Calling for Caution, PM flags need for Ethics, Democratic Values in AI

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Why in the News?
• About Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) Summit
• About Artificial Intelligence
• Should AI be Regulated before it’s too late?
• Benefits of Regulating AI outweigh Potential Losses
• News Summary

Why in the News?

• While addressing the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) Summit, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi advised the need to exercise extreme caution in the deployment of AI.

About Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) Summit

• The Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence is an international initiative, started in 2020.
• Objective: To bridge the gap between theory and practice on AI by supporting cutting-edge research and applied activities on AI-related priorities.
• GPAI brings together engaged minds and expertise from science, industry, civil society, governments, international organisations and academia to foster international cooperation.
• The founding members of the GPAI are: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Slovenia, the UK, the US, and the EU.
• At present, GPAI has 28 members, along with the EU.

About Artificial Intelligence

• Artificial intelligence (AI) is the ability of a computer or a robot controlled by a computer to do tasks that are usually done by humans because they require human intelligence and discernment.
• The term is frequently applied to the project of developing systems endowed with the intellectual processes characteristic of humans, such as the ability to reason, discover meaning, generalize, or learn from past experience.
• AI algorithms are trained using large datasets so that they can identify patterns, make predictions and recommend actions, much like a human would, just faster and better.

Should AI be Regulated before it’s too late?

• Artificial Intelligence is already suffering from three key issues – privacy, bias and discrimination.
• Currently, governments do not have any policy tools to halt work in AI development.
• If left unchecked, it can start infringing on – and ultimately take control of – people’s lives.
• Businesses across industries are increasingly deploying AI to analyse preferences and personalize user experiences, boost productivity, and fight fraud.
  • For example, ChatGPT Plus, has already been integrated by Snapchat, UnrealEngine and Shopify in their applications.
• This growing use of AI has already transformed the way the global economy works and how businesses interact with their consumers.
  • However, in some cases it is also beginning to infringe on people’s privacy.
• Hence, AI should be regulated so that the entities using the technology act responsible and are held accountable.
• Laws and policies should be developed that broadly govern the algorithms which will help promote responsible use of AI and make businesses accountable.
• Mandatory regulations on AI can go a long way in preventing technology from infringing human rights.
• They can also help ensure that technology is used for the benefit of end users instead of negatively affecting their lives.

Benefits of Regulating AI outweigh Potential Losses

• It is true that regulating AI may adversely impact business interests. It may slow down technological growth and suppress competition.
• However, taking a cue from General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the governments can create a more AI-focused regulations and have a positive long-term impact.
  • GDPR is the European Union’s law which ensures the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data.
• Governments must engage in meaningful dialogues with other countries on a common international regulation of AI.

News Summary

• India is hosting the 4^th Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) Summit from December 12-14, 2023, at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.
  • The first three GPAI summits were held in Montreal, Paris and Tokyo, respectively.
• Flagging the duel potential of AI - that while it can be 21st century’s biggest development tool, it can also potentially play the biggest role in its destruction - PM Modi called for a global framework that will provide guardrails and make its use more responsible.
• He advised the need to exercise extreme caution in the deployment of AI.
  • “AI will impact current and future generations. We should move forward with utmost caution,” he said.
• The PM flagged deepfakes, cybersecurity and cyber-terrorism as concerns that emanate from unchecked development of AI tools.
• He also asked if there could be an audit mechanism to categorise AI tools into red, yellow or green, as per their capabilities.
• “If terrorist organisations have AI-enabled weapons, it will have a big impact on global security,” he said.
• India is negotiating with GPAI member countries for a consensus on a declaration document on the proper use of AI, the guardrails for the technology, and how it can be democratised.
• Identifying AI as a key driver of economic growth, he said that India will soon launch its AI mission, to establish AI compute power for startups and innovators.
  • Under this, AI applications in sectors like agriculture, health and education will be promoted.
  • This will take AI skills to Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities of the country.
• He suggested that ethical use of AI should be the guiding principle for a global framework.
• He said that development and deployment protocols around high-risk and frontier AI systems should be included in such a framework.
• Saying that AI’s biggest power is connecting people, he added that its right use would ensure not just economic growth but also equality and social justice.

Q1) What is the basic difference between Ethics & Morality?

 Ethics are usually based on logical reasoning and a shared set of values, while morality is often based on gut instinct or religious beliefs. Ethics tend to be more objective, while morality is often subjective. Ethics are universal, while morality is often culture-specific.

Q2) What do you mean by network security?

Network security consists of the policies, processes and practices adopted to prevent, detect and monitor unauthorised access, misuse, modification, or denial of a computer network and network-accessible resources.

Source: Calling for caution, PM flags need for ethics, democratic values in AI | TOI