PM Modi proposes global AI compact at G20 summit

Outlining India’s approach to AI, PM Modi said it rests on three pillars: equitable access, population-scale skilling, and responsible deployment.

“Under the India-AI Mission, we are creating accessible high-performance computing so that the benefits of AI reach every district and every language,” he told the G20 leaders. The Prime Minister emphasised that technology must be human-centric, global, and open-source rather than finance-centric, national, or exclusive.

“We have to promote technology applications that are ‘human centric’ instead of ‘finance centric’, which are ‘global’ instead of ‘national’ and ‘open source’ instead of ‘exclusive models’. We have tried to integrate this vision in all technology projects of India.”

He cited India’s leadership in digital payments and its response during the COVID-19 pandemic, delivering vaccines and medicines to more than 150 countries, to underline the potential of inclusive technological and economic growth.

“Development should be sustainable, business should be trusted, finance should be fair, and progress should bring all-inclusive prosperity,” PM Modi said.

This is the first G20 summit to be held in Africa. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, host of the summit, described the Leaders’ Declaration as reflecting a “renewed commitment to multilateral cooperation,” despite the United States’ boycott.

The declaration addressed global challenges including the climate crisis, underscoring the summit’s focus on collaboration amid geopolitical complexities.