The government of India has pursued several public consultations on AI policy. In July 2020, the NITI Aayog (policy commission) published a “Working Document: Towards Responsible #AIforAll” and requested public comment by August. In September, the Ministry of Communications invited comments on the “development of Indian Artificial Intelligence Stack.” Comments were due in early October. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology previously published several reports on AI initiatives and policy frameworks for India
The public consultations follow a 2018 discussion paper from the NITI Aayog which states that “India, being the fastest growing economy with the second largest population in the world, has a significant stake in the AI revolution.” The draft National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence identifies key issues including bias, ethics and privacy. The report highlights agriculture, health, and education. The NITI Aayog proposed a three parts strategy to move forward AI policy: promoting pilot projects, promoting a vibrant AI ecosystem, and collaborating with experts and stakeholders. A summary from the independent Centre for Internet and Society on Ethics and AI in India explores ethics issues in more detail.
As a member of the G20, India endorsed the OECD/G20 AI Principles in 2019. On the national security front, India has expressed interest in joining with Japan, the United States, and Australia in support of AI policies that favor democratic nations. That policy initiative is reflected also in a recent recommendation from the US National Security Commission on AI which calls for a “Digital Coalition of democratic states and the private sector to coordinate efforts and strategy around AI and emerging technologies, beginning with a Digital Summit.”
Marc Rotenberg, Director
Center for AI and Digital Policy at Michael Dukakis Institute
The Center for AI and Digital Policy, founded in 2020, advises governments on technology policy
