Paris Summit: AI writing the code for humanity in the 21st century, says PM Modi
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called for global collaboration to harness artificial intelligence (AI) for economic growth, social transformation, and sustainable development, stating that AI is writing the code for humanity in the 21st century.
Delivering a speech during the plenary session of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit at the Grand Palais in Paris, France, he stressed on the need to build quality data sets that are “free from biases” to develop open-source systems that enhance trust and transparency, the media reported.
Co-chairing the event alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, PM Modi highlighted the opportunities and challenges AI poses, advocating for a balanced approach to AI governance.
“Governance is also about ensuring access to all, especially to the Global South, where the capabilities are most lacking be it power, talent, or data for the financial resources. AI can help transform millions of lives by improving health, education, agriculture and more. It can help create a world in which the journey to sustainable development goals becomes easier and faster.”
“To do this, we must pull together resources and talent, develop open-source systems that enhance trust and transparency and build quality data sets free from biases,” he added.
PM Modi underlined AI’s growing influence on governance, security, and society, stating, “AI is already re-shaping our polity, our economy, our security, and even our society. AI is writing the code for humanity in this century.”
He outlined AI’s potential to drive progress in varied sectors such as healthcare, education, and agriculture, making the journey toward the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) “easier and faster.”
To ensure AI’s ethical and transparent growth, PM Modi proposed a five-point agenda:
- Pooling global resources and talent for AI innovation;
- Developing open-source AI systems that foster trust and transparency;
- Creating high-quality, unbiased data sets for responsible AI training;
- Democratising AI to develop people-centric applications, and
- Addressing cybersecurity concerns, disinformation, and deepfakes.
“We must also ensure that technology is rooted in local ecosystems for it to be effective and useful,” he added.
With AI evolving at an unprecedented pace, PM Modi stressed the need for collective efforts to establish global AI governance and standards that uphold shared values and mitigate risks.
“AI is developing at an unprecedented scale and speed. There is also a deep interdependence across borders. Therefore, we need collective global efforts to establish governance and standards that uphold our shared values, address risks, and build trust.”
Addressing concerns about AI-induced job losses, he pointed to historical trends, emphasising that technology transforms work rather than eliminating it.
“Loss of jobs is AI’s most feared disruption. But history has shown that work does not disappear due to technology. Its nature changes, and new types of jobs are created. We need to invest in skilling and re-skilling our people for an AI-driven future,” he said.
