PMINDIA

My Cabinet colleague Ashwini Vaishnaw ji, Rajeev Chandrasekhar ji, Outgoing Chair of GPAI, Minister of Japan Hiroshi Yoshida ji, other Ministers of member countries, other dignitaries, ladies and gentlemen!

I welcome you all to the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence Summit. I am delighted that Bharat is going to preside over this summit next year. This summit is taking place at a time when there is a huge debate going on all over the world regarding AI. All kinds of aspects, positive and negative, are coming to the forefront due to this debate. Therefore, every country associated with this summit has a huge responsibility. In the past, I have had the opportunity to meet many political and industry leaders. I have also talked about this summit in my meeting with them. Neither the Current nor the future generation is untouched by the impact of AI. We have to proceed with great caution. And that is why I believe that the ideas emerging from this summit, the suggestions emerging from this summit, will work to protect and give direction to the fundamental values of the entire humanity.

Friends,

Today Bharat is the most prominent player in AI talent and new ideas related to AI. Bharat’s young tech experts and researchers are exploring AI’s limits. In Bharat, we are seeing a very enthusiastic AI innovation spirit. Before coming here, I got the opportunity to visit the AI expo. In this expo, we can see how Artificial Intelligence can change lives. It was quite natural for me to be overjoyed to look at the ideas of the youth selected under the YUVA AI initiative. These youngsters are trying to bring social change through technology. In Bharat, the discussion about AI related solutions is now reaching every village. Recently we launched an AI chat-bot in agriculture. This will help farmers to know their application status, payment details and updates related to government schemes. We are also working towards completely transforming our health sector in Bharat with the help of AI. AI can also play an important role in achieving sustainable development goals.

Friends,

Our development mantra in Bharat is – Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas. We have developed government policies and programmes inspired by the spirit of ‘AI for all’. Our endeavour is to take full advantage of the capabilities of AI for social development and inclusive growth. Bharat is also fully committed to the responsible and ethical use of AI. We have started the “National Programme on Artificial Intelligence”. We are also going to launch an AI mission in Bharat. The goal of this mission is to establish adequate capacity of AI compute power in Bharat. This will provide better facilities to Bharat’s start-ups and innovators. Under this mission, AI applications will be promoted in sectors like agriculture, health-care, and education. We are taking AI skills to tier-2 and tier-3 cities through our Industrial Training Institutes. We have a “National AI Portal”, which promotes Artificial Intelligence initiatives in the country. You must have also heard about the ‘AIRAWAT’ initiative. Very soon, all research labs, industries and start-ups will be able to use this common platform.

Friends,

With AI we are entering a new era. Artificial Intelligence is much more than a technological tool. AI is turning into the biggest means of shaping our new future. A great strength of AI is its ability to connect people. Proper use of AI not only ensures the economic progress of the country but it also ensures equality and social justice. Therefore, AI will also need different types of AIs for its future. That means, AI will have to be made all-inclusive and all ideas will have to be adopted. The more inclusive the development journey of AI is, the more inclusive its results will be.

We have seen that in the last century the inequalities present in society had increased due to unequal access to technology. Now we have to save the entire humanity from this kind of a blunder. We know that when democratic values are combined with technology, it works as a multiplier towards inclusion. Therefore, the future direction of Artificial Intelligence will also completely depend on human values and democratic values. Artificial intelligence can help in improving our efficiency. But it is up to us to keep aside some space for emotions also. Artificial intelligence can increase our effectiveness, but it is up to us to maintain our ethics as well. In this direction, this platform can help in increasing cooperation between different countries.

Friends,

For any system to become sustainable, it has to be made Transformative, Transparent and Trusted. There is no doubt that AI is transformative. But it is up to us to make it as transparent as possible. If we can make the data and algorithms used transparent and free from bias, then it would be a good start. We have to convince people around the world that AI is for their benefit and well-being. We also have to assure different countries of the world that no one will be left behind in the development journey of this technology. Trust in AI will increase when ethical, economic and social concerns related to AI are taken into account. For example, if up-skilling and re-skilling becomes part of the AI growth curve, youngsters will be able to believe that AI is for the betterment of their future. If attention is paid to data security, people will be able to believe that AI will drive development without interfering with their privacy. If the Global South realizes that they too play a crucial role in the development of AI, then they will be able to accept it as a way of the future.

Friends,

There are many positive aspects of AI, but the negative aspects related to it are also a matter of equal concern. AI can become the most significant tool of development in the 21st century and can also play the greatest role in destroying the 21st century. The challenge of ‘deepfake’ is in front of the whole world today. Apart from this, there is also a major threat to cyber security, and the issue of data theft and terrorists getting access to AI tools. If AI equipped weapons reach terrorist organizations, it will have a huge impact on global security. We need to discuss this topic and reach a concrete plan on how to prevent misuse of AI. That is why, during the G20 Presidency, we proposed to create a framework for Responsible Human-Centric AI governance. The G20 New Delhi Declaration has reaffirmed the commitment of all member countries towards ‘AI Principles’. An understanding was reached by all members about the risks associated with the use of AI. Just as we have agreements and protocols for various international issues, we have to work together to create a global framework for the ethical use of AI. It will also include protocols for testing and deployment of high-risk or frontier AI tools. For this, conviction, commitment, coordination, and collaboration are most needed. We have to take such steps together to ensure responsible use of AI. Today, through this summit, Bharat calls upon the entire global world that we should not waste even one moment. There are only a few days left in this year. The new year is round the corner. We have to complete the global framework within a given time limit. This task is very important to protect humanity.

Friends,

AI is not just a new technology, it has become a worldwide movement. Therefore, it is very crucial for all of us to work together. In the next two days you all will discuss various topics. Whenever I meet an AI expert, I cannot stop myself from asking questions and giving suggestions. Today, while talking to the experts like you, different ideas were popping into my mind. We have to think about how the credibility of AI generated information can be enhanced? What could be the possible data sets using which we can train and test AI tools? One must also think about how much testing should be done before releasing an AI tool in the market. Can we introduce any software watermark, which shows that this information or product is AI generated? With this, the person who uses AI generated information will be aware of its limitations.

I would also like to say one thing to the experts in the Central Government and State Governments in Bharat. Governments have various types of data related to schemes. How can it be used in evidence-based decision making? Can we use such data to train AI tools? Can we establish an audit mechanism in which AI tools can be categorized into red, yellow, or green based on their capabilities? Can we establish an institutional mechanism that ensures resilient employment? Can we bring standardized global AI education curriculum? Can we set standards to prepare people for an AI-driven future? People associated with the government and all the experts like you must consider many such questions.

Friends,

You know that hundreds of languages are spoken in Bharat; there are thousands of dialects. Also think about how digital services can be made available in local languages with the help of AI to expand digital inclusion. Also work on how languages which are no longer spoken can be revived with the help of AI. The knowledge base and literature of Sanskrit language is very rich. Also think about how it can be taken forward with the help of AI. Efforts should also be made to see if the missing volumes of Vedic mathematics can be re-added with the help of AI.

Friends,

I am confident that this summit will provide an excellent opportunity to exchange ideas. I want this summit to prove to be a great learning experience for every delegate attending it. Over the next two days you will delve into various aspects of AI. I hope we will have specific outcomes. By implementing these, we will certainly pave the way for building a responsible and sustainable future. I wish you all the very best.

Thank you very much.

Namaskar!