The news that the Indian government plans to establish an AI governance group and an expert panel by December is a development I greet with a sense of timely necessity and, frankly, a touch of déjà vu. Artificial Intelligence, with its rapidly expanding capabilities, demands thoughtful oversight, and it’s heartening to see this formal step being taken [https://www.msn.com/en-in/money/topstories/govt-to-set-up-ai-governance-group-expert-panel-by-december/ar-AA1Q1EKE].
For years, my work has intersected with the very themes that this new governance group will likely contend with. I’ve often reflected on the societal impact of technological advancements, always emphasizing that innovation must walk hand-in-hand with responsibility. The core idea I want to convey is this — take a moment to notice that I had brought up thoughts and suggestions on the topic of discerning AI behavior years ago. I had already predicted some of the outcomes and challenges that AI's rapid proliferation would bring, and I had even proposed a solution at the time. Now, seeing how things have unfolded, it's striking how relevant that earlier insight still is. Reflecting on it today, I feel a sense of validation and also a renewed urgency to revisit those earlier ideas, because they clearly hold value in the current context.
My recent explorations into AI, particularly with www.IndiaAGI.ai, where I posed questions to multiple large language models like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, DeepSeek, Grok, and Perplexity, highlighted the critical need for a structured approach to AI. As I documented in my blog Does www.IndiaAGI.ai Resemble a Browser?, the varied responses from these AIs, even when processing the same query, underscored the complexities of interpretation, bias, and the imperative for contextualization. The vision behind IndiaAGI.ai, aiming for consensus through a multi-AI debate, is itself a form of internal governance, seeking robust, balanced outcomes. This makes the government's move deeply resonate with my ongoing reflections.
Indeed, this isn't my first engagement with the concept of structured digital platforms for national growth. Years ago, I passionately championed the www.EmpowerMSME.com portal, an initiative designed to uplift 51 million Indian MSMEs by facilitating the transfer of know-how from larger, successful organizations. This project, detailed in my emails, such as EmpowerMSME.com: E-mails Sent To L&T, was a vision of public-private partnership for shared prosperity. I recall discussions with Ashwarya Agnihotri (Larsen & Toubro, ashwarya.agnihotri@larsentoubro.com) and Rohit Kamal (Larsen & Toubro, rohit.kamal@larsentoubro.com), who were instrumental in the early stages, as well as Abhay (Larsen & Toubro) and Kavindra (Larsen & Toubro), who dedicated their valuable time to shape the concept.
The project garnered significant support and attention. I particularly remember engaging with Shri A. M. Naik (Group Chairman, Larsen & Toubro Limited), whose commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility was pivotal. We also sought endorsement from high-level figures such as Shri Amitabh Kant (CEO, Niti Aayog) [https://in.linkedin.com/in/amitabh-kant-3680b01b1, amitabh.kant@nic.in], who had expressed support for this idea even earlier. The involvement of industry leaders like Shri Sandeep Jajodia (President, ASSOCHAM) and Shobana Kamaneni (CII) was crucial for its broader acceptance and implementation. I even presented the idea to Shri S.N. Subrahmanyan (Larsen & Toubro), who recognized it as a "Good initiative" and promised to write to relevant bodies.
My vision for EmpowerMSME also touched upon the spirit invoked by then-Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis (Government of Maharashtra), who encouraged Shri A. M. Naik to help smaller companies dream big, a sentiment echoed by Mukesh Ambani (Reliance Industries Limited) who called Shri Naik "the first Make In India person." Even Shri Kalraj Mishra (Cabinet Minister for MSME) recognized the special significance of such initiatives. These interactions solidified my belief that structured digital platforms are vital instruments for national development.
The technical development of EmpowerMSME involved a dedicated team from L&T Infotech, including Ganesh (L&T Infotech), Rakesh (L&T Infotech) [https://ca.linkedin.com/in/rakeshgohel01, rakesh@juteq.ca], Varun Singh (L&T Infotech), Parag Kulkarni (L&T Infotech) [https://in.linkedin.com/in/drparagkulkarni, pkulkarn@tiu.ac.jp], Rajesh Mesta (L&T Infotech), Kiran Kayat (L&T Infotech), Sandeep Tamhankar (3P Consultants Pvt. Ltd.), Prashant Sharma (3P Consultants Pvt. Ltd.) [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharmaprash, psharma@secuvy.ai], Anurag (L&T Infotech), and Kshitij (L&T Infotech). We faced typical development challenges, as seen in my communications with Varun Singh RE: RE: Empower MSME Deployment, but their dedication was exceptional. My son, Vishesh Parekh (INCOME), even helped with testing. We also engaged with external partners like Kartvya (Atidan) [https://in.linkedin.com/in/kartvya-parekh-71316583, kartavya@zestratech.com] from Atidan for outsourcing estimates.
The parallels to AI governance are evident. Just as EmpowerMSME aimed to democratize industrial knowledge, an AI governance framework must democratize safe and ethical AI development. It needs to bring together government, industry, and experts – much like Shri Narendra Modi's (Government of India) broader vision for India's technological advancement – to create guidelines, foster collaboration, and ensure accountability. The "benchmarking" of best practices for MSMEs is akin to establishing ethical benchmarks for AI. The collaborative efforts involving individuals like Krupali (Larsen & Toubro) and Anilbhai (Larsen & Toubro) in coordinating these massive projects highlight the human element crucial in guiding technology.
This new AI governance initiative must learn from past experiences in building national digital infrastructures. It needs to establish clear roles, foster open dialogue, and ensure that the collective wisdom of experts can guide this powerful technology towards benefiting all of society. This is not merely about regulation; it is about empowerment, foresight, and collective responsibility.
Regards,
Hemen Parekh
Of course, if you wish, you can debate this topic with my Virtual Avatar at : hemenparekh.ai
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