Google, the US technology giant, has been announced as the first “platinum consortium” member of the newly established Centre for Responsible Artificial Intelligence (CeRAI) at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras). This partnership signifies Google’s commitment, backed by an initial investment of $1 million. The announcement took place during the Centre’s inaugural workshop and panel discussion held May 15.
The AI division of IIT Madras aims to collaborate with Google in order to support research projects and develop datasets for AI applications.
CeRAI was officially inaugurated on April 27 in the presence of Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology. The Centre has also formed partnerships with industry bodies like Nasscom, the Southern Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (SICCI), as well as think tanks including the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy and the Research and Information Systems (RIS) affiliated with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
These collaborations aim to promote responsible AI practices by focusing on academic curriculum development, exploring the implications of AI, developing a participatory AI framework, and providing mentorship to startups for the creation of responsible AI applications. The Indus Entrepreneurs (TIE), a startup mentorship and incubation organization, will also be associated with CeRAI.
CeRAI will work on creating sector-specific guidelines and suggestions for policymakers as part of its advocacy role for AI policy. The need of explainable and interpretable AI models was emphasised by Balaraman Ravindran, Director of CeRAI and the Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and AI at IIT Madras, particularly in crucial industries like healthcare, manufacturing, and banking. He also emphasised the requirement for performance guarantees in relation to data privacy, data integrity, and sound decision-making.
Managing Director and Chief Executive of the Digital India Corporation of the Centre, Abhishek Singh, stated that it is crucial for researchers and policymakers to “be aware of the risks and challenges while using technologies for solving societal problems, ensuring access to healthcare, making healthcare more affordable, education more inclusive, and agriculture more productive.”
Although discussions on the explainability and responsibility of AI models have sparked conversations about regulating this emerging technology in Europe, Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated in Parliament on April 6 that the Indian Government does not currently have plans to adopt legislation for regulating AI development. However, he acknowledged the ethical concerns associated with AI, such as racial bias, discrimination, privacy violations, and the lack of transparency in AI decision-making processes.