AI’s command must remain in human hands: Modi

Outlining India’s M.A.N.A.V. vision for Artificial Intelligence (AI), Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asserted that the AI’s command must remain in human hands.

Inaugurating the India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam here, PM Modi cautioned that humans must not become mere data points or raw material for AI, and therefore AI must be democratized.

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Addressing a gathering on the occasion, the Prime Minister said AI should serve as a medium of inclusion and empowerment, especially in the Global South.

At the New Delhi AI Impact Summit, he presented India’s M.A.N.A.V. Vision for AI. M.A.N.A.V., he said, stands for: Moral and Ethical Systems: AI must be based on ethical guidelines; Accountable Governance: Transparent rules and robust oversight; National Sovereignty: Data belongs to its rightful owner; Accessible and Inclusive: AI must not be a monopoly, but a multiplier; and Valid and Legitimate: AI must be lawful and verifiable.

India’s M.A.N.A.V. Vision will become a crucial link for humanity’s welfare in the AI-driven world of the 21st century, he asserted. “AI must be given an open sky, while command must remain in human hands,” the Prime Minister said.

He compared this to GPS, which suggests the route but leaves the final decision to the user. The prime minister underlined that the direction in which humanity takes AI today will determine the future. He stressed that along with the present generation, there must also be concern about the form of AI that will be handed over to future generations.

Mr Modi remarked that the real question is not what AI can do in the future, but what humanity chooses to do with AI in the present.

Drawing parallels with nuclear power, the Prime Minister noted that humanity has witnessed both its destructive potential and its positive contributions. He asserted that AI too is a transformative power—if directionless, it leads to disruption, but with the right direction, it becomes a solution.

PM Modi highlighted that the core purpose of the Global AI Impact Summit is to deliberate on how AI can be made human-centric rather than machine-centric, and how it can be made sensitive and responsible.

He remarked that India’s vision for AI is clearly reflected in the theme of the summit— ‘Sarvajan Hitaya, Sarvajan Sukhaya’—Welfare for all, Happiness of all. The Prime Minister emphasised that this is the benchmark for India.

He remarked that transparency is the greatest safeguard, noting the saying “Sunlight is the best disinfectant.” He observed that while some countries and companies consider AI a strategic asset to be developed confidentially, India believes AI will benefit the world only when it is shared.

The Prime Minister emphasised that open code and shared development will allow millions of young minds to make AI better and safer. He called for a collective resolve to develop AI as a Global Common Good.

Highlighting the urgent need for global standards, the Prime Minister pointed out that deepfakes and fabricated content are destabilising open societies.

Drawing a parallel with nutrition labels on food, he said that digital content too must carry authenticity labels so people can distinguish between real and AI-generated material.

PM Modi underlined the growing need for watermarking and clear source standards as AI increasingly generates text, images, and videos, stressing that trust must be built into technology from the start.