Parliamentary panel deliberates on India's preparedness amid AI's emergence

New Delhi, Jun 26 (PTI) Key government ministries on Thursday told a parliamentary panel about the country's preparations to make strides in the increasingly critical field of artificial intelligence (AI), noting that a coordination committee involving various departments is at work to oversee its growth in different sectors.

Top bureaucrats from Union ministries of home, defence, power, and communications and information technology spoke to the members of the Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology headed by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey.

Dubey later underlined the importance of AI, and said the focus of the deliberations was on the country's preparedness at a time when this technology is at the forefront of defence, employment and overall development.

It is also turning out to be a threat with deep fakes and other sinister dimensions, he noted.

It has been playing a big role in defence, he said, mentioning Operation Sindoor in which India "defeated" Pakistan. It has been crucial in fighting Naxalism as well, he added.

The meeting also saw arguments between a BJP member and an opposition member when the home secretary was asked how AI can be harnessed to stop infiltrations, sources said, adding that a ruling party MP raised concerns about infiltrations in states like Jharkhand and West Bengal.

When an official spoke about the West Bengal government allegedly not providing land for fencing, a point Home Minister Amit Shah had made in Parliament as well, an opposition MP from the state objected and said he will give a "factual" report on the issue.

However, the parliamentary committee decided to move on to focus on the main agenda - presentation and evidence on the impact of emergence of artificial intelligence and related issues - of its meeting.

The sources said the panel was told that a coordination committee with officials from different ministries has been working to oversee the AI's advancement, while keeping abreast of its global growth as well.

Dubey noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently co-chaired the AI Action Summit in Paris in which he had highlighted the opportunities as well as its threats.

Different departments are working to fulfil Modi's vision, he said. PTI KR AO KR KVK KVK