External affairs minister S Jaishankar pitches for global AI governance

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday pitched for a global governance structure to deal with issues relating to the use of artificial intelligence (AI).

Addressing an event, Jaishankar underlined the need for responsible use of AI and argued that for a country like India, it means the development of indigenous tools, self-assessment protocols for innovators and establishing relevant guidelines.

"Now, different societies have put different levels of emphasis on the benefits and on the risks of AI. Understandably, some of the narrative is influenced by those who have skin in the game," he said.


"But at the end of the day, it is imperative that we take a sober and we take a balanced view. After all, concerns about bias, ethics, privacy and vulnerability are well-founded, deriving from pre-existing experiences," he said.

The external affairs minister called for taking precaution against what he called the "danger of losing trust in institutions and practices that underpin our daily life".

"Already, we see an inclination to question the umpire or even the playing field when results don't go in our favour. Maintaining -- and I would argue in the era of AI -- even strengthening trust therefore is of utmost importance," he said.

Jaishankar said India has consistently advocated for "global AI governance" and the shaping of an international agenda.

"We have demonstrated this during our G20 presidency and strongly urged its usage for advancing Sustainable Development Goals, while safeguarding trust, safety, fairness and accountability," he said.

"As a founding member of the Global Partnership on AI, we promoted the New Delhi declarations which envisaged responsible and inclusive AI," he said.