India's Minister for Railways, Communications, Electronics, and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, is actively working with stakeholders to finalize deepfake regulations in the coming weeks. The move comes in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's expressed concerns about the impact of fake technology on society. The regulatory framework aims to address the challenges posed by realistic AI-generated videos and audio recordings that manipulate the likeness and voice of individuals. The Indian government is considering penalties for both content uploaders and social media platforms as part of the regulatory drafting process. This initiative aligns with global efforts to establish comprehensive regulations for AI, with countries like the United States and the European Union taking proactive steps to govern the technology.


India is actively working on regulations to govern deep-fake technology, as announced by Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's concerns expressed during a G20 virtual summit, discussions with academics, industry associations, and social media firms are underway to finalize the regulatory framework in the coming weeks.


Deepfakes, which are realistic AI-generated videos or audio recordings manipulating the likeness and voice of individuals in existing content, pose significant challenges to society. Minister Vaishnaw stated that the regulatory drafting process will include considerations for penalties targeting both content uploaders and the social media platforms where such content is posted.


This move is part of a broader global trend, with various nations actively working on comprehensive regulations for artificial intelligence. In the United States, President Joe Biden signed an executive order in October, requiring developers of AI systems with potential risks to national security, the economy, public health, or safety to share safety test results with the U.S. government before public release.


The United Nations has also established a 39-member advisory body to address governance challenges in AI, and European legislators are crafting draft rules for potential approval next month. In Canada, the Security Intelligence Service raised concerns about disinformation campaigns utilizing AI deepfakes.


The Chinese government has also taken steps to address challenges posed by deepfake technology, with increased scrutiny on the Web3 sector. Chinese authorities revealed 79 cases of fraud involving deepfake AI, leading to the arrest of 515 individuals.


As the global community grapples with the implications of AI and deepfake technologies, India's proactive approach in formulating regulations underscores the importance of collaborative efforts to address the ethical, societal, and security challenges posed by advanced artificial intelligence.


(AMAKA NWAOKOCHA, COINTELEGRAPH, 2023)