standardize responsible AI development
To address these ethical concerns and potential risks associated with AI, various central and state government departments and agencies have commenced efforts to standardize responsible AI development, use best practices and promote their adoption. The government think-tank, NITI Aayog, has released a sequence of documents on the topic of “Responsible AI for All”.
Government’s focus on AI to provide citizen-centric services
Although there are concerns related to AI, the government considers it a crucial and strategic area for the country and the technology sector. The government believes that AI will have a dynamic impact on the growth of entrepreneurship and businesses. Therefore, the government is taking all the required measures in terms of policies and infrastructure to establish a strong AI sector in the country.
Vaishnaw stated that the government aims to utilize AI’s potential to deliver customized and interactive services to citizens via digital public platforms. Additionally, the government has no plans to regulate the growth of AI in the country.
Conclusion
The government’s decision not to regulate AI growth is in line with its focus on innovation and technology-driven growth. By making efforts to standardize responsible AI development and promoting best practices, the government is taking a proactive approach to addressing the ethical concerns and risks associated with AI while leveraging its potential to improve citizen services and drive economic growth.
