Wha t

Ind i a n Pa rli a m e nt a ri a ns
Think o f AI ?

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 SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

This study was taken up to investigate the depth of awareness, perception, expec-
tations, and regulatory preferences among Indian parliamentarians regarding
Arti�icial Intelligence (AI).

Following are some of the key takeaways from the study:

The study found that most of the parliamentarians (97%)

understand AI as a technology enabling machines to perform
tasks that typically require human intelligence.

Most parliamentarians are familiar with AI's basic applications

in daily life, such as voice assistants, social media content rec-
ommendations, and facial recognition technology.

An overwhelming majority of parliamentarians have limited

awareness of how AI systems operate and the role of data in
their development.

The majority of parliamentarians are apprehensive of the

impact of AI on society and consider deepfake as one of the
most critical threats to address in governing AI systems.

They are concerned that AI systems know a great deal about

individuals- an aspect that requires deep scrutiny to ensure its
responsible use.
 Parliamentarians foresee innovation as the most signi�icant oppor-
tunity, while job losses as the biggest economic threat of AI. This
creates twin challenges for policy- (a) rate of job growth should be
higher than the rate of job disruption and (b) skilling for the future
should be a paramount policy priority.

The study shows a strong demand for robust regulation of AI, with

7 parliamentarians preferring complete regulation under the jurisdic-

tion of the Central Government.

A survey consisting of 15 questions that were framed to gauge the depth of

AWARENESS among parliamentarians about AI, how they PERCEIVE it, what do
they EXPECT from it and how do they view the REGULATORY framework
around it. The results from the survey helped us to reach the following conclu-
sions:-

AWARENESS

The study emphasizes the essential need for parliamentarians to understand AI

for effective regulation. Despite global calls for regulation, there's a widespread
lack of understanding among parliamentarians, including in India, raising con-
cerns about regulatory effectiveness. It underscores the urgent need for parlia-
mentarians to grasp AI's implications to regulate it properly. Closing this knowl-
edge gap is crucial for informed governance in the AI era.

This �igure suggests that the Indian

parliamentarians are mostly not
aware of the role of data in AI systems.
 PERCEPTION

Parliamentarians generally hold a negative view of AI's societal impacts, with a

focus on deepfakes over security threats. They lack understanding of the pivotal
role of data in shaping AI capabilities, which in�luences their perceptions of
AI-related issues.

This �igure suggests that Indian

parliamentarians understand
deepfakes as the greatest
threat emanating from AI.

EXPECTATION

Parliamentarians view innovation as the primary opportunity from AI, suggest-

ing industry-led growth for India. Concerns about AI surpassing human intelli-
gence may be in�luenced by sensationalist claims. However, the current need for
human intervention in AI operation and its evolution within human-de�ined
limits suggests that surpassing human intelligence remains uncertain. It's cru-
cial for parliamentarians to understand this perspective from industry leaders.

This �igure suggests innovation to

be the best opportunity emanat-
ing from AI according to parlia-
mentarians.
 REGULATION

Global AI regulation balances innovation and safety/security. The EU's

human-centric approach contrasts with US industry-led and Japan's innova-
tion-oriented strategies. India's recent policy shifts highlight the need for effec-
tive AI governance for economic bene�its and risk mitigation.

Indian parliamentarians support regulating AI, favoring human-centricity while

valuing innovation. However, regulating AI involves balancing innovation with
safety/security. Understanding AI is crucial for informed regulation. Parliamen-
tarians show interest in enhancing their AI knowledge for effective deci-
sion-making. By bridging the divide between innovation and regulation, parlia-
mentarians can navigate the complexities of AI governance to promote respon-
sible AI development and safeguard the interests of society as a whole.

This �igure suggests that most of the

Indian parliamentarians want AI to be
regulated.

Fundamentally, the report �indings hint the need to increase awareness

among parliamentarians and promote multi-stakeholder collaboration to
engage in in-depth dialogues with the parliamentarians. By pursuing
these structured goals, parliamentarians can gain a more nuanced under-
standing of AI and its implications. This informed approach will enable
them to navigate the complexities of AI regulation effectively.

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