Don't regulate AI, focus on bad use cases only: IBM chief Arvind Krishna

IBM chairman and CEO Arvind Krishna on Monday emphasised that artificial intelligence (AI) does need guardrails and regulations to avoid user harm, but the focus should be on regulating bad use cases, not to pause the overall technology, which has "tremendous potential to transform the world".

A strong proponent of AI and its future impact on certain repetitive and mundane human tasks, Krishna told IANS that some of the fears associated with AI are well-founded.

“With AI, there a possibility that you can have misinformation spreading really fast now. AI can make misinformation more persuasive. However, stopping AI won’t achieve any purpose as bad actors will move from one country to another to spread harm as AI can easily cross boundaries,” explained the Indian-origin CEO of the tech behemoth.

In such a scenario, regulating bad and harmful use cases of AI would be a sensible and practical way forward.

“The goal should be to spot those bad AI use cases and tell those behind it that if we catch you, you can be subjected to penalties, fines and criminal cases, etc,” said Krishna.

During the ‘B20 Summit India 2023’ last week, Krishna said AI will take on certain low-level tasks and boost overall productivity, thus helping economics and companies grow faster. 

The aim, he said, is to make sure that tech companies have a "secure and accountable AI".

Meanwhile, the Indian government will not regulate AI but rather adopt the approach of regulating user harm from AI and create robust guardrails, union minister of state for electronics and IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, recently told IANS.

“AI will be a kinetic enabler of our digital economy and the government sees it that way,” the minister stressed.

Krishna also maintained that we need to make the bad actors pay in the ever-evolving field of AI. “I don't think pausing or licensing AI altogether will be an effective step,” he added.

India aims to become a global powerhouse of AI, which does not just stop on integrating foreign chatbots, but building next-generation AI-based innovations to empower billions of citizens, said the minister.