This article first appeared in The New Indian Express on February 12, 2025.
India is set to host the next global AI summit, as confirmed by the office of French President Emmanuel Macron. The decision follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s co-chairing of the recent AI summit in Paris, where he expressed India’s willingness to lead the next event. This development marks a significant step in India’s commitment to shaping an inclusive, sustainable, and innovation-driven AI governance framework, particularly for the Global South.
As the AI conversation shifts from a focus on safety in 2023 to action in 2025, India aims to ensure that governance structures address global challenges while fostering equitable technological advancements. The country has actively participated in all five working groups—international governance, the future of work, security and safety, AI for general interest, and innovation and culture—demonstrating its comprehensive approach to AI governance. Despite differences among nations, particularly the US and the UK, India remains committed to achieving a collaborative outcome for the summit.
Recognizing the role of AI governance in ensuring accessibility, Prime Minister Modi has emphasized inclusivity and sustainability as key principles. He highlighted that the Global South faces challenges such as limited compute power, talent, data, and financial resources, which must be addressed to enable equitable AI-driven development. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri reiterated this vision, stating that India’s goal is to maximize benefits for the greatest number of people.
Since assuming the G20 Presidency, India has actively worked to integrate more Global South nations into AI discussions. S Krishnan, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, compared this moment to the Y2K revolution for India’s IT sector, underscoring the need to prioritize innovation. AI’s potential to transform industries like healthcare, education, and agriculture makes it a crucial tool for accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Prime Minister Modi also stressed the importance of sustainable AI, noting that efficiency in AI models extends beyond clean energy usage to optimizing data needs and resource requirements. He drew a powerful analogy, stating that while AI demands vast resources, the human brain, despite its limitations, is capable of extraordinary feats such as composing poetry and designing spacecraft.
Additionally, India seeks to expand the membership of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI), which currently includes 44 nations. By fostering collaboration between theoretical AI research and practical implementation, India envisions a future where AI innovation benefits all, especially developing nations. With a strong commitment to inclusivity, sustainability, and technological progress, India’s leadership in the next global AI summit is set to shape the future of artificial intelligence governance…
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