India to use artificial intelligence for good governance: Suresh Prabhu

The government will use artificial intelligence (AI) for good governance but protect the privacy of citizens, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Suresh Prabhu said on Monday.

Proper regulations and corrective action will be taken to protect citizen's privacy and ownership of data, he said adding that India is transporting more data than the United States and China put together.

"The top six companies in the world are using this data with value addition and monetisation. India is strengthening its legal system and regulatory framework to deal with this world of digital data," Prabhu said at the International Colloquium on Ethics and Governance of Autonomous AI System for a Better World.

The event was organised by Department of Science and Technology, CMS, ITU-APT and InfocomThink Tank, according to an official statement.

"AI is the technology of today, and one who masters this will rule the world. Every country is developing an AI strategy. India too is working on developing a strategy for the use of AI for the common good."

The opening session was addressed by Prof K Vijay Raghvan, Principal Scientific Advisor to the government, and R S Sharma, Chairman of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.

They said this is the first time in human history that machines are taking decisions based on data and experience. The government will have to put in place mechanisms on how data is used and algorithms are written.

As all the data being generated in world today is being controlled by few companies, it is creating asymmetries as very few create, understand and use this data.

A data-rich country like India must develop a national policy spelling out ownership of data, privacy of data generated by citizens and issues of data portability so that its sovereignty is not compromised.

The two-day event will see many international experts brainstorm about ethics of AI and machine learning, legalities, application of AI, relevance of blockchain technology and effect of automation on the labour force. Professors from five IITs, C-DAC and other renowned institutions are participating in the colloquium.

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