India has entered the global discussion on regulating artificial intelligence (AI) with a new advisory requiring "significant" tech companies to seek government approval before launching new AI models in the country.
This unexpected move by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has drawn mixed reactions. While the government sees it as a necessary step to ensure responsible AI development and prevent potential misuse, industry experts and entrepreneurs are concerned it might stifle innovation and hinder India's competitiveness in the global AI race.
Key points of the advisory:
- Prior government approval: "Significant" tech firms need permission before launching new AI models in India.
- Focus on fairness and transparency: AI services and products should not display bias, discrimination, or threaten election integrity.
- Clear labeling of limitations: Companies must clearly inform users about potential errors or unreliability in AI outputs.
- Immediate compliance: Tech firms are expected to comply "with immediate effect" and submit reports to the ministry within 15 days.
Concerns and criticisms:
- Startups and VCs fear stifling innovation: The new regulations are seen as a potential barrier for startups and could hinder India's progress in the global AI landscape.
- Silicon Valley voices disapproval: Tech leaders like Aravind Srinivas (Perplexity AI) and Martin Casado (Andreessen Horowitz) have criticized the policy shift, calling it a "bad move" and a "travesty."
India's shift from a hands-off approach to regulation:
This advisory marks a significant change from India's previous stance. Until recently, the government had prioritized promoting AI growth, considering it crucial for the country's strategic interests.
The advisory follows an incident involving Google's AI:
The policy change comes after MeitY expressed concerns about a response generated by Google's AI language model, Gemini (previously Bard), regarding Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The response, which cited unnamed experts, mentioned accusations against Modi's policies, and the government deemed it a violation of its IT rules and the Criminal Code.
