Why in the News?

A government panel has recommended forming an inter-ministerial committee to enforce AI rules and ensure effective governance of India’s growing AI ecosystem under India’s AI Mission.

• The Government of India has allocated ₹10,372 crore for the recently launched IndiaAI Mission under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

What are the 8 Principles?

• Transparency: AI systems must provide meaningful information about their development and capabilities, ensuring that stakeholders understand how they function.
• Accountability: Developers and deployers of AI systems should be held accountable for their impacts, with clear organizational structures to identify responsible parties.
• Safety, Reliability, and Robustness: AI systems should be designed to be safe and reliable, with safeguards in place to ensure they function as intended.
• Privacy and Security: Protect user data privacy and ensure security measures are implemented to safeguard against unauthorized access.
• Fairness and Non-Discrimination: AI systems must operate without bias, ensuring equitable treatment across different demographic groups.
• Human-Centered Values: AI should align with human values, promoting positive outcomes for individuals and society while minimizing harm.
• Inclusive Innovation: Encourage innovation that equitably distributes benefits across society, ensuring that advancements in AI do not exacerbate existing inequalities.
• Digital Governance: Leverage digital technologies to operationalize governance principles effectively, facilitating compliance and oversight.

What are the key recommendations?  (Way forward)

• Establishment of an Inter-Ministerial AI Coordination Committee: This committee should serve as a permanent body to coordinate AI governance efforts across various national authorities and institutions, ensuring a unified approach to policy and regulation.
• Creation of a Technical Secretariat: The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) should establish a technical secretariat to act as a focal point for coordination, providing technical advisory support and facilitating collaboration among stakeholders.
• Development of an AI Incident Database: A central repository should be created to document real-world issues related to AI, such as discriminatory outputs and privacy violations, to inform risk assessments and harm mitigation strategies.
• Promotion of Voluntary Transparency Commitments: The Technical Secretariat should engage with industry stakeholders to encourage voluntary commitments on transparency and best practices across the AI ecosystem.
• Exploration of Technological Solutions: The committee should investigate the use of techno-legal measures, such as watermarking and content provenance, to address challenges like deepfakes and ensure accountability in AI systems.

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