AI Governance Guidelines by MeitY

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has introduced governance guidelines for Artificial Intelligence (AI) in India. These guidelines aim to balance innovation with accountability and safety, offering a framework for regulating AI technologies.

Key Recommendations

• Infrastructure

  • Expand access to data and computing resources, including subsidised GPUs and India-specific datasets.
  • Integrate AI with Digital Public Infrastructure such as Aadhaar and UPI.
  • Incentivize private investment and adoption by MSMEs with tax rebates and AI-linked loans.

• Regulation

  • Adopt an agile, sector-specific regulatory approach using existing laws and targeted amendments.
  • Propose frameworks for content authentication to combat deepfakes and advocate for international cooperation on AI standards.

• Risk Mitigation

  • Implement an India-specific risk assessment framework with voluntary frameworks and techno-legal measures.

• Accountability

  • Introduce a graded liability regime tied to function and risk level, with mandatory grievance redressal systems.

• Institutions

  • Establish an AI Governance Group, supported by a Technology & Policy Expert Committee and AI Safety Institute.

• Capacity Building

  • Emphasize AI literacy and training for citizens, public servants, and law enforcement.
  • Enhance technical capacity across government institutions.

Preparation of Guidelines

A high-level committee chaired by Prof. Balaraman Ravindran, IIT Madras, drafted the guidelines. The draft underwent public consultation, reflecting strong engagement across sectors.

Concerns and Challenges

While promoting AI, concerns over data privacy and inference risks arise, especially with generative AI platforms. Discussions focus on potential misuse of user data by foreign firms and ensuring protection of official systems from foreign AI services.

IT Rules Amendments

Draft amendments to the IT Rules require social media platforms to verify and label synthetically generated content. Non-compliance may result in the loss of legal immunity for third-party content.