(Video) Rajya Sabha TV (RSTV) The Big Picture: Regulating Artificial Intelligence

Topic: Regulating Artificial Intelligence

Guest:

Ashutosh Sharma, (Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, GoI)
Arnab Kumar, Programme (Director, NITI Aayog)
Mausam, (Associate Professor, IIT Delhi)
Subimal Bhattacharjee, (Cyber Technology Expert)

Topic Description:

One of the most powerful men in IT, Sundar Pichai, has backed regulations for artificial intelligence. While Pichai isn’t the first big tech executive to say so publicly, his voice matters, given that Google is arguably the world’s largest AI Company. Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk has been vocal about the need for regulating AI several times in the past. Musk even said that “by the time we are reactive in AI regulation, it’s too late". Microsoft president Brad Smith is another prominent person in tech who has called for regulation of AI. Pichai, in an editorial, advocated for AI to be regulated keeping in mind both the harm and societal benefits that the technology can be used for. He also said that governments must be aligned on regulations around AI for “making global standards work". While India has been vocal about the use of AI in various sectors, it is far from regulating it. A 2018 NITI Aayog paper proposed five areas where AI can be useful. In that paper, the think tank also noted the lack of regulation around AI as a major weakness for India.