RAISE 2020: PM Narendra Modi calls for responsible AI to make India a global hub for new technologies

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday underlined the vision of a New India that aspires to become a global leader in digital revolution by leveraging the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in bringing transparency, inclusiveness, trust, and empowerment to the people.

Speaking at the inauguration of the five-day global virtual summit Responsible AI for Social Empowerment (RAISE) 2020 organised by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in partnership with NITI Aayog, the Prime Minister said AI has a big role to play in sectors like agriculture, creating next generation urban infrastructure, and making disaster management systems stronger.

Talking about the pitfalls of the technology, he said, "It remains our collective responsibility to ensure trust in how AI is used. Algorithm transparency is key to establishing this trust. Equally important is accountability. We must protect the world against weaponisation of AI by non-state actors.”

On the potential of AI, he said that artificial intelligence can play a big role in creating next generation urban infrastructure and how it can also help in strengthening disaster management systems.

Pointing out government schemes and projects making use of AI in the past six years, PM Modi said, “We launched ‘Responsible AI for Youth’ programme this year in April. Under this programme, more than 11,000 students from schools completed the basic course. They are now building their AI projects.”

He added that India is home to the world's largest unique identification system, Aadhaar, and that we have the world's most innovative digital payment system - UPI. “This has enabled access to digital services, including financial services like direct cash transfer to the poor,” he said.

Stating that “we want India to become a global hub for AI”, the Prime Minister said, “Many Indians are already working on this. I hope many more do so in the times to come."

He also highlighted how the newly-launched National Education Policy fosters technology-based learning and skilling.

"This year, India adopted the National Education Policy. It focuses on technology-based learning and skilling as a major part of education. E-courses will also be developed in various regional languages and dialects," he added.

"While we discuss AI, let us also have no doubts that human creativity and human emotions continue to be our greatest strength. They are our unique advantage over machines," PM Modi added.

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RAISE 2020: Responsible artificial intelligence for social empowerment

Reliance Industries (RIL) Chairman Mukesh Ambani also spoke at the inaugural session of the summit, emphasising that the time is ripe for India to become a world leader in artificial intelligence and the tools for it are also ready.

Ambani touched upon India’s journey of digital transformation through growing mobile internet, fibre optic internet network, leading data centres and the Make in India initiative.

Pointing to the fact that India now has the largest number of internet mobile users from its earlier position of 155th rank, he said, “India has transformed to become number one in the world in mobile data consumption.”

Ambani also added that the advent of 5G will have an even more positive impact on upcoming technologies such as AI.

“The time is ripe for making India a global leader in AI. AI will enable India to move faster in achieving its goal of $5 trillion economy,” he said.

Ambani underlined the government's five key goals – a $5 trillion economy in the immediate future, self-reliant India (Aatmanirbhar Bharat), quality and affordable healthcare, education, and modernising agriculture, as the steps towards promoting AI and its strengths in revolutionising India as a society.

Highlighting that data is the most important capital in today’s era, Ambani said that “data is the raw material for AI, and intelligent data is the digital capital.”

The inaugural session of the AI global summit was also attended by Ravi Shankar Prasad, Minister of Electronics & IT, Communications & Law & Justice, Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog, Arvind Krishna, CEO, IBM, Ajay Sawhney, Secretary, MeitY, and Prof. Raj Reddy, Former Co-Chair, US President's Information Technology Advisory Committee, Turing Award Winner, along with 50,000 participants from across the globe.

Ravi Shankar Prasad spoke about ‘Responsible AI’ for social empowerment and how Digital India has improved lives when it comes to e-hospitals, digital literacy, direct benefit transfer and more.

He added that due to the digital push in the last six years, 10.6 million farmers are now using e-market to sell their produce. He said that following the Prime Minister’s clarion that ministers must apply AI in every substantial way to improve governance processes.