Artificial intelligence is evolving rapidly, pushing governments to decide how far and how fast they should regulate it. The United States has largely favoured a permissive approach, China has opted for tight state control, and the European Union has embraced comprehensive regulation through law. India, however, is charting a different course through a cautious, wait-and-watch strategy. Can this regulatory experiment with AI bear fruit in the long run—and will it help India emerge as a leader in the AI economy?
That AI is the defining technology of the coming times is now undebatable. While much is still unknown about how it will affect economies, politics, and international relations across the world, India, like every major country, has placed AI firmly at the centre of its national power ambitions. One of the important questions that India faces is how to control this general-purpose, consequential and soon-to-be ubiquitous technology. What kind of regulatory regime needs to be crafted to adequately account for AI’s potential benefits and harms, both known and unknown? India’s answer to this question will determine whether it can benefit from the AI wave or fall behind other major powers.