At the AI Action Summit in Paris, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted AI’s transformative impact, calling it a defining force that is “writing the code for humanity in this century.”
Co-chairing the summit with French President Emmanuel Macron, the Prime Minister emphasised that AI is unlike any past technological milestone, requiring a global, responsible, and inclusive approach to governance.
Prime Minister Modi underscored AI’s potential to improve millions of lives by revolutionising healthcare, education, and agriculture, making progress toward Sustainable Development Goals faster and more effective. He stressed the importance of democratising technology, creating people-centric applications, and ensuring AI benefits all, particularly in the Global South.
Showcasing India’s leadership in AI adoption, the Prime Minister spoke about India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), which has modernised governance and transformed lives for 1.4 billion people at minimal cost. He highlighted India’s Data Empowerment and Protection Architecture, which has unlocked the power of data while making digital commerce democratic and accessible. This, he said, is the foundation of India’s National AI Mission.
The prime minister reaffirmed India’s commitment to developing AI for public good, with a strong focus on inclusivity. He noted that India has one of the world’s largest AI talent pools and is building its own large language model tailored to its diverse linguistic and cultural needs. He also highlighted India’s public-private partnership model for AI infrastructure, ensuring that resources like computing power are accessible to startups and researchers at affordable costs.
On sustainability, he linked AI’s high energy demands with the need for green and efficient AI models, drawing parallels with India and France’s successful International Solar Alliance. He stressed that AI development must optimise resource use while driving innovation.
Concluding his address, the prime minister emphasised that humans, not machines, hold the key to AI’s future. He called on global leaders to shape AI development responsibly, ensuring it serves the collective good and aligns technological progress with ethical and social well-being.
