Microsoft's Brad Smith shares 5-point blueprint for India's AI opportunity

Microsoft President Brad Smith has detailed a five-point blueprint for India to unlock the country's potential around artificial intelligence (AI), covering policies, laws and regulations.

The five ways for India to build on the AI momentum are to implement new government-led AI safety frameworks, require effective safety brakes for AI systems that control critical infrastructure, develop a broader legal and regulatory framework, promote transparency and ensure academic and public access to AI and pursue new public-private partnerships.

“As the current holder of the G20 Presidency and Chair of the Global Partnership on AI, India is well positioned to help advance a global discussion on AI issues. Many countries will look to India's leadership and example on AI regulation,” Smith said in a blog post late on Wednesday.

India's strategic position in the Quad and efforts to advance the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework present further opportunities to build awareness among major economies and drive support for responsible AI development and deployment within the Global South, he added.

Recognising that AI governance is a journey, not a destination, “we look forward to supporting these efforts in the months and years to come”.

Microsoft has nearly 350 people working on responsible AI, helping it implement best practices for building safe, secure, and transparent AI systems designed to benefit society.

“We've seen AI help save individuals' eyesight, make progress on new cures for cancer, generate new insights about proteins, and provide predictions to protect people from hazardous weather. Other innovations are fending off cyberattacks and helping to protect fundamental human rights, even in nations afflicted by foreign invasion or civil war,” Smith noted.

“We are optimistic about the innovative solutions from India. These solutions demonstrate how India's creativity and innovation can address some of the most pressing challenges in various domains such as education, health, and environment,” he added.

As technology change accelerates, the work to govern AI responsibly must keep pace with it.

“With the right commitments and investments that keep people at the centre of AI systems globally, we believe it can,” said Smith.