India’s AI governance guidelines push for user consent and data transparency – here’s what that means for you

Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) unveiled the India AI Governance Guidelines under the IndiaAI mission on Wednesday.

The document states AI governance framework should be ‘human centric’ meaning that AI systems must be designed and deployed in ways which “empower individuals and reflect their value systems”. It also notes that “humans should, as far as possible, have final control over AI system”, noting that human oversight is essential to maintaining accountability over the AI systems.

S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY in a release by PIB said, “Our focus remains on using existing legislation wherever possible. At the heart of it all is human centricity, ensuring AI serves humanity and benefits people’s lives while addressing potential harms.”

The report also puts a particular emphasis on user consent and data transparency. It reads, “The use of personal data without user consent to train AI models is governed by the Digital Personal Data Protection Act.”