Need for safe, inclusive AI framework for children: Principal Scientific Advisor, GoI

Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser, Govt of India while addressing the session AI & Children: Turning Principles into Practice for Safe, Inclusive and Empowering AI, organized by FICCI, jointly with UNICEF during the AI Impact Summit 2026, said that digital penetration in India is increasing and children are increasingly exposed to Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven platforms. It therefore, underscores the need for a safe, inclusive and empowering framework tailored for their development, he emphasized.

Prof Sood stated that AI systems are now shaping the learning pattern, information access and behaviour responses, especially of children, is what we all stakeholders have to look at. We still dont know the long-term effects of growing-up with AI companions including personalized learning apps, algorithm-based feeds. More evidence is needed with new tools to understand the impact it has on childs overall development over time, he noted.

He further said that often AI is referred as a double-edged sword, hence the governance objective should be to sharpen the edge of opportunities while blunting the edge of risk. AI can also help in strengthening societal inclusion by improving accessibility for all children. Prof Sood further cautioned over reliance on AI tools as it does weaken critical thinking and independent problem-solving techniques. Highlighting the government initiatives on AI governance, he said that India has taken a series of governance initiatives including the India AI Mission, AI Governance framework and recent release of the whitepaper on Strengthening AI Safety using Techno-Legal framework.

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