Delhi Declaration on AI

The declaration emphasizes the principle of Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya, meaning 'Welfare for All, Happiness for All'. This principle guides the development and deployment of AI to ensure that its benefits are shared equitably and contribute to the well-being of all individuals, especially those in underserved communities. For example, AI-powered healthcare solutions can be deployed in rural areas to improve access to medical services.

It promotes the development of Sovereign AI capabilities in developing nations. This means enabling these countries to build their own AI infrastructure, models, and applications, reducing their dependence on a few global tech giants. This ensures that AI solutions are tailored to local contexts and needs. For instance, India's BharatGen is a multimodal foundational model designed for Indic languages and public services.

The declaration advocates for ethical AI governance based on the M.A.N.A.V. framework (Moral, Accountable, National sovereignty, Accessible, and Valid). This framework aims to regulate AI development and deployment in a way that is ethical, transparent, and respects national sovereignty, while also ensuring accessibility and validity. This helps to prevent biases and ensure that AI systems are used responsibly.

It prioritizes linguistic inclusion in AI development. This involves creating AI models and applications that understand and respond in local dialects and regional languages, bridging the digital divide and making AI accessible to a wider population. For example, India's Bhashini platform demonstrates real-time translation across 22 scheduled Indian languages for 'voice-first' governance.

The declaration promotes the use of AI for climate resilience and environmental protection. This includes using AI for predictive analysis of climate-related disasters, optimizing resource management, and promoting sustainable agriculture. For example, AI can be used to develop early warning systems for floods, droughts, and heatwaves in the Global South.

It emphasizes the importance of green computing and sustainable AI practices. This involves investing in data centers powered by renewable energy and developing energy-efficient algorithms to reduce the environmental footprint of AI. This ensures that AI development is environmentally sustainable and does not exacerbate climate change.

The declaration encourages the use of AI for improving public infrastructure, health, and education. This includes treating AI as a Digital Public Good, similar to India's UPI or Aadhaar, so that startups and small businesses can build on top of government-funded AI stacks. This democratizes access to AI technology and promotes innovation.

It focuses on workforce evolution and upskilling programs to prepare the global workforce for an AI-integrated economy. This involves shifting the focus from 'job loss' to 'job augmentation' through massive upskilling initiatives. This ensures that workers are equipped with the skills needed to thrive in an AI-driven economy.

The declaration supports the establishment of AI safety institutes to manage risks, bias, and safety standards. These institutes play a crucial role in ensuring that AI systems are safe, reliable, and do not perpetuate harmful biases. India has established the IndiaAI Safety Institute for this purpose.

It promotes public engagement and awareness about AI through initiatives like AI for ALL and AI by HER. These initiatives aim to reward innovation in public service, women-led projects, and youth initiatives, fostering a broader understanding and acceptance of AI.

The declaration recognizes the importance of data sharing and collaboration among nations to accelerate AI development and deployment. This involves sharing data on real-world AI usage and building mechanisms to improve AI in under-represented languages. However, data sharing must be done in a way that respects privacy and data security.

It acknowledges the need for international cooperation to address the ethical and societal implications of AI, such as bias, discrimination, and job displacement. This requires developing common standards and frameworks for responsible AI development and deployment.

The declaration recognizes that AI's promise is best realized only when its benefits are shared by humanity. This underscores the importance of inclusive AI development that addresses the needs of all people, regardless of their socioeconomic status or geographic location.