MeitY to discuss AI-related issues with Parliamentary Committee on January 9

Representatives of the Ministry Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) will be briefing the Parliament on January 9, to discuss the impact of artificial intelligence-related issues.

There will be a sitting of the Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology (2024-25) to examination of the subject ‘Impact of emergence of Artificial Intelligence and related issues’.

The committee will examine the regulation and monitoring of digital and cyber crimes.

In September last year, MeitY issued an advisory to social media platforms to take prompt action to remove fake content from their sites. The Ministry has also asked the platforms to seek government approval before releasing any undertested/unreliable AI models for Indian users.

In a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha on July 31’24, Jitin Prasada, Minister of State for Electronic and Information Technology (MeitY), emphasised that the Ministry has been engaging with and receiving inputs from the public and stakeholders, including in respect of changes required to existing legislation and the need to introduce fresh legislation related to deepfakes.

In November 2023, and then March in 2024, the Ministry sent advisories to social media firms to comply with the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. The advisory was aimed at getting social media firms to crack down more forcefully on fabricated ‘deepfake’ clips of people made with AI.

MeitY also issued an advisory mandating the labelling of under-trial AI models and prohibiting unlawful content.

In May’24, IT Secretary S Krishnan further reassured that while the government seeks to regulate AI, it will not stifle innovation.

The Ministry is said to be drafting a new AI law which will require social media platforms Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X to include watermarks and labels on content.

That apart, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), part of the MeitY, is currently testing anti-deepfake technology to combat the malicious use of AI in scamming unsuspecting individuals.