Narendra Modi,Prime Minister
“Someone can even misuse my voice to deceive people and such a deepfake can trigger widespread uproar. We need to think about creating robust dos and don’ts on deepfakes,” the Prime Minister told Bill Gates
New Delhi:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said artificial intelligence (AI) presents a huge opportunity but there is a significant risk of misuse, especially deepfakes, if such a powerful technology is placed in unskilled hands.
Responding to a question from Microsoft Co-founder and billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates on how India looks at AI which is a huge opportunity but comes with its own challenges, PM Modi said proper training is must to handle technologies like AI.
“I have engaged with leading minds on AI and its risks. I suggested that we should start with clear watermarks on AI-generated content to prevent misinformation. Proper sources of AI-generated content should also be mentioned,” PM Modi emphasised.
Deepfakes in a vast democratic country like India, which is going into general elections, is a real issue.
“Someone can even misuse my voice to deceive people and such a deepfake can trigger widespread uproar. We need to think about creating robust dos and don’ts on deepfakes,” the Prime Minister told Gates.
Using AI as a magic tool or asking ChatGPT to write letters is a great injustice to this wonderful technology as we should rather compete with AI to improve ourselves and innovate further to solve real life problems, according to the Prime Minister.
“India has a myriad of languages and dialects and we need to push AI to recognise and adapt to those to help people,” PM Modi told Microsoft Co-founder.
“I constantly present new challenges to AI whenever I get a chance to speak to a machine or a robot, fostering its growth and adaptability,” the Prime Minister said.
Current parameters to map progress anti-climate
Modi said parameters used to measure progress are detrimental to the climate and suggested developing the concept of a green gross domestic product.
In a free-wheeling conversation with Gates, he also said that climate action has gained momentum since the G20 Summit in India in September last year.
When Gates asked if the green approach could be made more affordable for easier adoption, the prime minister said the world needs to adopt a two-pronged strategy: first, nature and climate-friendly innovation, and second, environmentally friendly lifestyles.
The prime minister said, “Our current challenge is how we perceive progress. For example, a country’s development is often judged by its steel consumption and energy usage. Based on these criteria, we calculate the country’s economy.”
“If we continue to rely on these parameters, we will consume more electricity and steel, resulting in increased carbon emissions. This means we need to change our mindset. We need to make lifestyle choices and measure progress in ways that are climate-friendly. Currently, all our measures of progress are detrimental to the climate,” he said.
Modi suggested that the world adopt the concept of Green GDP which would be incorporated into the overall gross domestic product. “We need to change the global terminology,” he said.
He said that if “we continue to consume excessively and waste electricity and water”, the climate change problem cannot be solved.
The prime minister noted that his and Gates’ perspectives on climate change closely align.Modi told Gates that India is making rapid advancements in the renewable energy sector.
“Our efforts are focused on solar and wind energy. And, we are also eager to accelerate progress in the nuclear sector. Similarly, our ambitions extend to making significant progress in green hydrogen,” he said.