India AI Summit: Archaic copyright laws in AI age are hurting content creators, says AAP MP Raghav Chadha

AAP MP Raghav Chadha

• India's copyright laws need urgent updates for the AI era
• Chadha urges fair-use reforms to support creators and innovation
• Balanced AI regulation needed to avoid stifling growth

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India’s copyright framework for the artificial-intelligence era needs urgent updating, AAP MP Raghav Chadha said, arguing that current provisions — largely shaped decades ago — do not adequately address modern use cases

He stressed that clearer fair-use provisions are required to balance the interests of content creators with innovation, warning that overly restrictive policies could hamper India’s growing digital-creator and AI ecosystem.

Alongside copyright reforms, Chadha emphasised the importance of calibrated regulation of artificial intelligence. While risks such as deepfakes, misinformation and cybersecurity threats require accountability frameworks, he cautioned against over-regulation that could stifle innovation.

Our content creators are suffering because of “restrictive policy around fair use. We must permit fair use and strike balance between the two. In India, we are hoping for an amendment to copyright act,” Chadha said.

The objective, he said, should be to create guardrails that ensure responsible AI deployment without constraining growth potential.

“Regulation on AI must not mean regulating every aspect of AI, and that would limit the potential of AI,” Chadha added.

Chadha said India’s recent AI summit has placed the country more prominently in global conversations around artificial intelligence. He noted that future geopolitical power would increasingly depend on three pillars — compute capacity, semiconductor manufacturing and control over AI design ecosystems. India, he observed, currently lacks dominance in these areas but remains a major source of global AI talent.

However, he warned that talent alone would not suffice. Expanding computing infrastructure, diversifying supply chains and ensuring access to advanced technology will be essential if India is to translate its talent advantage into technological leadership.

Drawing a broader historical comparison, Chadha said the 20th century was defined by control over oil, gas and steel, whereas artificial intelligence and chip manufacturing are likely to shape power equations in the 21st century.

Ensuring broad access to AI tools, including large language models, will be important to avoid widening digital divides between urban and rural India, he added.