Artificial Intelligence is undoubtedly shaping the world, taking over one sector at a time. India in its quest to keep pace with global advancements, has announced a fund of ₹10,372 crore to boost AI investments, aiming to achieve self-reliance in the AI domain. This funding represents the government's strategic effort to reduce dependence on foreign companies.
But as we say, with great power comes great responsibility; AI has come up with significant risk, and the massive use and dependency on AI have raised significant data privacy concerns. This article explores the emergence of AI and data privacy protection laws in India.
India's AI journey is remarkable, thanks to the internet, which has made the process easy. You may have noticed that AI is being used in all sectors.
You might be aware that to enhance User’s experience, AI is trained with diverse datasets and sometimes, even your personal data is used.
India’s journey in implementing AI laws began with initial efforts to regulate digital technologies with the Information Technology Act 2000, which provided a foundational framework for digital activities. Over the years, the focus has been shifted to a comprehensive approach as of now when there is exceptional growth in AI regulations, India has steadily come up with its initiatives, such as the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence in 2018’ to NITI AAyog AI FOR ALL 2024.
These AI regulations serve as a guard to ensure that AI technologies are developed and used in a way that minimises potential risk and maximises the intended benefits.
Do you know, India is an emerging tech hub for AI-driven innovation.You might have also noticed the increase in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) within various sectors, such as healthcare, finance, agriculture, e-commerce, and education. Nowadays AI is not just a technology creation but now a creator as well, as it can produce content on its own – ranging from complex writing on any topic, to developing software products.
You might wonder how AI is using your data from online shopping to facial recognition to train itself. AI has taken charge of almost everything, raising concerns about data privacy and potential misuse.
However to minimise these risks and to protect our privacy India has come up with its data privacy laws. Yes, there comes DPDPA.
The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDPA) is a landmark regulation that gives you greater control over your data. It outlines key provisions for data collection, processing, and storage, by ensuring that the individuals' rights are being protected.
Under the DPDP Act, the organisation must obtain your explicit consent before collecting or processing your data whether in digital form or non-digital form but later digitised subsequently, this act also provides you certain rights, which is the heart of this Act, such as right to consent, access, rectify, delete, withdraw and even right to nominate. Importantly, this law ensures that organisations implement strong data protection measures, safeguarding your privacy from potential misuse.
While DPDPA aims to protect privacy, it also encourages innovation, as you know DPDPA ensures that organisations processing your data must do it responsibly. This act signifies a crucial move towards balancing innovation with privacy, ensuring AI continues to grow, but not at the cost of your data security.
The Union Minister for State for Skill Development Rajeev Chandrashekhar said that the Indian Government will regulate AI so that it is used for a constructive purpose.
To maximise protection and regulate AI in the dynamic digital era the IT Act 2000 will be replaced with this broader framework i.e., the Digital India Act 2023. While the DPDP Act deals with data privacy, the Digital India Act deals with securing a future for India that is both safe and innovative.
This act aims to provide a secure, inclusive, and robust digital economy. With AI being a critical component of Digital India’s vision, the act will establish clear guidelines on digital governance and the responsible use of technologies like AI.
Though our country implemented certain privacy laws and regulations, the responsibility still lies on us. We need to understand the importance of our data, we need to be aware of the rights provided to us by the DPDP Act and not risk our data for the development of destructive technology.
So please be cautious while you're sharing your information. Let's ensure all together that India can lead in AI innovation without compromising our data privacy.