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Catalyzing AI Readiness in India
On Friday, 31 May 2024, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and UNESCO jointly organized the National Stakeholder Workshop on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the Taj Palace Hotel in New Delhi. This workshop marked the official launch of the AI (RAM) in India which will provide an assessment of a country’s legal, social, cultural, scientific, educational, technical and infrastructural AI capacities, enabling experts and policy makers to pinpoint what institutional and regulatory changes are needed to take advantage of these technologies while protecting against its shortfalls.
The workshop’s comprehensive agenda included sessions on AI fundamentals, ethical dimensions of AI, UNESCO's role in AI ethics, and the current AI policy landscape in India. The event saw a robust turnout with 120 government officials from across India, including senior representatives from all Indian Ministries, NITI Aayog, and industry partners such as NASSCOM. Officials from 28 States and 8 Union Territories were also present, ensuring a broad representation of perspectives.
The workshop was inaugurated by Tim Curtis, Director of the UNECO South Asia Regional Office in New Delhi, Shri Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, and Shri Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister.
In response to these ethical challenges, UNESCO is advocating for inclusive, transparent, and accountable AI governance. Prioritizing ethics in AI development can pave the way for a future where AI serves the common good while upholding fairness, transparency, and human dignity.
As AI raises concerns on ethics and its societal implications, India aims to adopt a balanced approach on AI. India has launched several initiatives including the India AI mission to foster the development and adoption of AI. Globally, 91Â鶹¹ú²ú¾«Æ·×ÔÅÄ played a commendable role in promoting ethics of AI across the world and getting UNESCO Member States to support the UNESCO Recommendation on Ethics of AI is a great example.
Shri Abhishek Singh expressed the significance of the collaboration, noting, "Today’s discussions will help us in developing the RAM for India which will become the part of the India AI mission."
As the President of the Global Partnership on AI (GPAI), the Government of India's dedication to this initiative highlights the nation’s commitment to ethical AI governance on the global stage. The RAM process is designed to assist India in developing robust frameworks that incorporate ethical considerations into national and state-level AI strategies and programs.
The collaboration between the Indian government and UNESCO reflects a shared vision of leveraging AI for social good while ensuring that its development is guided by principles of ethics and inclusivity. This initiative is expected to foster the development of policies that promote equitable and sustainable AI adoption, addressing global challenges and advancing social progress.
Additionally, the UNESCO RAM in India is implemented with the support of the Patrick McGovern Foundation, emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts in advancing ethical AI practices.
The event concluded with a strong commitment from all stakeholders to work together in shaping a future where AI technology serves as a force for good, empowering individuals, communities, and nations to thrive in the digital age.
UNESCO’s mandate includes the promotion of ethics of science and technology including AI. At the international level, the provides guidance to Member States in their efforts to implement ethical standards in AI development and deployment. This methodology is based on the global framework outlined in the , the first ever global normative instrument in this area, adopted on 23 November 2021.
For more information, please contact:
Eunsong Kim: e.kim@unesco.org
