In a call to action for Commonwealth nations, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla Thursday urged parliamentarians to harness the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) responsibly and ethically.
Addressing the 68th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Conference in Barbados, Birla emphasized the importance of cooperation and knowledge-sharing in unlocking technology’s true potential.
“Through cooperation and knowledge-sharing, we can ensure that technology becomes a bridge, not a barrier,” he said, chairing a workshop on ‘Leveraging Technology: Enhancing Democracy through Digital Transformations and Tackling the Digital Divide.’
Highlighting India’s strides in leveraging technology for parliamentary processes, Birla noted that AI-based digital systems are revolutionizing India’s democracy, making parliamentary processes more efficient and inclusive. “AI-based digital systems are making India’s parliamentary processes more efficient and inclusive,” he said, citing examples such as AI-based translation, AI-enabled e-Library, and speech-to-text reporting.
Birla announced a groundbreaking development, saying real-time AI translation systems like “Sansad Bhashini” will soon empower every Member of Parliament to communicate in their own language, marking a new height for democracy in India’s diverse landscape.
“Democracy is at its strongest when citizens are deeply engaged with their Parliament,” Birla noted, underscoring technology’s vital role in strengthening this connection. He highlighted the Indian Parliament’s outstanding journey from traditional to e-Parliament, which has been “quite phenomenal in terms of its reach, functioning, and responsiveness to the aspirations of the people.”
Under the “Digital Sansad” initiative, the Parliament of India has developed an integrated digital ecosystem, connecting Members of Parliament, Ministries, and citizens through a single digital platform. Birla also spotlighted India’s digital achievements under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, including the development of a low-cost and open Digital Public Infrastructure for 1.4 billion citizens.
He highlighted India’s “AI Mission” – AI for All and AI for Good – reflecting Prime Minister Modi’s visionary approach to harnessing AI for citizen empowerment and transparent governance. With India emerging as the second-largest 5G market globally and 6G efforts underway, Birla emphasized that digital connectivity has become “affordable, inclusive, and people-centric”.