Recently, viral deepfakes featuring celebrities like Rashmika Mandanna, Kajol and Sara Tendulkar sparked a national debate on the rising cyber threat. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed concern over deepfakes at the G20 Summit, prompting the Centre to take action towards drafting Artificial Intelligence (AI) guidelines. Information Technology Minister
Ashwini Vaishnaw recently said, “The government will begin drafting regulations in a short time, specifically addressing deepfakes. It is crucial to distinguish between synthetic and deepfake content; detecting a deepfake is of utmost importance.”
AI guidelines should strike balance bw fostering innovation & implementing regulations
Advocate Prashant Mali, who is a cyber and privacy expert, said, “The AI guidelines should not stifle innovation. They should strike a balance between fostering innovation and implementing regulations.” The guidelines in India should align with the executive order on AI passed by the USA besides incorporating elements from the European laws. The regulations should be framed in a way that encourages businesses using AI without hindering their operations. Additionally, they should take into account the socio-economic landscape of India, he averred.
Cybersecurity experts asserted that the guidelines should have three main pillars: First, companies creating apps should register with the government and their servers must be in India. Second, if the government or law agencies seek information, they should readily share it. The third aspect is to make Metadata mandatory as it will help to know where the original file was created and who modified it later.
Centre is likely to release AI guidelines
Cyber expert Mayur Kulkarni said, “With the 2024 Lok Sabha polls around the corner, the Centre is likely to release AI guidelines due to the potential threat of deepfakes targeting politicians.” Once the guidelines are issued, compliance will become mandatory. They may eventually become a law, a process that usually takes at least two years. There is no universal AI law established yet, he added.
With India's growing tech prowess, AI regulations are the need of the hour. Although new ideas should be encouraged, but not at the expense of an individual's safety. The guidelines will clear the air on a lot of significant issues like protecting personal information, making sure people are responsible, reducing biases and using AI in an ethical manner.
