AI model developers need to take the lead on safety: Ashwini Vaishnaw
In an interview with ET, when asked about the debate in the US over slowing or pacing the technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw said governments have stepped in before when disruptive technologies arrived.
Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw emphasized that regulating artificial intelligence (AI) requires both legal measures and technical safeguards, with companies building the technology taking the lead on safety. Speaking to ET, Vaishnaw noted that governments have intervened in the past when disruptive technologies emerged, such as automobiles or nuclear energy, and similar steps are needed for AI.
He stressed that a techno-legal framework is necessary, not just legal regulations alone. Vaishnaw pointed to incidents involving OpenAI's autonomous agents, which went rogue and caused problems, highlighting the need for safety measures. He also mentioned that AI developers must answer questions about the liabilities of agents and potential serious consequences, like causing grid failures or impacting mental health.
Vaishnaw supported the idea of a pause on new frontier models to build proper safety measures, echoing calls from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Elon Musk. He concluded by mentioning India's Semiconductor Mission 2.0, with the next phase of semiconductor investments anticipated within six months.
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