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The spotlight shines on India this week as it hosts the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) Summit in New Delhi, commencing December 12th. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's presence at the inauguration underscores the significance of this gathering, where stakeholders from 28 countries convene to tackle the pivotal question: how can we harness the immense power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) while mitigating potential risks and ensuring its equitable and responsible development?
Negotiating a Consensus on the Responsible Use of AI
At the heart of the summit lies the pursuit of a shared vision for AI. Negotiators from participating nations strive to reach a consensus on a declaration document addressing ethical considerations, establishing guardrails, and promoting the democratization of AI.
IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw aptly summarized the global sentiment, stating, "The world's thinking on AI is converging. People understand the dangers, the potential, and the benefits that could come out of AI. The entire world also wants to put certain guardrails."
India's Priorities: Sustainable Agriculture and Collaborative AI
India, a founding member of GPAI, assumes a leading role in shaping this global discourse. Its influence is evident in the proposed declaration, where two key areas reflect the nation's priorities:
Sustainable Agriculture: Recognizing the critical role of AI in addressing global food security challenges, India advocates for its application in developing and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. This expands the focus of AI beyond healthcare, climate action, and building resilient societies, encompassing a crucial aspect of human well-being.
Collaborative AI: Drawing inspiration from India's successful Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) approach, the declaration champions collaborative AI initiatives. This entails leveraging shared databases and computing capacity, akin to the Aadhaar and UPI platforms, to facilitate broader access and adoption of AI technology.
Global Efforts to Regulate AI
The GPAI Summit takes place within the context of burgeoning global efforts to regulate AI. The European Union's AI Act serves as a notable example, introducing safeguards on facial recognition and manipulative AI practices. Additionally, the Global AI Safety Summit saw 28 nations, including India, acknowledge the potential risks of frontier AI and call for collective action.
The US has also entered the fray, issuing an executive order aimed at mitigating AI-related threats and setting safety standards for generative AI models. These international initiatives highlight the growing recognition of the need for proactive measures to guide the development and application of AI technology.
India's Leadership in Shaping the Future of AI
As the GPAI Summit unfolds, the eyes of the world are on India. The nation's leadership and commitment to responsible AI development position it as a key player in shaping the future of this transformative technology.
Reaching a consensus on the proposed declaration will be a significant step towards harnessing the potential of AI for the benefit of all while ensuring its ethical and responsible use. The success of this endeavour will pave the way for a future where AI empowers humanity to overcome global challenges and create a more sustainable and equitable world.