At India-AI Summit, PM bats for ethical, accountable AI under ‘MANAV’ framework

New Delhi, Feb 19: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday, outlined a comprehensive and human-centric approach, MANAV, to Artificial Intelligence (AI), urging the global community to balance innovation with responsibility while shaping the future of AI.

Addressing the India-AI Impact Summit 2026, the Prime Minister introduced what he called the “MANAV” vision for AI, presenting it as India’s human-centric framework for the 21st Century.

“We must give AI an open sky, but also keep the command in our own hands. Friends, today at the New Delhi AI Impact Summit, I present the ‘MANAV’ vision for AI -- MANAV, which means a human-centric Indian vision for AI,” he said.

Explaining the acronym, he said, “M stands for Moral & Ethical Systems, which means AI must be guided by ethics and respect human values; A for Accountable Governance, transparent rules, robust oversight, and national sovereignty, Whoever owns the data must own the rights; N for Accessible and Inclusive, AI must not become a monopoly, but a multiplier of opportunities; A for Valued and Legitimate, AI must be lawful, trustworthy, and socially accepted; V for Vision for Humanity, the ultimate goal of AI must be the welfare of humanity.”

Highlighting the importance of openness, PM Modi stressed transparency as a safeguard in the development of AI.

“It is often said, ‘Sunlight is the best disinfectant’, which means transparency is the greatest safeguard. Some countries and companies believe AI is a strategic asset and should be developed confidentially. India thinks differently,” he said.

“We believe AI will serve global interests only when it is shared, when codes are open, and when innovation is collective. Only then can millions of young minds make it better and safer. Let us resolve to develop AI as a global common good,” he added.

The Prime Minister said the world carries both a “big vision and an equally big responsibility” in the AI era.

“Along with the present generation, we also have to worry about what form of AI we will transfer to the coming generations. Therefore, the real question today is not what AI can do in the future. The question is, what do we do with AI in the present? Such questions have arisen before humanity. The most powerful example is nuclear power. We have seen its destruction, and its positive contribution has also been seen,” he said.

Describing AI as a transformative force, PM Modi cautioned against its misuse.

“AI is also a transformative power. If it goes directionless, then it will cause destruction; if it goes in the correct direction, then it will become a solution,” he said, emphasising the need for responsible and ethical use of the technology.

Calling for the formulation of global norms, the Prime Minister warned about emerging risks such as deepfakes and manipulated digital content.

“There is also a pressing need to create global standards. Deepfakes and fabricated content can destabilise open societies. In the physical world, we see nutrition labels on food so we know what we are consuming. Similarly, in the digital world, content should carry authenticity labels,” he said.

Turning to concerns about child safety, PM Modi said safeguards must be strengthened in the AI ecosystem.

“We must be even more vigilant about child safety. Just as school curricula are curated, the AI space must be child-safe and family-guided,” he said. Reflecting on the broader outlook towards AI, the Prime Minister said, “There are two kinds of people in the world today. One sees fear in AI. The other sees fortune in AI. I say with responsibility and pride - India does not see fear in AI, India sees opportunity in AI, India sees its future in AI.”

“We have talent, energy, capacity, and policy clarity,” he noted.

“I am pleased to share that three Indian companies have launched their AI models and apps at this Summit. These models reflect the depth and diversity of India’s youth talent and the solutions India offers to the world,” he added.

IANS