PM Narendra Modi in dialog with Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates. (X/@BJP4India)
The prime minister stated in an unlimited democratic nation like India, anybody can misuse deepfake know-how, together with mimicking his voice which may result in widespread uproar
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday listed the challenges of Artificial Intelligence as he mentioned the way forward for the know-how with Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates, noting that he too had been on the receiving finish of deepfakes.
Gates, whereas discussing AI, stated one was “surprised at how good this is and you are also surprised at how bad it is”.
“It will do things you think are hard and then will fail to do some things you feel are easy. I started my trip from Hyderabad which was a nice occasion because Microsoft is celebrating 25 years in the country and that has been such a fantastic experience. So I was challenging the team there that we have to make the accuracy better. For now, AI is a co-pilot that helps suggest things but the final decision about medicines, about writing letters etc rests with us. It seems AI is a huge opportunity but there are several challenges that come with that,” he stated, posing a query to the prime minister: “How do you think India will approach that?”
“I have observed that without proper training, there’s a significant risk of misuse if such a powerful technology is placed in unskilled hands,” PM Modi stated.
He added: “I have engaged with leading minds in AI. I suggested that we should start with a clear watermark on AI-generated content to prevent misinformation. This isn’t to devalue AI creations but to recognise them for what they are. In a vast democratic country like India, anyone can misuse deepfake technology… For example, if they misuse my voice… initially people will believe it, leading to widespread uproar.
“It’s crucial to acknowledge that deepfake is AI-generated and mention its source. These measures are really important, especially in the initial days. We need to establish some do’s and don’ts. Moreover, one should first engage AI within a field of expertise. Simply using it because one is tired or over-utilising it is not the best approach. If I fail to make decisions and risk merely entertaining myself with the technology, then rather than utilising it for meaningful value addition, it would be just a way to pass time.”
This is just not the primary time the prime minister has introduced consideration to deepfakes. Speaking at a BJP Diwali occasion final yr, PM Modi revealed that he had requested the ChatGpt crew to flag deepfakes and put out a warning when such movies had been circulated on-line.
The Prime Minister illustrated his level by citing a deepfake video of him doing Garba, a pageant dance of Gujarat that’s standard throughout the nation. “I recently saw a video in which I was seen playing Garba. I have not done Garba since school,” he shared.
“There are many other such videos online,” stated PM Modi, addressing journalists on the Diwali Milan programme on the BJP headquarters in Delhi. The Prime Minister additionally urged the media to teach folks on such faux movies.
“During the times of Artificial Intelligence, it is important that technology should be used responsibly,” he cautioned.
In a lighter vein, whereas discussing Artificial Intelligence, the prime minister stated: “AI is very important. In our country, we call mothers ‘aai’ in many states and languages. Sometimes I jokingly say that now when a child is born in India, he says ‘aai’ and ‘AI’.”
Meanwhile, praising India’s fast adoption of AI throughout fields, Gates stated: “I think the key point is that the digital infrastructure keeps getting richer. A lot of people know about the identity system and the payment systems… But as you are moving into the different areas for farmers, registering their land, tutoring for kids and the health records, that’s kind of a second phase.And we are just at the beginning now of the third phase where these advances in artificial intelligence will come on top of that and make the value even better.”