Speaking to CNBC-TV18 at the Global AI Conclave on Friday, November 22, in Bengaluru, Krishnan elaborated on the government’s commitment to investing in large language models (LLMs) as part of the broader India AI Mission. He said the government has recognised LLMs’ potential to drive innovation and enhance various sectors.
“The application of AI will likely be the next industrial revolution. If we leverage technology effectively, India could emerge as a prosperous nation by 2047,” he said.
Krishnan said it is important to create AI models that capture India’s diverse linguistic and cultural landscape, stating that the government is more than willing to allocate additional funds should there be promising proposals from both academia and the private sector.
“There are proposals which academia is already working on. Nothing’s come for approval as of now, not to us, but that is something which has been funded partly by DST (Department of Science and Technology), and we can always increase the funding if need be,” he said.
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He said the India AI Mission encompasses seven major pillars, including investments in computing infrastructure and skilling initiatives. With an allocation of over ₹10,000 crore, the mission aims to operationalise AI applications across critical sectors such as healthcare, education, agriculture, and climate change. Some of these pillars are making rapid progress, while others are taking their time — Krishnan says the government is fine with both approaches.
“Some pillars are firing faster, some pillars are taking their time, I think we are prepared for both,” he said.
Krishnan noted that the government has already initiated pilot projects within various ministries, utilising AI to streamline processes, such as answering parliamentary questions. He expressed optimism about the potential for AI to improve government efficiency and accessibility, particularly through voice-based services in multiple languages.
“In my own ministry, there are a couple of smart young scientists who have started some of the work that we do — for instance, answering Parliament questions and so on, to figure out what has happened in the past, because many questions come up again and again, just to make sure that we are consistent,” he said.
In addition to AI, Krishnan discussed the significance of hardware revival in India, citing the success of the mobile manufacturing sector. He said the need of the hour is a robust electronics ecosystem, adding that initiatives like production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes have transformed India from a major importer of mobile phones to a leading exporter.
“(We went) from a country which imported 75% of its mobile phone requirement in 2014-15 to exporting today, and 99.2% of what we need in the country, we make in the country,” Krishnan said.
As India positions itself as a viable alternative to countries like China for global manufacturing, Krishnan acknowledged the geopolitical shifts that are prompting companies to diversify their supply chains. He stated, “The demand for electronic goods is set to rise, and India is well-positioned to meet this demand.”
Krishnan highlighted the importance of a balanced approach to AI governance on the regulatory front, advocating for voluntary compliance rather than overly restrictive legislation which could stifle innovation. As per Krishnan, India is still in the innovating phase, which should be nurtured.
“…some of the problems, or some of the issues that people talk about in the context of AI, especially deepfakes and so on, is not so much a regulatory issue as much as a technology issue and a timeliness issue. At best, it may need some tweaks to make sure that the response (from social media intermediaries) is faster, as opposed to a requirement to change the law fundamentally itself,” he explained.
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He said the law has provisions that could enable social media intermediaries to act faster and take down hate speech, deepfakes, and misinformation.
“(Social media intermediaries) are realising and acting faster … So I am not very concerned that we don’t have a law which will address that aspect.”
He referred to the recent contentious California AI legislation, which was passed in the state’s Senate but vetoed by Governor Gavin Newsom. “(That) is one extreme, existential end. I don’t think we’ve gone there yet, and I don’t think we should be legislating at that scale right now, because I think we are still at an innovation stage, and we need to recognise that and promote innovation.”
Krishnan also said the government finds it encouraging that with “large social media intermediaries and others, there’s a fair amount of voluntary compliance to a number of aspects” and that people are aware of the “risks and dangers to the community” posed by hate speech and the like.
“If you look at data, which shows how many takedowns have been there … and if you look at the number of takedowns, what the government actually requires to be taken down is less than 0.1% of that number. The reports by the social media intermediaries themselves will show that they take down a much larger number based on their own community guidelines,” he said.
Krishnan’s insights reflect a strategic vision for India’s technological landscape, where investment in AI and LLMs plays a pivotal role in driving economic growth and enhancing citizens’ quality of life.
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