Porni Banerjee | ২৯ মার্চ ২০২৪ ১৫ : ৪৩Porni Banerjee

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates engaged in a face-to-face conversation to hold discourses on India’s digitization that includes Artificial Intelligence (AI), Digital Public Infrastructure on Friday at PM’s residence. The leaders also discussed ways to combat climate crisis.

During their freewheeling discussion, Modi said that AI can be misused by people if not given them proper training, adding that AI-generated contents should have watermarks to tackle the issue of deepfakes.

“If such a good thing (AI) is given to someone without proper training, it is likely to be misused. I suggest that we should start with clear watermarks on AI-generated content so that nobody is misguided. In a democratic country like India, anybody can use deepfake,” Modi told Bill Gates.

PM Modi’s remarks come at a time when several deepfake photos and videos of actors, sportspersons and other celebrities surfaced on various social media platforms, triggering a matter of concern about the mishandling of AI.  

Meanwhile, appreciating India’s digital movement, Bill Gates said that “India is not only adapting technology but it is actually leading the way.”

Additionally, PM Modi also told Bill Gates about ‘Namo Drone Didi’ scheme that is paving the way for further bolstering technology in India, especially among women.

“When I used to hear about the digital divide in the world, I used to think that I would not allow anything like that to happen in my country. Digital public infrastructure is a major requirement in itself...Women are more open to adopting new technology in India...I have started "Namo Drone Didi" scheme...This is going on very successfully. I interact with them these days, they are delighted. They say that they didn"t know to ride a bicycle but they are now pilots and can fly drones. The mindset has changed,” Modi said.