The loss of jobs is AI’s most feared disruption, says PM Modi
Arguing strongly in favour of developing open-source systems that enhance trust and transparency in AI, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for building quality data sets that are free from biases.

Speaking at the AI Action Summit in Paris, which he co-chaired with French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday (February 11, 2025), Prime Minister Modi laid emphasis on the need to pool together resources and talent while also investing in skilling and reskilling people for an AI-driven future.

He used the analogy of using an AI app to understand a medical report vis-a-vis asking it to perform another function to drive home his point about bias.

“If you upload your medical report to an AI app, it can explain in simple language, free of any jargon, what it means for your health. But, if you ask the same app to draw an image of someone writing with their Left hand, the app will most likely draw someone writing with their Right hand. Because that is what the training data is dominated by,” he pointed out.

According to Prime Minister Modi, “It shows that while the positive potential of AI is absolutely amazing, there are many biases that we need to think carefully about”.

AI is Writing the Code for Humanity in This Century
“AI is already re-shaping our polity, our economy, our security and even our society. AI is writing the code for humanity in this century. But, it is very different from other technology milestones in human history,” Prime Minister Modi remarked. 

Referring to the unprecedented scale and speed at which AI was developing, he called for collective global efforts to establish governance and standards that uphold shared values, address risks, and build trust.

He went on to highlight how AI can help transform millions of lives by improving health, education, and agriculture, in the process helping create a world in which the journey to Sustainable Development Goals becomes easier and faster.

“To do this, we must pool together resources and talent. We must develop open-source systems that enhance trust and transparency. We must build quality data sets, free from biases. We must democratise technology and create people-centric applications. We must address concerns related to cyber security, disinformation, and deep fakes. And, we must also ensure that technology is rooted in local ecosystems for it to be effective and useful,” Prime Minister Modi stated. 

Loss of Jobs is AI’s Most Feared Disruption, Says PM Modi
“Loss of jobs is AI’s most feared disruption. But, history has shown that work does not disappear due to technology. Its nature changes and new types of jobs are created. We need to invest in skilling and re-skilling our people for an AI-driven future,” Prime Minister pointed out.

He also noted concerns about the high energy intensity of AI, saying it would require green power to fuel its future.

“India and France have worked together for years through initiatives like the International Solar Alliance to harness the power of the sun. As we advance our partnership to AI, it is a natural progression from sustainability to innovation to shape a smarter and responsible future,” he stated. 

At the same time, he added, AI models must also be efficient and sustainable in size. “After all, the human brain manages to compose poetry and design space ships using less power than most lightbulbs,” he remarked. 

India is Developing AI applications for Public Good
In his remarks, Prime Minister Modi highlighted India's success in building a Digital Public Infrastructure for over 1.4 billion people at a very low cost.

“It is built around an open and accessible network. It has regulations, and a wide range of applications to modernize our economy, reform governance and transform the lives of our people,” he remarked.

“We have unlocked the power of data through our Data Empowerment and Protection Architecture. And, we have made digital commerce democratic and accessible to all. This vision is the foundation of India’s National AI Mission,” said Prime Minister Modi.

He went on to highlight the following:
1. India is developing AI applications for public good. 
2. India has one of the world’s largest AI talent pools. 
3. India is building its own Large Language Model considering our diversity. 
4. India has a unique public-private partnership model for pooling resources like compute power. It is made available to start-ups and researchers at an affordable cost.

“India is ready to share its experience and expertise to ensure that the AI future is for Good, and for All, Prime Minister Modi said. 

During its G20 Presidency, India built a consensus on Harnessing AI Responsibly, for Good, and for All. Today, India leads in AI adoption, and techno-legal solutions on data privacy, PM Modi pointed out.