The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on Thursday proposed regulation of those artificial intelligence (AI) technologies which pose high risk to human lives. In its recommendations to the government, the telecom and broadcasting regulator said that such AI technologies should be regulated through creation of an independent statutory authority, Artificial Intelligence and Data Authority of India (AIDAI), whose task should be to ensure development of responsible AI and regulation of use cases.
The recommendations have come at a time when a worldwide debate is taking place on the benefits and risks of AI and generative AI. Many nations, in fact, are talking about framing norms to govern the use of this new-age technology that holds the promise of sweeping transformation while redrawing the contours of many industries.
Trai has said that AIDAI should frame regulations on various aspects of AI including its responsible use and define principles of responsible AI and their applicability on AI use cases based on risk assessment. The Trai has said that AIDAI should ensure that principles of responsible AI are made applicable at each phase of AI framework lifecycle, like design, development, validation, deployment, monitoring and refinement.
It should also develop model AI governance framework to guide organisations on deploying AI in a responsible manner. The body should also develop model ethical codes for adoption by public and private entities in different sectors and create a framework related to any other aspect of regulation of AI for orderly growth of the AI sector and protection of the consumers.
The regulator said that a multi-stakeholder body (MSB) should act as an advisory body to AIDAI. The MSB should have members from different ministries and departments, industry, legal and cyber experts, academia and research institutes. The MSB may invite representatives of relevant ministries and departments of Central and state governments on need basis as special invitee.
According to Trai, AIDAI’s scope of work should also include recommending to the government a uniform framework for sharing of data available with it and its entities with industry, educational institutes, R&D centres, startups etc within the privacy and other applicable laws and policies.
For synergy and coordination among different central and state ministries and local bodies and for orderly growth of AI and its use cases, the ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY) should be designated as the administrative ministry for AI, Trai has said in its recommendations.
It has said that the Indian government should collaborate with international agencies and governments of other countries for forming a global agency that will act as the primary international body for development, standardisation and responsible use of AI. “India should play a leading role in shaping the global AI standards and governance structures,” Trai has said.