India at UK AI Safety Summit: Can’t let AI spread misinformation, says IT Min Rajeev Chandrasekhar

While putting forward the Indian perspective at that the inaugural AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park, UK, Union IT Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar highlighted the potential dangers of allowing technological innovation to outpace regulatory measures. Drawing parallels with the challenges associated with combating misinformation and the weaponization of the internet, particularly through social media platforms, he emphasized the need for a new framework that places greater responsibility on internet platforms to address user harm. Ensuring safe innovation Addressing a global audience of leaders, Minister Chandrasekhar stressed the critical importance of guaranteeing the safety and trustworthiness of platforms, whether in the realm of AI or the broader internet landscape. He cautioned against replicating the errors of the past decade, where unchecked innovation led to toxic online environments. “We have learned in the last 10-15 years as governments that by allowing innovation to get ahead of regulation, we opened ourselves to the toxicity and the misinformation and the weaponization that we see on the Internet today, represented by social media,” said the minister. He asserted that this is not the path “we should chart for the coming years in terms of AI.” Minister Chandrasekhar added that everyone desires their own version of AI as well as the broader internet, and technology to represent goodness, safety, and trust. He emphasized the critical role of platforms and innovators in demonstrating accountability and adherence to the law for the benefit of all users. Prime Minister Modi’s vision for a collaborative approach The Union Minister highlighted the advocacy of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a collaborative approach to shaping the future of technology. PM Modi has consistently urged the formation of international coalitions of nations, whether it involves innovations, partnerships, or the institutional framework for regulating technology and innovations for the greater benefit of humanity. Chandrasekhar explained that this approach ensures greater sustainability, as an institutional framework supported by multiple countries is inherently more robust and enduring than one driven by a single nation or a handful of nations. AI Safety Summit 2023 The AI Safety Summit 2023, is a global event hosted at Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire. Over 100 world leaders, tech executives, academics, and researchers are in attendance. The summit is supposed to serve as a platform for in-depth discussions on the significance of addressing the safety and ethics of AI technology.