IT Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar talks AI, deepfakes and India's digital growth at DNPA event

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar discussed India's digital transformation and its role in addressing deepfakes and fake news at the DNPA Conclave & Awards 2024.

AI will transform the way we live, said IT Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar at the DNPA Conclave & Awards 2024. (YouTube (Storyboard18))

At the DNPA Conclave & Awards 2024 held in New Delhi on Tuesday, Union Minister of State for Electronics and Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar talked about India's digital transformation in the last 10 years, as well as the country being the pioneer in addressing deepfakes and fake news, issues which later attained global attention. Chandrasekhar also highlighted the need for governance in this era of artificial intelligence (AI).

Rajeev Chandrasekhar at DNPA Concalve 2024

Deepfakes have increasingly become a major concern, with people falling victim to photos and videos that are edited or manipulated to make anyone say or do anything that they did not do in real life. Last month, Taylor Swift's deepfake photos went viral on X, further raising concern. Talking about India's proficiency in addressing these technological challenges, Chandrasekhar said, “India addressed fake news and deepfakes before they gained global attention”.

So, should citizens be afraid of this technology? The IT Minister suggested otherwise, stating that “AI will transform the way we live.”

The minister also talked about the ongoing legal battle between the New York Times and OpenAI regarding copyright issues. Chandrasekhar said that the outcome of this legal battle will “define the use of AI in content creation”.

Chandrasekhar was also asked about India's digital transformation in the last 10 years at the Conclave. “Indian tech and innovation system is a rocket which is in orbit and it is now an unstoppable force in the world,” the minister said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi “intends to protect, nurture and continue to catalyse” as the country becomes a partner in future technology.

What is the DNPA Conclave?

It is a conclave organization by the Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA), a leading industry organization representing India's top 18 news publishers from the domains of print and electronic media. It includes Hindustan Times, Dainik Jagran, Dainik Bhaskar, The Indian Express, Malayalam Manorama, Eenadu Television, India Today, Amar Ujala, Zee Media, ABP Network, Lokmat, Times of India, NDTV, Express Network, Mathrubhumi, The Hindu, India TV, and Network 18.