AI offers unlimited possibilities, but imp to address ‘ethical dilemmas’: President

PTI, Dec 12, 2023, 5:30 PM IST

President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday said Artificial Intelligence and other contemporary technological developments offer unlimited transformative possibilities, but it is important to address ”ethical dilemmas” arising out of their use.

She said five Ds — demand, demography, democracy, desire and dream — which India has will be very beneficial in the country’s journey of development.

She was addressing the 2nd convocation of Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) here.

”Today India has 5 Ds – Demand, Demography, Democracy, Desire and Dream. These 5Ds will be very beneficial in our journey of development. Our economy, which was at the 11th position a decade ago, is today the fifth largest economy and is on its way to becoming the 3rd largest economy by the year 2030,” she said.

”India is a progressive and democratic nation. Our dream is that India become a developed country by the year 2047. It is the responsibility of all students of IIIT Lucknow to not only become a partner in this vision but also to give their best to fulfil it,” she added.

The President said that change is the law of nature and everyone is witnessing the beginning of a fourth Industrial Revolution.

”Artificial Intelligence is proving to be an important tool to make human life easier and increase productivity. With its wide applications, AI and Machine Learning are touching almost all aspects of our lives. In all areas such as healthcare, education, agriculture, smart cities, infrastructure, smart mobility and transportation etc., AI and Machine Learning are presenting many opportunities to improve our efficiency and working capacity on a large scale,” she said.

She said India is emerging as a global hub of new technologies like Artificial intelligence, machine learning, Internet of Things and blockchain.

The President said that AI and other contemporary technological developments offer unlimited and unprecedented developmental and transformative possibilities.

”But, it is necessary that the ethical dilemmas arising with AI use be resolved first. Be it the employment problem arising from automation, or the widening gap of economic inequality or the human bias that results from AI, we have to find creative solutions to every problem,” she said.

It is to be ensured that importance is given to ‘Emotional Intelligence’ along with ‘Artificial Intelligence’.

”We have to remember that AI should not be an end but a means whose purpose is to enhance the quality of human life. She emphasised that every decision we take should benefit the person at the lowest rung,” she added.

The President said she was happy to note that IIIT Lucknow has been granted the status of Institute of National Importance.

The President said that the idea of acquiring knowledge in regional languages is a positive step, which will prove to be a big step in removing the obstacles in knowledge enhancement due to linguistic limitations.

She stated that the curriculum focused on Artificial Intelligence and its applications provides students with the necessary skills to navigate the new technological landscape.