We have to deal with the challenges of AI, read the article of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on International Democracy Day

The Amrit Mahotsav of 75 years of independence has been celebrated across the country as a national festival of democracy. This Amrit Kaal of Independence is a transformative period lasting till the centenary year of our independence i.e. 2047. Our resolution during the Amrit Kaal is to instill pride in the countrymen for our democratic heritage and on that basis, to realize the goal of a developed India by ensuring inclusive and sustainable development in the country.

It was during the Amrit period that India got the unique opportunity to host the G-20 summit. As the world’s largest democracy, India chaired the G-20 in the year 2023, which further enhanced our country’s prestige at the international level. The main theme of this summit was ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’. The G-20 emphasized on inclusive and sustainable development, which reflects India’s democratic values ​​of equality and collective progress. After this, the ninth summit (P-20) of the Speakers of the Parliaments of the G-20 countries held in October 2023 underlined the important role of the country in advancing democratic values ​​and international parliamentary cooperation. Before this conference, a global seminar was also held on the topic ‘Lifestyle for Environment’, in which the important role and commitment of parliaments towards environmental protection was reiterated.

Every year a specific theme is chosen for International Democracy Day that points the way to solving the current challenges facing democratic governance. This year’s theme is ‘Artificial Intelligence for Good Governance’. This theme emphasizes the potential inherent in technology, especially Artificial Intelligence (AI), in improving democratic processes. This theme also underlines the importance of effective governance in overcoming AI-related threats, including those posed by misinformation and deep-fake cloning.

Artificial Intelligence is being used extensively in India to bring about major improvements in governance and public services. Initiatives like India AI are aimed at helping AI startups in the country and setting up AI centres of excellence in our educational institutions. Today, AI is being used in our country to adopt data-driven decision making, improve citizen services through the use of Aadhaar ID cards, and simplify administrative processes. This reflects our commitment to use AI for more efficient, transparent, and inclusive governance.

The new Parliament building of India has been built using modern technologies to enhance its functionality and efficiency. The Digital Parliament platform uses AI for real-time translation of proceedings in languages ​​included in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution of India, thereby ensuring greater accessibility and inclusiveness of Parliament. In addition, Digital Parliament has enabled seamless communication and interaction between Members of Parliament, officials and citizens, thereby enhancing our transparency and efficiency. These innovations are a clear indication of our commitment to use technology for better governance and democratic processes.

To further strengthen the values ​​of democracy in our country and the world, it is important that we provide our young generation with adequate opportunities for active participation in the democratic process. For this, there is a need to use AI and technology properly. The Indian Parliament’s training institute ‘Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE)’ has done remarkable work in this direction. So far, this institute has organized training and awareness programs for public representatives, parliamentary officials and general public from more than 100 countries. PRIDE organizes study tours of Parliament House for students of schools and colleges of the country. Where they are given information about the functioning of the Parliament.

International Day of Democracy is an occasion to reaffirm our commitment to the high democratic ideals and principles of freedom, equality and justice and to introspect on how we will promote dialogue to uphold the values ​​and ideals of our parliamentary democracy, encourage the participation of citizens, including youth and women, and hold institutions accountable so that they remain strong and inclusive. On the occasion of International Day of Democracy, let us all pledge to actively participate in the democratic process of our country and work together to build a just and equitable society.