India plans AI regulation paper soon

New Delhi The government will bring out a consultation paper on artificial intelligence regulations within a month, Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Thursday, signalling a move towards a formal regulatory framework focused on AI safety and societal risks. Vaishnaw said the proposed paper would focus primarily on safety related to AI use, while also examining deepfakes, AI-related harms, skilling and the need to ensure that no section of society is left behind as the technology develops. The minister described deepfakes as a serious social nuisance, warning that people can believe manipulated content and consequently be pushed towards false narratives or harmful actions. He said the growing sophistication of such content makes safeguards increasingly important. Vaishnaw stressed that the human impact of AI must remain at the centre of the regulatory approach. He said AI cannot be governed through legislation alone and called for a combination of technological safeguards and legal measures. “We have to bring a techno-legal solution,” he said. The minister also said industry would have to take primary responsibility for addressing risks linked to AI, including cybersecurity, user harm and deepfakes. He said stakeholders would need to be involved in developing the framework. The government’s broader AI governance approach already identifies misinformation, deepfakes, algorithmic bias and unintended societal harm as key risks. Proposed measures include examining gaps in existing laws related to liability, data protection, copyright and content authentication. The forthcoming consultation paper is expected to gather stakeholder views before the government proceeds with its regulatory framework.