India needs a regulatory framework to protect citizens from ChatGPT-led disruptions

India seems to have adopted the middle path approach towards novel technologies such as ChatGPT. The approach avoids extreme reactions like enthusiastically promoting or banning the platform altogether. (File image)

The chatbot or the conversational artificial intelligence (AI) market is expected to reach a staggering value of $4 billion by 2030. Major players like OpenAI, Google, and Snapchat are in the race to introduce better and more sophisticated chatbots to capture this market. Whenever technology is revolutionary, it becomes crucial to understand how governments would respond to it.

Around the globe, different governments have taken different approaches towards ChatGPT. Some countries are taking steps to regulate high-risk artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT, while some are trying to integrate its services into their governance structure. In a recent letter, tech mogul Elon Musk and others urged for stricter regulatory measures, and on the same day, the United Kingdom outlined its approach to AI regulation, aiming to balance innovation and legislation. Meanwhile, the European Union is also negotiating the passage of broad AI rules. Italy's privacy watchdog, the Italian Data Protection Authority (IDPA), has temporarily banned ChatGPT due to a data breach and concerns about using personal data to train the chatbot. ChatGPT is also not available in China. Instead, they have their own version called the ‘Ernie’ chatbot, made by the Chinese company Baidu. Other countries and regions where ChatGPT is not available are Russia, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria and Hong Kong.

India’s Middle Path

India seems to have adopted ‘Madhyam Marg’ (the middle path) towards novel technologies such as ChatGPT. The approach avoids extreme reactions like enthusiastically promoting or banning the platform altogether. During the India Global Forum Annual Summit, India’s information technology and  electronics minister Ashwini Vaishnaw hinted at a potential major announcement, fueling speculation about the government's plans and a possible Indian version of ChatGPT. Industry experts believe that the Indian government may integrate generative or conversational AI into citizen services, such as the Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance (UMANG), which could simplify the application process for or availing various government services. The ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY) is reportedly developing an AI-powered WhatsApp chatbot to help Indian farmers learn about government schemes. India is also using ChatGPT to develop two critical projects: democratising school education in vernacular languages and spreading awareness about government schemes.

An open letter similar to those by Musk and Steve Wozniak has also been written in India. In this letter, Zoho’s Sridhar Vembu, iSPIRT’s Sharad Sharma and former NITI Aayog vice-chairman Rajiv Kumar mentioned how powerful AI tools could potentially create catastrophic consequences for humanity. Sridhar also highlighted the potentially disastrous economic implications that can result from AI-led job losses. Meanwhile, OpenAI has started accepting subscriptions for ChatGPT Plus, including GPT-4, at $20 per month. Indian authorities do not yet have a stance on either of the developments, but it will be interesting to see how they react, as it might set precedence for disruptive technologies in the future.

ChatGPT’s Human-like Responses

The rise of ChatGPT is causing quite a stir in the world of education. In India, there are approximately 15 lakh schools and 46,000 colleges. Students have quickly adopted ChatGPT for their homework, and many worry that this could lead to a decline in critical thinking. Unsurprisingly, many schools and colleges have called for banning ChatGPT.

One of the main concerns is the possibility of ChatGPT spreading disinformation and providing inaccurate answers. Since ChatGPT was trained on data from around the world, it has also inherited some of the biases present in society. This resulted in some troubling responses that discriminate against various groups of people. There have been instances where users were able to manipulate the security layer of the application just by conversing with it and getting information on banned topics like sourcing weapons. OpenAI is working to address these issues, but much more must be done before ChatGPT can be considered entirely safe.

The rush to release advanced AI tools could have serious consequences. A serious concern is the unbelievable human-likeness of GPT-4. OpenAI says that the model cannot ‘think’ but only responds based on the question put to it. As an advanced self-learning model, it is at least theoretically possible for GPT-4 to learn how to simulate ‘thinking’. A future where such an AI model can perform as equally well or better than humans can make humans redundant, especially for certain kinds of jobs. In a more ominous possibility, if this AI model were to be hacked or turned rogue, there could be issues ranging from impersonation to gaslighting.

The Road Ahead For India

India does not have a standalone law on data protection - personal or non-personal. Personal data usage is regulated under the Information Technology (IT) Act of 2000, and this framework needs to be revised to protect personal data. India introduced the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 in Lok Sabha in December 2019, drafted on the recommendations of Justice BN Srikrishna Committee, but withdrew it in August 2022. Subsequently, MeitY released the Draft Digital Personal Data Protection Bill 2022 for public feedback in November 2022.

Currently, the Italian watchdog has banned ChatGPT and is investigating whether it complied with GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), which governs how companies can use, process and store Italian citizens' data. India, too, should pass the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill to protect the data of its citizens. Further, India must work towards an AI policy that prioritises openness and transparency and discourages tech monopolies. Also, due attention must be given to upskilling the masses to offset the potential job losses.

As a startup, OpenAI has done its job well in the technological disruption arena. Governments worldwide must provide a proper regulatory framework to streamline, regularise, acclimatise and protect their citizens from the disruption caused. The potential risks posed by powerful AI systems are too significant to ignore, and the world needs to ensure these systems are safe before their development continues. Despite the concerns, the chatbot market continues to thrive. Nothing is stopping the rise of these intelligent machines. Can they build a metaverse? Or solve global warming? Or make humans dumb? Only time will tell.

Anurag Wasnik is Innovation Lead - Atal Innovation Mission at NITI Aayog. Views are personal and do not represent the stand of this publication.