Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for an international agreement — a “global compact” — to curb the harmful uses of artificial intelligence. He emphasized that AI development should prioritize people, not profit, urging that critical technologies be human-centric rather than finance-centric.
Speaking at the G20 summit in Johannesburg, Modi said these policies should be based on fundamental principles: effective human oversight, safety-by-design, transparency, and strict limits on AI’s use in deepfakes, crime, and terrorist activities. He underscored the need for responsible, auditable AI systems — especially when they affect public trust or security.
He also argued that while AI can enhance our abilities, humans must retain the final decision-making power: “the ultimate responsibility … always remains with humans.” Modi linked this to a broader shift in how economies should think about work, calling for a move from “Jobs of Today” to the “Capabilities of Tomorrow.”
Finally, Modi spoke about talent mobility and global cooperation. He proposed that the G20 develop a framework to foster free movement of skilled individuals — an important piece, he said, for innovation to thrive — and urged that AI solutions be open-source rather than locked behind proprietary systems.
