NEW DELHI — The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) will issue a comprehensive consultation paper within a month to frame public policy and regulatory guardrails for Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Speaking at the launch of the World Bank-MeitY report on AI in New Delhi, Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that the upcoming paper will serve as the baseline for India’s future statutory framework, prioritizing user safety, a “human-first” philosophy, and broad-based skilling.
Key highlights from the address and regulatory outline include:
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Techno-Legal Governance Model: The Minister signaled a “techno-legal solution” combining regulatory oversight with technological tools, emphasizing that legislation alone cannot govern rapid AI advancements.
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Primary Industry Responsibility: While the government establishes overarching frameworks, commercial developers and industry leaders will bear the primary operational responsibility for mitigating risk, securing user safety, and tackling psychological harms associated with AI misuse.
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Mitigating Deepfakes & Psychological Risks: Citing deepfakes as a major societal nuisance that misleads public narrative, Vaishnaw warned against emerging risks, including AI-driven psychological disorders, fraud, and misinformation.
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Private Sector & Voluntary Compliance: MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan noted that governance will leverage voluntary industry compliance alongside existing statutes, ensuring regulatory flexibility as India pursues Prime Minister Modi’s initiative to integrate 10 million youth into the national AI talent pool.
