Jaishankar cautions against threats created by AI & deepfakes

Cautioning against the risks created by developments like Artificial intelligence (AI) and Deepfakes, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has stated that these pose a threat to India’s national security.

“When we think of security, it is not just the defence of the borders, it is not countering terrorism alone…. But there is the daily routine which is so susceptible today to manipulation and this is growing,” Jaishankar said during a discussion about his latest book organised by India’s leading public policy body Ananta Aspen Centre here on Saturday evening.

“Today foreign interference in this country is growing. It is important for the average person to understand how the world is changing because it is an era of AI and deepfakes,” he said.


Jaishankar was asked if the threats to ordinary Indians have increased in the age of the surveillance state. “It is not a question of being paranoid. I mean, there are real problems out there. It is not again a question of surveillance. There is a certain responsibility that the state has. Let us not confuse anarchy and irresponsibility with freedom.”

Referring to the China challenge Jaishankar said, “It is a combination of all of this but the bottom line is there has to be an equilibrium and there has to be peace and tranquillity in the border areas and there has to be adherence to the agreements which were arrived at.”

“Because if you do not adhere to the agreements, tell me how you would have even the basic understanding and going forward, if there isn’t peace and tranquillity at the border, how can any society look at other forms of cooperation when the border is disturbed or violent,” the Minister said, adding “And there has to eventually be an equilibrium, I am convinced it will. I am convinced we have to work hard for that equilibrium,” he said.

“On the China border areas, our budgetary commitment till 2014 was below Rs 4000 crore. Today it is three-and-half, four times of that,” he said, adding there is a rapid increase in the building of roads, tunnels and bridges in the frontier regions.

Responding to a question on India being seen as a bully in the region, Jaishankar said, "Big bullies don't provide $4.5 billion when neighbours are in trouble; big bullies don't supply vaccines to other countries when COVID is on."