Minister for State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Electronics and Information Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, has clarified the recent advisory issued by the Government of India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
According to the Minister, the advisory, which garnered attention for its directives on AI models, aims primarily at significant platforms. It emphasizes that the requirement for seeking permission from MeitY applies exclusively to large platforms and does not extend to startups in the AI sector.
Rajeev Chandrasekhar’s Response to Recent AI Regulation Reports
The Minister highlights that the advisory targets untested AI platforms seeking deployment on the Indian Internet. The process outlined in the advisory, including seeking permission, labeling, and consent-based disclosure to users about untested platforms, is described as an “insurance policy” for platforms. This mechanism aims to safeguard platforms from potential consumer lawsuits, underscoring the importance of ensuring the safety and trustworthiness of India’s Internet ecosystem.
Recent advisory of @GoI_MeitY needs to be understood
➡️Advisory is aimed at the Significant platforms and permission seeking from Meity is only for large plarforms and will not apply to startups.
➡️Advisory is aimed at untested AI platforms from deploying on Indian Internet…
— Rajeev Chandrasekhar 🇮🇳(Modiyude Kutumbam) (@Rajeev_GoI) March 4, 2024
The Minister emphasizes that ensuring the safety and trust of India’s Internet is a common goal for the government, users, and platforms. The clarifications provided by the Minister shed light on the intent behind MeitY’s advisory and aim to address concerns and misconceptions surrounding its implementation.
Background
The recent advisory issued by MeitY concerning the regulation of AI models on Indian Internet platforms has sparked discussions and debates within the tech community. The advisory outlined guidelines for intermediaries, emphasizing the need for explicit government permission for “under-testing” or “unreliable” AI models before their deployment.
It also addressed concerns related to bias, discrimination, and the integrity of the electoral process in AI tools deployed by intermediaries. Additionally, the advisory instructed platforms to label synthetically created content and ensure compliance with immediate effect.
The issuance of this advisory followed controversies surrounding the responses generated by AI models, such as Google’s Gemini AI, prompting discussions on the regulation and ethical use of AI in India.
The Minister’s clarifications provide insights into the government’s approach to regulating AI in India and highlight the collaborative effort required to ensure a safe and trustworthy online environment for users and platforms.
