Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday urged world leaders to place human values at the centre of Artificial Intelligence (AI) development, calling for global cooperation to ensure the technology is deployed safely, rapidly and efficiently while protecting children, strengthening cybersecurity and promoting inclusion across the Global South.
Addressing a session on “Ensuring a Safe, Rapid and Efficient Rollout of AI” at the G7 Summit in Evian, PM Modi described AI as “one of the most transformative technologies ever created by humanity” and said its impact is now visible across nearly every aspect of human life.
Congratulating French President Emmanuel Macron for bringing the issue to the summit agenda, PM Modi highlighted AI’s growing role in accelerating scientific research, improving governance and transforming sectors such as healthcare, education and manufacturing.
However, he stressed that the true success of AI should not be judged by technological sophistication alone.
“The real measure is how much it empowers ordinary people,” PM Modi said, underscoring India’s commitment to developing “human-centric AI.”
The Prime Minister referred to India’s MANAV vision, unveiled at the AI Impact Summit earlier this year, as the guiding framework for the country’s AI strategy. He also cited recent remarks by Pope Leo XIV on the importance of human values, inclusivity and meaningful human control in AI development.
“India’s MANAV vision and His Holiness’s message both express the same core belief: no matter how advanced technology becomes, human beings must remain at its centre,” PM Modi said.
A significant portion of his address focused on the safety of children in an increasingly AI-driven digital environment. While acknowledging the technology’s potential to provide education in native languages, foster creativity and personalize learning experiences, PM Modi warned of risks including misinformation, deepfakes and online exploitation.
“The difference between these two scenarios does not lie in the technology itself. It lies in the values, design choices and governance frameworks that guide its use,” he said, adding that digital platforms should become spaces for learning and growth rather than manipulation.
On cybersecurity, PM Modi noted that frontier AI models are creating unprecedented opportunities to strengthen digital defenses. At the same time, he argued that cybersecurity can only be achieved through collective action.
“No country can be truly secure in cyberspace unless all countries are secure,” he said, reiterating India’s long-standing position that cyberspace should be treated as a “Global Public Good.”
The Prime Minister also called for broader and more inclusive access to advanced AI technologies, particularly for democratic nations seeking to protect critical information infrastructure and counter emerging cyber threats.
To balance innovation with safety, PM Modi outlined four key proposals for the international community. First, he advocated the development of “safe-by-design” AI systems, arguing that safety must be embedded from the outset rather than added later.
Second, he proposed the creation of common global standards, testing frameworks and regulatory sandboxes that would allow innovation and governance to evolve together. Drawing parallels with civil aviation and maritime transport, he said the world could learn from existing international regulatory models.
Third, PM Modi called for stronger international cooperation to tackle deepfakes, misinformation and cyber fraud, including wider adoption of digital watermarking and content authentication technologies.
Finally, he emphasized the need to ensure that AI’s benefits reach developing nations and the Global South, warning against the risk of widening global inequalities.
“AI should become a force for inclusion and shared progress, not one that widens existing divides,” he said.
Concluding his remarks, PM Modi said AI policies must remain focused on expanding human potential, empowering informed decision-making and safeguarding human dignity, while reaffirming India’s commitment to collaborating with global partners on responsible AI development.
