India Eases AI Regulations: MeitY's Latest Advisory
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has revised its advisory regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) by social media companies in India. The new advisory, issued on March 15, supersedes the previous one from March 1, removing the requirement for intermediaries and platforms to seek government approval before deploying "under-tested" or "unreliable" AI models.
Key Changes in the Advisory
Under the updated advisory, platforms are no longer required to seek explicit permission from the Centre before launching AI models. While compliance with the revised guidelines is mandatory, the language of the advisory has been softened, and the requirement to submit an action taken-cum-status report has been eliminated.
Revised Guidelines for AI Usage
The revised advisory emphasizes that under-tested or unreliable AI products should be labeled with a disclaimer, indicating the potential fallibility or unreliability of the output generated. Platforms must ensure that their AI algorithms are unbiased, do not violate Indian laws, and do not threaten electoral integrity.
Focus on Identifying Misinformation
MeitY's updated advisory also focuses on identifying deepfakes and misinformation, instructing platforms to label or embed content with unique identifiers. This applies to all types of content, including audio, visual, text, or audio-visual, making it easier to identify potential misinformation or deepfakes.
Support for AI Innovation
While the March 1 advisory faced criticism from AI startups, with concerns about its impact on generative AI startups, Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar reassured that India is supportive of AI. He emphasized AI's potential to expand India's digital and innovation ecosystem.
