The new advisory has surprised many industry executives, with some fearing it could hinder India's competitiveness in the global AI race. Criticism has also come from Silicon Valley, with leaders such as Aravind Srinivas, CEO of Perplexity AI, and Martin Casado, a partner at Andreessen Horowitz, expressing their disapproval. The advisory follows a recent incident where India's IT Deputy Minister, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, expressed disappointment with a response by Google's AI, Gemini.
Key takeaways:
- India's Ministry of Electronics and IT has issued an advisory requiring tech firms to get government permission before launching new AI models, and to ensure their services or products do not permit bias, discrimination, or threaten electoral integrity.
- While not legally binding, the advisory signals a future of regulation, according to India’s IT Deputy Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar. Tech firms are asked to comply immediately and submit an "Action Taken-cum-Status Report" within 15 days.
- The advisory marks a shift from India's previous hands-off approach to AI regulation, surprising many industry executives who fear such regulation will hinder India's global competitiveness in AI.
- The advisory follows a controversy last month where Google's AI, Gemini, characterized India's PM Narendra Modi as a fascist, leading to warnings from Chandrasekhar of potential penal consequences for violations of the IT Act and IT Rules.