Global Framework on Expansion of Ethical AI Tools

​What’s in Today’s Article?

• Why in News?
• Responsible AI for All
• Governing AI - A Blueprint for India
• Shift in India’s own Position on Regulating AI
• Highlights of the PM Address at the B20

Why in News?

• With the G20 Summit on the corner, the Indian PM’s call for a global framework on expansion of “ethical” artificial intelligence (AI) tools aims at taking a leadership position on the need for regulating sectors such as AI and cryptocurrencies.
• The PM was speaking at the Business 20 (B20) Summit organised by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), ahead of the G20 Summit next month.

Responsible AI for All:

• In 2018, NITI Aayog released the National Strategy on Artificial Intelligence (NSAI), highlighting the roadmap to adopt AI in five public sectors in a manner that is safe and dispenses benefits to all citizens.
• The strategy document coined the “AI for All” mantra, to be the governing benchmark for future AI design, development, and deployment in India.
  • A part of this strategy was to ensure the safe and responsible use of AI.
• As a follow-up to NSAI, the NITI Aayog identified principles (RAI principles) for responsible design, development, and deployment of AI in India, and set out enforcement mechanisms to operationalise these principles.
• As the next step 7 principles were formulated:
  • Safety and reliability,
  • Inclusivity and non-discrimination,
  • Equality, privacy and security,
  • Transparency,
  • Accountability,
  • Protection and
  • Reinforcement of positive human values were identified to determine the efficacy of the approach recommended and identify challenges.

Governing AI - A Blueprint for India:

• India is experiencing a significant technological transformation that presents a tremendous opportunity to leverage innovation for economic growth.
• Policymakers across jurisdictions have stepped up regulatory scrutiny of generative AI tools, prompted by Chat GPT’s explosive launch.
• The concerns being flagged fall into three broad heads: privacy, system bias and violation of intellectual property rights.
• In this backdrop, Tech major Microsoft (which has a stake in OpenAI) had recently floated a blueprint for AI governance in India titled “Governing AI: A Blueprint for India”.
• This paper offers some of our ideas and suggestions as a company, placed in the Indian context.
• The paper proposed regulations prescribing safety and security requirements, with post-deployment safety and security monitoring and protection.
• Microsoft has offered to share its “specialised knowledge” about advanced AI models to help the government define the regulatory threshold.

Shift in India’s own Position on Regulating AI:

• Recently, the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MietY) had said that it is not considering any law to regulate the AI sector.
  • The MeitY admitted that though AI had ethical concerns and associated risks, it had proven to be an enabler of the digital and innovation ecosystem.
• The PM’s address at the B20 shows a shift in New Delhi’s own position - from not considering any legal intervention on regulating AI in the country to moving in the direction of formulating regulations based on a “risk-based, user-harm” approach.
• Part of this shift was reflected in a TRAI’s consultation paper, which said that the Centre should set up a domestic statutory authority to regulate AI in India through the lens of a “risk-based framework”.
• TRAI also called for collaborations with international agencies and governments of other countries for forming a global agency (with regulatory oversight) for the “responsible/ ethical use” of AI.
  • The TRAI’s recommendation is broadly in line with an approach enunciated by Sam Altman, the founder of OpenAI (the company behind ChatGPT).
  • He had called for an international regulatory body for AI, akin to that overseeing nuclear non-proliferation.
• This also comes amid indications that Centre is looking to introduce the Digital India Bill that is expected to replace the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000.
  • The Bill draws a clear distinction between different types of online intermediaries, including AI-based platforms, and issues specific regulations for each of these intermediaries.

Highlights of the PM Address at the B20:

• The PM called for a global framework to ensure the ethical use of AI as he flagged challenges of skilling and reskilling, and algorithmic bias and its impact on society.
• Global business communities and governments have to ensure the expansion of ethical AI across different sectors.
• Emphasising the need to deepen mutual trust and cooperation between countries, he called for a similar, integrated approach to deal with issues related to cryptocurrencies.
• He cited the examples of the aviation and financial sectors which have seen global coordination.
• Cautioning against a “self-centric” approach, he said that if businesses and governments don’t shoulder global responsibility, it could result in a “new colonial model”.

Q1) What is Business 20 (B20)?

The Business 20 (B20) is the official G20 dialogue forum with the global business community. Established in 2010, B20 is among the most prominent Engagement Groups in G20, with companies and business organisations as participants.

Q2) What is the Digital India Bill?

The Digital India Bill 2023 aims to replace India's existing Information Technology Act of 2000 and provide comprehensive oversight of the digital landscape. It seeks to address modern challenges like cybercrime, data protection, deepfakes, and online safety.

Source: PM Modi calls for expanding ‘ethical’ AI: A look at the shift in Indian govt’s stance on AI regulation | IE