AI and Law Must Evolve Together to Protect Citizens: NCW Chairperson
In an era where artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming industries and daily life, the National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson has emphasized the urgent need for legal frameworks to evolve alongside AI advancements. Speaking at a symposium on “Technology and Gender Justice,” she highlighted AI’s dual role—empowering society while posing risks if left unregulated.
The Promise and Perils of AI
AI has revolutionized sectors like healthcare, education, and finance, offering unprecedented efficiencies. For women, AI tools enable remote work, personalized learning, and safety features like harassment detection. However, the NCW chairperson warned that without strong legal guardrails, AI could deepen inequalities and enable new forms of exploitation.
“AI algorithms can perpetuate gender biases if trained on skewed data,” she noted. “Facial recognition systems often misidentify women of color, and hiring algorithms may favor male candidates due to historical biases. These are systemic issues needing legislative action.”
The Legal Gap in AI Governance
India’s current laws, including the IT Act (2000) and the upcoming Digital Personal Data Protection Act, lack specific provisions to tackle AI-related harms like:
– Deepfake abuse (e.g., non-consensual pornography)
– Algorithmic discrimination (e.g., biased hiring or policing)
– Autonomous decision-making risks
The NCW chairperson urged lawmakers to collaborate with technologists, ethicists, and civil society to draft inclusive, future-proof policies.
“Deepfake pornography targets women, yet our laws lag behind. We need strict penalties and platform accountability,” she asserted.
Global Lessons for India’s AI Regulation
The chairperson cited the EU’s AI Act—which bans high-risk AI applications—as a model but stressed India’s approach must address local challenges, including:
– Digital literacy gaps
– Gender disparities in tech access
– Marginalized voices in policymaking (e.g., rural women, transgender communities)
NCW’s 3-Pronged Action Plan
To bridge the regulatory gap, the NCW proposed:
1. Bias Mitigation: Transparent AI training data and algorithms.
2. Accountability: Legal liability for AI-induced harms.
3. Awareness: National campaigns on AI rights and risks.
The commission also encouraged tech giants to adopt ethical AI practices, citing examples like Apple’s privacy features and Google’s fairness tools.
The Road Ahead
As AI becomes ubiquitous, the NCW’s message is clear: law and technology must co-evolve to protect rights. The chairperson’s push aligns with global “AI for Good” efforts, but India’s success hinges on swift, inclusive policymaking.
“In the race toward digital progress, no one should be harmed by tools meant to uplift them.”
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