From India to the United States, more than 50 countries across the world with a combined population of 4.2 billion are expected to hold national and/or local elections in 2024, making it the biggest election year in history. But as voters from various nations head to polls, who are they voting for? What is their decision being based on? Policies? Politicians? Or did AI-generated propaganda manage to sway their opinion?

The historic election year is also taking place at a critical time when experts across the globe are calling on world leaders to regulate the rampant growth of AI, warning about its alarming impact on society, including the elections. Here’s how AI-generated propaganda poses a threat to election integrity.

<h2>AI v/s government officials</h2>

Last week, Google’s new AI-powered chatbot Gemini came under fire after it suggested that some experts believe that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policies are <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/google-ai-tools-fascist-modi-response-angers-india-heres-what-exactly-happened-694087">“fascist”.</a>&nbsp;

India’s Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar slammed Google accusing Gemini of violating the country’s IT laws.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;Gravitas | OpenAI's text-to-video AI generator: All about Sora

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-openais-text-to-video-ai-generator-all-about-sora-691064/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The Indian PM who <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-says-world-is-assured-he-is-returning-for-third-term-in-power-top-points-691450">remains&nbsp;optimistic</a> over his return to power for a third consecutive term is set to contest the general election which is expected to take place in the upcoming months, and while this particular incident may not affect his chances to possibly be re-elected, it does raise bigger concerns.&nbsp;

A study conducted by researchers at Stanford University and Georgetown University in the US has found that AI-generated propaganda is just as effective as propaganda written by humans. In this study, researchers also noted that people spreading propaganda could easily use AI to flood online platforms with such information and mass-produce propaganda with minimal effort.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

In the US, a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/political-consultant-steve-kramer-owns-up-to-biden-robocall-says-wanted-to-flag-dangers-of-ai-693900">robocall that impersonated</a> President Joe Biden using AI appealed to more than 5,000 New Hampshire voters to not vote in the presidential primary and save their votes for the general elections to be held in November.&nbsp;

The move not only sparked outrage among the voters but also investigations by watchdogs and election officials. This incident prompted the US to outlaw robocalls which use voices generated by AI within weeks.&nbsp;

In the United Kingdom, Home Secretary James Cleverly warned that criminals and “malign actors” could use AI-generated “deepfakes” to rig the general elections. &nbsp;

He also spoke about how people working on behalf of states such as Russia and Iran could generate thousands of deepfakes to manipulate the democratic process.&nbsp;

“The era of deepfake and AI-generated content to mislead and disrupt is already in play,” he told the Times in an interview. He added, “The landscape it is inserted into needs its rules, transparency and safeguards for its users.”

<h2>AI-generated propaganda is persuasive</h2>

In 2022, the release of ChatGPT marked a pivotal moment in the development of AI, and despite being around for less than two years, it has become powerful enough to impact elections across the world.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/googles-ai-model-gemini-faces-shut-down-calls-after-refusing-to-answer-whether-musk-or-hitler-is-worse-693924">'Who is worse? Musk or Hitler?' Google's AI model Gemini faces shutdown calls for refusing to answer question</a>

The previously mentioned study published in the peer-reviewed journal PNAS Nexus used OpenAI’s GPT-3 model – the predecessor and less capable version of the current GPT-4 &nbsp;– to generate propaganda news articles with prompts such as drone strikes, sanctions against Iran, and US involvement in Syria.

The topics covered six main propaganda topics including conspiracy that the US created fake reports that said Syria’s government used chemical weapons and Saudi Arabia committed funding for the US-Mexico border wall.&nbsp;

These topics likely originated from Iranian or Russian state-aligned covert propaganda campaigns which were identified by investigative journalists or researchers.&nbsp;

More than 8,200 Americans who participated in the study were shown real propaganda articles as well as AI-generated ones. The findings were shocking as 43.5 per cent of people agreed with the claims after reading the AI-generated articles and 47.4 per cent believed the real propaganda article.&nbsp;

“This suggests that propagandists could use GPT-3 to generate persuasive articles with minimal human effort, by using existing articles on unrelated topics to guide GPT-3 about the style and length of new articles,” the researchers noted.&nbsp;

The authors of the study also believe that AI could also be used to generate fake social media posts, comments, and even audio and video clips.&nbsp;

“With AI, actors – could quickly and cheaply generate many articles that convey a single narrative, while also varying in style and wording. This approach would increase the volume of propaganda, while also making it harder to detect,” said the team of researchers.&nbsp;

<h2>‘It’s already happening’</h2>

In 2023, Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, which created ChatGPT, testified before the US Congress saying that the regulation of the “increasingly powerful models” of AI is <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/openai-ceo-testifies-before-us-congress-calls-regulation-of-artificial-intelligence-critical-593057">“critical” to mitigate the risks</a> the technology poses.&nbsp;

Altman also spoke about how the use of AI to interfere with election integrity is a “significant area of concern” and nearly a year later he may be right. As of now, there is very little evidence of AI-generated content shaping voters’ opinions, but it is not entirely outside the realm of possibility.&nbsp;

For example, it was not immediately clear if Biden’s fake AI-generated robocall prevented voters from turning out to vote in New Hampshire but it doesn’t matter, said Lisa Gilbert, executive vice-president of Public Citizen, advocating for regulation of AI’s use in politics in the US.&nbsp;

“I don’t think we need to wait to see how many people got deceived to understand that that was the point,” Gilbert said, as quoted by the Guardian.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/ai-chatbot-allowing-users-to-talk-with-hitler-nazi-figures-sparks-radicalisation-fears-689632">AI chatbots allowing users to talk with Hitler, Nazi figures spark radicalisation fears</a>

What happened in the US is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to AI’s possible impact on elections. In Slovakia, days ahead of the pivotal election, earlier this month, a damning audio of one of the top candidates went viral, reported CNN.

In the clip, a pro-NATO candidate Michal Šimečka was reportedly heard boasting about how he rigged the election. Again, while the number of votes swayed by the leaked audio remains uncertain, the reportedly AI-generated clip sparked concerns among US officials ahead of the upcoming presidential elections.&nbsp;

In Indonesia, posters and billboards of a “doe-eyed cartoon version” of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brutal-general-turned-tiktok-star-prabowo-subianto-sets-eyes-on-indonesian-presidency-664965">Prabowo Subianto</a>, generated by AI, were placed across the country, reported Reuters. The retired general best known for his past brutalities soon came to be known as a TikTok sensation and was described as a delight among Gen Z voters.&nbsp;

The AI-generated cartoon had been central to Prabowo’s electoral rebranding. “I’ll vote for him because he’s gemoy (Indonesian slang for cute and cuddly),” Fika Juliana Putri, 19, a first-time voter told Reuters. She added, “That’s the main reason.”&nbsp;

As experts continue to warn about AI supercharging online disinformation campaigns, some have also said that voters may be more prepared for what’s happening than officials may think.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/expert-voice-simplifying-your-investment-journey-with-ai-694181">Expert Voice: Simplifying your investment journey with AI</a>

“Voters are way more savvy than we give them credit for,” said Katie Harbath, former Facebook employee and now working on trust and safety issues with tech companies, as quoted by the Guardian.&nbsp;

She added, “They might be overwhelmed but they understand what’s going on in the information environment.”

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

From India to the United States, more than 50 countries across the world with a combined population of 4.2 billion are expected to hold national and/or local elections in 2024, making it the biggest election year in history.

From India to the United States, more than 50 countries across the world with a combined population of 4.2 billion are expected to hold national and/or local elections in 2024, making it the biggest election year in history. But as voters from various nations head to polls, who are they voting for? What is their decision being based on? Policies? Politicians? Or did AI-generated propaganda manage to sway their opinion? The historic election year is also taking place at a critical time when experts across the globe are calling on world leaders to regulate the rampant growth of AI, warning about its alarming impact on society, including the elections. Here’s how AI-generated propaganda poses a threat to election integrity. AI v/s government officials Last week, Google’s new AI-powered chatbot Gemini came under fire after it suggested that some experts believe that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policies are “fascist”. India’s Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar slammed Google accusing Gemini of violating the country’s IT laws. WATCH | Gravitas | OpenAI's text-to-video AI generator: All about Sora The Indian PM who remains optimistic over his return to power for a third consecutive term is set to contest the general election which is expected to take place in the upcoming months, and while this particular incident may not affect his chances to possibly be re-elected, it does raise bigger concerns. A study conducted by researchers at Stanford University and Georgetown University in the US has found that AI-generated propaganda is just as effective as propaganda written by humans. In this study, researchers also noted that people spreading propaganda could easily use AI to flood online platforms with such information and mass-produce propaganda with minimal effort. In the US, a robocall that impersonated President Joe Biden using AI appealed to more than 5,000 New Hampshire voters to not vote in the presidential primary and save their votes for the general elections to be held in November. The move not only sparked outrage among the voters but also investigations by watchdogs and election officials. This incident prompted the US to outlaw robocalls which use voices generated by AI within weeks. In the United Kingdom, Home Secretary James Cleverly warned that criminals and “malign actors” could use AI-generated “deepfakes” to rig the general elections. He also spoke about how people working on behalf of states such as Russia and Iran could generate thousands of deepfakes to manipulate the democratic process. “The era of deepfake and AI-generated content to mislead and disrupt is already in play,” he told the Times in an interview. He added, “The landscape it is inserted into needs its rules, transparency and safeguards for its users.” AI-generated propaganda is persuasive In 2022, the release of ChatGPT marked a pivotal moment in the development of AI, and despite being around for less than two years, it has become powerful enough to impact elections across the world. Also Read | 'Who is worse? Musk or Hitler?' Google's AI model Gemini faces shutdown calls for refusing to answer question The previously mentioned study published in the peer-reviewed journal PNAS Nexus used OpenAI’s GPT-3 model – the predecessor and less capable version of the current GPT-4 – to generate propaganda news articles with prompts such as drone strikes, sanctions against Iran, and US involvement in Syria. The topics covered six main propaganda topics including conspiracy that the US created fake reports that said Syria’s government used chemical weapons and Saudi Arabia committed funding for the US-Mexico border wall. These topics likely originated from Iranian or Russian state-aligned covert propaganda campaigns which were identified by investigative journalists or researchers. More than 8,200 Americans who participated in the study were shown real propaganda articles as well as AI-generated ones. The findings were shocking as 43.5 per cent of people agreed with the claims after reading the AI-generated articles and 47.4 per cent believed the real propaganda article. “This suggests that propagandists could use GPT-3 to generate persuasive articles with minimal human effort, by using existing articles on unrelated topics to guide GPT-3 about the style and length of new articles,” the researchers noted. The authors of the study also believe that AI could also be used to generate fake social media posts, comments, and even audio and video clips. “With AI, actors – could quickly and cheaply generate many articles that convey a single narrative, while also varying in style and wording. This approach would increase the volume of propaganda, while also making it harder to detect,” said the team of researchers. ‘It’s already happening’ In 2023, Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, which created ChatGPT, testified before the US Congress saying that the regulation of the “increasingly powerful models” of AI is “critical” to mitigate the risks the technology poses. Altman also spoke about how the use of AI to interfere with election integrity is a “significant area of concern” and nearly a year later he may be right. As of now, there is very little evidence of AI-generated content shaping voters’ opinions, but it is not entirely outside the realm of possibility. For example, it was not immediately clear if Biden’s fake AI-generated robocall prevented voters from turning out to vote in New Hampshire but it doesn’t matter, said Lisa Gilbert, executive vice-president of Public Citizen, advocating for regulation of AI’s use in politics in the US. “I don’t think we need to wait to see how many people got deceived to understand that that was the point,” Gilbert said, as quoted by the Guardian. Also Read | AI chatbots allowing users to talk with Hitler, Nazi figures spark radicalisation fears What happened in the US is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to AI’s possible impact on elections. In Slovakia, days ahead of the pivotal election, earlier this month, a damning audio of one of the top candidates went viral, reported CNN. In the clip, a pro-NATO candidate Michal Šimečka was reportedly heard boasting about how he rigged the election. Again, while the number of votes swayed by the leaked audio remains uncertain, the reportedly AI-generated clip sparked concerns among US officials ahead of the upcoming presidential elections. In Indonesia, posters and billboards of a “doe-eyed cartoon version” of Prabowo Subianto, generated by AI, were placed across the country, reported Reuters. The retired general best known for his past brutalities soon came to be known as a TikTok sensation and was described as a delight among Gen Z voters. The AI-generated cartoon had been central to Prabowo’s electoral rebranding. “I’ll vote for him because he’s gemoy (Indonesian slang for cute and cuddly),” Fika Juliana Putri, 19, a first-time voter told Reuters. She added, “That’s the main reason.” As experts continue to warn about AI supercharging online disinformation campaigns, some have also said that voters may be more prepared for what’s happening than officials may think. Also Read | Expert Voice: Simplifying your investment journey with AI “Voters are way more savvy than we give them credit for,” said Katie Harbath, former Facebook employee and now working on trust and safety issues with tech companies, as quoted by the Guardian. She added, “They might be overwhelmed but they understand what’s going on in the information environment.” (With inputs from agencies)

Explained: How AI-generated propaganda poses a real threat this historic election year

It is the season of summits in the Indian capital. New Delhi hosted the 2023 summit of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) on 12–14 December. It resulted in the finalisation of the New Delhi Declaration, although its text has not been placed in the public domain.&nbsp;

<h2>What is GPAI?&nbsp;</h2>

GPAI is an organisation of 29 countries from the Americas (North and South), Europe and Asia. It has important players such as the US, France, Japan and India, but it excludes China.

The last summit was held in Japan. India will chair GPAI in 2024.

A forum created in 2020, its mission is to bring government representatives and experts together to support and guide the responsible adoption of Artificial Intelligence grounded in human rights, inclusion, diversity, gender equity, innovation, economic growth, environment and social benefit, while seeking to contribute concretely to the 2030 Agenda and the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/un-general-assembly-2023-what-is-stalling-the-progress-of-sustainable-development-goals-explained-637192">UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)</a>.&nbsp;

The summit in New Delhi drew special attention as rapid and dramatic strides have been made in the field of AI in the past year. They have generated both excitement about its potential benefits as well as fears about its misuse.&nbsp;

While researching for this article, this author was introduced to 'Pi, your personal AI', by an IITian visiting India from the Bay Area in California.

When asked to define Artificial Intelligence, my Pi responded instantly that it is the ability of a computer programme to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence such as understanding language, recognising objects, and solving problems.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/web-stories/features/ai-in-2023-top-7-technology-reads-of-the-year-1700786538795">AI in 2023: Top Technology reads of this year</a>

AI systems use algorithms and enormous amounts of data to learn how to perform these tasks. It is a new and fast-developing technology that can be used widely and is also liable to be misused. Indeed, many ethical and societal questions surround the development, deployment and use of AI today.&nbsp;

<h2>The GPAI summit in New Delhi</h2>

The GPAI summit deliberations took place in the backdrop of the G20 summit, hosted by India in September 2023. There, consensus was reached among the members of this premier international economic forum on the means to harness AI responsibly for "Good and for All."

Member nations agreed to solve AI-related challenges "in a responsible, inclusive and human-centric manner while protecting people’s rights and safety."

The essential strategy developed is to share equitably AI’s benefits and mitigate its risks. The path to achieving this goal is to promote international cooperation and dialogue on international governance for AI.&nbsp;

The GPAI summit was a major step in that direction.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, easily one of the most tech-savvy and tech-conscious world leaders, set the tone for the dialogue on AI.

To make any system sustainable, he observed, it should be made transformative, transparent and trusted. 
 
"There is no doubt that AI is transformative, but it is up to us to make it more and more transparent."

As to trust, this would grow, he added, when related ethical, economic, and social aspects are addressed suitably.

Also watch |&nbsp;How AI is changing the future of work

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AI could be both a tool for development, but also a weapon for destruction in the hands of terrorists. The latter scenario requires effective counter-measures. There is a pressing need to make AI more inclusive and more reliable. "The direction of AI’s future development will depend on human and democratic values," he stressed.&nbsp;

Following detailed deliberations, the summit participants unanimously agreed on a plan to forge international cooperation on several aspects of AI. According to Rajeev Chandrasekhar, minister of state for electronics and Information and Technology, the declaration promised to promote GPAI at the forefront of shaping AI in terms of innovation and collaboration, increasing applications of AI in healthcare, agriculture and other areas of interest.&nbsp;

Multiple concerns regarding misinformation, unemployment, bias, personal data protection and threats to human rights were discussed frankly. Participants reiterated their commitment to nurturing safe, secure and trustworthy AI within their jurisdictions.

This overarching vision will be realised through a cluster of measures ranging from the development of regulations, policies, standards and other important initiatives. The declaration, pointed out an expert, “has attempted to find a balance between innovation and the risks associated with AI systems.”&nbsp;

<h2>AI regulation: Could India be a global leader?</h2>

When viewed in the larger context, AI has thrown up several critical issues that demand close attention and scrutiny.&nbsp;

First, there is the question of regulation. Three different approaches are in operation. The UK government prefers a soft approach to regulation – 'the less, the better' – so that innovation is fostered optimally. The European Union (EU), on the other hand, has taken a tough line, intending to introduce a new AI Act that may classify Artificial Intelligence &nbsp;'according to use-case scenarios based broadly on the degree of invasiveness and risk'.

The third approach is followed by the US which, through its executive order issued at the end of October, has shown a preference for a middle path between the UK and the EU.

India's position was clearly articulated by Union Minister for Electronics &amp; Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar at the recent conference at Bletchley Park, UK, who stressed that steps should be taken to ensure AI represents safety and trust. India views AI as a big opportunity. “We look at AI and indeed technology in general,” he said, “through the prism of openness, safety, trust and accountability.”&nbsp;

Second, in the middle of global conversations on AI, experts suggest that India could be a global leader. For instance, Markham Erickson, of Google’s Centres for Excellence, maintained that India's workforce, the university system, the technology stack and the population gave it a leading position on the table where AI is discussed. But he expressed the hope that regulations devised by India would be “interoperable” with those of other nations so that the country’s small and medium businesses can derive optimal benefit.&nbsp;

Third, the likely impact of AI on employment is a widespread apprehension, much like the earlier decades when the Internet began to bloom. The consensus seems to be that many jobs will not be affected, but some jobs may be disrupted as AI grows more and becomes smarter. The way to deal with the emerging situation will be to have “a more AI-skilled workforce,” as Erickson argued.&nbsp;

Finally, a major concern relates to deepfakes defined as 'digital media, video, audio and images, edited and manipulated, using Artificial Intelligence (AI).'

This seeped into public consciousness in India when a video featuring Rashmika Mandanna, a popular actor, became viral on social media in November. The danger of deepfakes can spread, given the Parliamentary elections due next year. The government maintains that the existing laws are enough to deal with the challenge, but perhaps more counter-measures may be required in the coming months.&nbsp;

<h2>Every company now needs 'an AI strategy'&nbsp;</h2>

Two more observations are in order here.

First, enlightened or on-the-go business leaders like Shailendra Singh, managing director at Peak XV Partners, believe that every company now needs to have 'an AI strategy'.

Second, the study of International Relations (IR), foreign policy and diplomacy can no longer be separated from the impact of digital technology and AI. Scholars have already begun reflecting and writing on 'the geopolitics of AI'.

In this sense, what the GPAI summit discussed and achieved in New Delhi this week is of wider significance.

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

It is the season of summits in the Indian capital. New Delhi hosted the 2023 summit of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) on 12–14 December.

It is the season of summits in the Indian capital. New Delhi hosted the 2023 summit of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) on 12–14 December. It resulted in the finalisation of the New Delhi Declaration, although its text has not been placed in the public domain. What is GPAI? GPAI is an organisation of 29 countries from the Americas (North and South), Europe and Asia. It has important players such as the US, France, Japan and India, but it excludes China. The last summit was held in Japan. India will chair GPAI in 2024. A forum created in 2020, its mission is to bring government representatives and experts together to support and guide the responsible adoption of Artificial Intelligence grounded in human rights, inclusion, diversity, gender equity, innovation, economic growth, environment and social benefit, while seeking to contribute concretely to the 2030 Agenda and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The summit in New Delhi drew special attention as rapid and dramatic strides have been made in the field of AI in the past year. They have generated both excitement about its potential benefits as well as fears about its misuse. While researching for this article, this author was introduced to 'Pi, your personal AI', by an IITian visiting India from the Bay Area in California. When asked to define Artificial Intelligence, my Pi responded instantly that it is the ability of a computer programme to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence such as understanding language, recognising objects, and solving problems. Also read | AI in 2023: Top Technology reads of this year AI systems use algorithms and enormous amounts of data to learn how to perform these tasks. It is a new and fast-developing technology that can be used widely and is also liable to be misused. Indeed, many ethical and societal questions surround the development, deployment and use of AI today. The GPAI summit in New Delhi The GPAI summit deliberations took place in the backdrop of the G20 summit, hosted by India in September 2023. There, consensus was reached among the members of this premier international economic forum on the means to harness AI responsibly for "Good and for All." Member nations agreed to solve AI-related challenges "in a responsible, inclusive and human-centric manner while protecting people’s rights and safety." The essential strategy developed is to share equitably AI’s benefits and mitigate its risks. The path to achieving this goal is to promote international cooperation and dialogue on international governance for AI. The GPAI summit was a major step in that direction. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, easily one of the most tech-savvy and tech-conscious world leaders, set the tone for the dialogue on AI. To make any system sustainable, he observed, it should be made transformative, transparent and trusted. "There is no doubt that AI is transformative, but it is up to us to make it more and more transparent." As to trust, this would grow, he added, when related ethical, economic, and social aspects are addressed suitably. Also watch | How AI is changing the future of work × AI could be both a tool for development, but also a weapon for destruction in the hands of terrorists. The latter scenario requires effective counter-measures. There is a pressing need to make AI more inclusive and more reliable. "The direction of AI’s future development will depend on human and democratic values," he stressed. Following detailed deliberations, the summit participants unanimously agreed on a plan to forge international cooperation on several aspects of AI. According to Rajeev Chandrasekhar, minister of state for electronics and Information and Technology, the declaration promised to promote GPAI at the forefront of shaping AI in terms of innovation and collaboration, increasing applications of AI in healthcare, agriculture and other areas of interest. Multiple concerns regarding misinformation, unemployment, bias, personal data protection and threats to human rights were discussed frankly. Participants reiterated their commitment to nurturing safe, secure and trustworthy AI within their jurisdictions. This overarching vision will be realised through a cluster of measures ranging from the development of regulations, policies, standards and other important initiatives. The declaration, pointed out an expert, “has attempted to find a balance between innovation and the risks associated with AI systems.” AI regulation: Could India be a global leader? When viewed in the larger context, AI has thrown up several critical issues that demand close attention and scrutiny. First, there is the question of regulation. Three different approaches are in operation. The UK government prefers a soft approach to regulation – 'the less, the better' – so that innovation is fostered optimally. The European Union (EU), on the other hand, has taken a tough line, intending to introduce a new AI Act that may classify Artificial Intelligence 'according to use-case scenarios based broadly on the degree of invasiveness and risk'. The third approach is followed by the US which, through its executive order issued at the end of October, has shown a preference for a middle path between the UK and the EU. India's position was clearly articulated by Union Minister for Electronics & Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar at the recent conference at Bletchley Park, UK, who stressed that steps should be taken to ensure AI represents safety and trust. India views AI as a big opportunity. “We look at AI and indeed technology in general,” he said, “through the prism of openness, safety, trust and accountability.” Second, in the middle of global conversations on AI, experts suggest that India could be a global leader. For instance, Markham Erickson, of Google’s Centres for Excellence, maintained that India's workforce, the university system, the technology stack and the population gave it a leading position on the table where AI is discussed. But he expressed the hope that regulations devised by India would be “interoperable” with those of other nations so that the country’s small and medium businesses can derive optimal benefit. Third, the likely impact of AI on employment is a widespread apprehension, much like the earlier decades when the Internet began to bloom. The consensus seems to be that many jobs will not be affected, but some jobs may be disrupted as AI grows more and becomes smarter. The way to deal with the emerging situation will be to have “a more AI-skilled workforce,” as Erickson argued. Finally, a major concern relates to deepfakes defined as 'digital media, video, audio and images, edited and manipulated, using Artificial Intelligence (AI).' This seeped into public consciousness in India when a video featuring Rashmika Mandanna, a popular actor, became viral on social media in November. The danger of deepfakes can spread, given the Parliamentary elections due next year. The government maintains that the existing laws are enough to deal with the challenge, but perhaps more counter-measures may be required in the coming months. Every company now needs 'an AI strategy' Two more observations are in order here. First, enlightened or on-the-go business leaders like Shailendra Singh, managing director at Peak XV Partners, believe that every company now needs to have 'an AI strategy'. Second, the study of International Relations (IR), foreign policy and diplomacy can no longer be separated from the impact of digital technology and AI. Scholars have already begun reflecting and writing on 'the geopolitics of AI'. In this sense, what the GPAI summit discussed and achieved in New Delhi this week is of wider significance. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

New Delhi summit on Artificial Intelligence, a quest for international collaboration

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Explained: How AI-generated propaganda poses a real threat this historic election year

New Delhi summit on Artificial Intelligence, a quest for international collaboration