An AI compact: The world needs operational standards to avert risks

In a world where AI can be weaponised as easily as it can be used for the public good, the cost of inaction could be heavy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call at the G20 summit in Johannesburg for a “global compact on artificial intelligence (AI)” comes at a time when nations are trying to keep pace with the rapid expansion of AI and the risks that accompany it. Mr Modi highlighted the need for strong human oversight, safety-by-design systems, transparency, and firm bans on the usage of AI in deepfakes, and criminal and terrorist activities. These concerns are not abstract: There are warnings that by next year, nearly 90 per cent of online content may be AI-generated, vastly increasing the risk of misinformation and making it