Macron calls for inclusive AI future at New Delhi summit

French President Emmanuel Macron called for an inclusive and responsible artificial intelligence framework at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, stressing cooperation between India and France, protection of children, and the need for global rules to ensure ethical and sustainable use of AI

New Delhi: In the face of increasing geopolitical tensions, there is a growing sense of urgency to direct all digital tools towards an inclusive approach, and India and France will jointly work to build a framework for artificial intelligence by combining innovation with responsibility and technology with humanity, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday.

In his address at the AI Impact Summit here, Macron said France and India share a common vision for developing a “sovereign AI” to protect the planet and foster prosperity for all.

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“At a time when tensions are rising, there is an increased sense of urgency to direct all our digital tools towards this inclusive approach, and in order, indeed, to be strong here in India, but to be strong as well on the African continent,” he said.

“Let us focus together on bridging rather than dividing, creating rather than destroying, sharing rather than taking. France intends to use its G7 Presidency to foster that vision,” he added.

Macron said France, as the current G7 chair, will work towards ensuring protection of children against AI and digital abuse.

“This is why in France we are embarking on a process to ban social networks for children aged under 15 years. We are committed to this journey, with several European countries being present here today, including Greece and Spain,” he said.

“I know, Mr Prime Minister, you will join this club. This is great news that India will join such an approach in order to protect children and teenagers. We stand ready to take all necessary actions to ensure that our young citizens are truly safe,” he said, apparently to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Describing India as a major player in the artificial intelligence (AI) domain, the French president underlined the need for rules to govern the use of AI.

“I have come to convey that we are determined to continue to shape the rules of the game, and to do that with our allies, such as India, because we believe in core shared values, science, rule of law and global balance. Now is the time to channel our forces toward what works, concrete action and solutions that make AI more sustainable, efficient and accessible,” he said.

Macron also pitched for what he described as “targeted funding to leverage talents and creativity” in the AI domain.

“The future of AI will be built by those who combine innovation and responsibility. Technology with humanity. And India and France will help to shape this future together. The journey has just begun,” he said.

The French president began his address by lauding India’s journey in the digital space.

“Ten years ago, a street vendor in Mumbai could not open a bank account. No address, no papers, no access. And today the same vendor accepts payments on his phone, instantly, for free, from anyone in the country,” he said.

“That is not just a tech story, that is a civilisation story. And India built something that no other country in the world has built, a digital identity for 1.4 billion people. A payment system that now processes 20 billion transactions every month,” he said.

“A health infrastructure that has issued 500 million digital health IDs. Here are the results. They call it the India Stack Open Interoperable Sovereign,” he noted.