At ASCI’s ICAS Global Summit 2025, titled 'Global Adda,' held in Mumbai on 19 March, a fireside session was conducted with Abhishek Singh, additional secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). Shibani Gharat, anchor and associate executive producer, CNBC-TV18, moderated the session. 

The discussion explored AI’s impact on Indian advertising, its role in ad creation, ethical concerns, and the government’s self-regulation efforts with Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) collaborations.

Singh highlighted AI’s growing influence, noting its impact across industries and its 2022 breakthrough with ChatGPT. “AI has revolutionised ad creation, making it easier to generate scenarios, videos, and images,” he said. 

However, he warned of risks like copyright issues, citing legal battles involving celebrities, media firms, and the OpenAI vs New York Times case.

Addressing concerns around privacy, data security, and bias, Singh elaborated on the Indian government’s approach to AI regulation.

“Whenever we talk about AI, bias is an inherent challenge. Our Prime Minister, during an AI Summit, highlighted how AI models trained on large datasets can be biased. He cited an example of asking an AI model to generate an image of a left-handed person writing, and most AI models failed, defaulting to right-handed individuals. This reflects how AI systems rely on prevalent data patterns. Similarly, if asked to depict a doctor, AI often generates an image of a man, while a paramedic or nurse is frequently represented as a woman,” he expressed. 

These biases run deep Singh stated, so he hoped that AI policies promote innovation while ensuring responsible use. 

He added, “AI must not harm users or fuel deepfakes and misinformation. We're working with research institutions to detect bias, improve fairness, and ensure inclusive data training.”

To enhance transparency in AI-generated content, Singh highlighted efforts in privacy-preserving tools, deepfake detection, and AI watermarking. “These tools will help users identify AI content and will be available on the AI Community and AI Coach platforms for advertisers to test their campaigns before going live,” shared Singh. 

“The breakthroughs and the real game-changing, disruptive AI products will come from our startups and researchers. The government’s role is primarily to create an ecosystem that enables them to leverage their talent in building world-class, state-of-the-art AI solutions. To achieve this, we are actively supporting startups and academic institutions, particularly IITs, in their efforts to develop these solutions,” he said.

Singh highlighted AI research across IITs, including Mumbai's BharatGen project and Chennai’s language translation technology.

“The centres of excellence we have set up such as AI in agriculture at IIT Roorkee, sustainable cities at IIT Delhi, and AI applications in healthcare at AIIMS are actively contributing towards robust, AI-driven solutions,” Singh noted.

To reduce reliance on Western AI models, the government is funding startups and researchers to develop Indian foundation models.  

“We have received nearly 200 applications, and with access to computing resources, I’m hopeful we’ll have a state-of-the-art Indian model within a year,” Singh said.

Shifting the discussion to global AI regulations, Singh compared India's approach to those adopted in the EU, the US, and China.

“Different countries have taken different approaches to AI regulation. The European Union was the first to introduce the EU AI Act, which follows a risk-based approach. It is one of the most stringent regulatory frameworks, but we don’t subscribe to the EU’s view of regulating AI through legislation at this stage,” he said.

Singh elaborated on India’s stance, arguing that AI’s potential should be nurtured rather than constrained. 

“Given the talent we have, we want our companies to focus on innovation rather than being burdened by compliance requirements. The current risks of AI such as deepfakes or misinformation can be addressed under existing laws, including the IT Act and the Indian Penal Code,” he said. 

“At this stage of AI development, we don’t feel the need for stringent regulations like the EU, as it would increase compliance costs and hinder startups and researchers,” he added.

He pointed out that the US has taken a more innovation-friendly approach, promoting AI’s benefits rather than imposing heavy restrictions.

“The US is inclined toward fostering AI growth rather than stopping it. China, on the other hand, is a different ball game altogether. They have made significant strides with models like DeepSeek, which is a low-cost AI model. However, their regulatory and technological environment is vastly different from ours, making it difficult to draw direct comparisons,” he said.

India, Singh asserted, is carving out its own regulatory path. “We are following a no-legal approach but with strong stipulations. This model has worked well for our digital public infrastructure (DPI) and the Digital Personal Data Act, which ensures data is shared with consent. Just as our DPI framework became a model for the world, we believe our AI regulation framework will also set an example globally,” he expressed. 

“There are two dimensions to it,” said Singh. “It’s not that we won't regulate, but we are not imposing an overarching AI Act just yet. This does not mean we are blind to regulation. If an AI application or model is deemed harmful, it will be rejected. However, we are not looking to regulate the technology itself but rather its use cases and the potential harm it may cause.”

Comparing AI regulation to traffic laws, Singh said, “Just as vehicles need certification and drivers require licenses, AI tools, especially in high-risk areas like healthcare, will be evaluated by regulators before deployment.”

India’s position in the global AI Landscape

Citing a recent report, Singh highlighted India’s stronghold in AI talent. “The Stanford AI Index 2024 report ranks India as the number one country for AI skill penetration. On GitHub, Indian developers contribute 24% of all AI projects, making us the second-largest contributor globally. There is a lot of expectation from India in shaping the AI ecosystem. The government’s India AI Mission is addressing key gaps such as access to computing resources and datasets, ensuring funding for startups. With these enablers in place, we are confident that some of our startups and researchers will create groundbreaking, disruptive AI solutions,” he explained.

Responsible AI in advertising and the creative economy

AI’s growing influence in advertising and the creative industry raises concerns about transparency and responsible usage. On the subject, he remarked, “AI-generated content must be marked and highlighted. We have seen cases where shampoo and cosmetic advertisements use heavily edited or AI-enhanced images. This takes Photoshop manipulation to another level. If AI-generated visuals are used in ads, they should be disclosed.”

The rise of AI influencers is another emerging challenge. 

“We are now seeing AI-generated influencers who are not real individuals but virtual personas. There must be clear disclosures so consumers are aware,” Singh said. 

“Additionally, the impact of AI on content creators must be addressed. As AI tools automate creative tasks, many traditional roles in advertising and media could be affected. We need to ensure that human creators are not unfairly sidelined,” he added.

Calling for a balanced approach to regulation in the advertising sector, he said, “We need a form of self-regulation first. If that doesn’t work, then government intervention may become necessary. However, overregulation can stifle creativity, so we must be cautious. The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) and industry experts need to deliberate on how AI’s challenges in advertising can be managed. If the industry collectively calls for stronger AI regulations, the relevant government bodies—whether Consumer Affairs or a risk forecasting department—will step in as needed.”

Ultimately, the Ministry of Electronics and IT remains focused on AI’s growth and development while ensuring its responsible use. 

At a time when artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping industries, Singh highlighted the government’s proactive stance on AI-driven content and the challenges it brings. “The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is very conscious of these developments and continues to highlight them across various forums. The World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) will be another key opportunity to address these concerns.”

However, alongside its potential, AI also poses serious risks, particularly in the realm of cyber fraud and misinformation.

Singh noted, “AI is increasingly being used to commit cybercrimes. Fraudsters are luring people through deceptive ads, leading them to make mistakes, share confidential data, or lose money. This is a significant concern for the cyber security division. We foresee the integrated banking control sector stepping up its efforts to educate people about the risks associated with AI-generated content. While AI is being leveraged to create compelling advertisements, there is also the darker side—where it is misused to mislead consumers and facilitate fraud. The i4C (Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre) has been running multiple campaigns to raise awareness about these risks, and with the upcoming Wave Summit, these issues will be further explored and addressed.”

Navigating the complex landscape of AI requires a fine balance between innovation, regulation, and ethical considerations. Singh stressed the need for the advertising industry to stay ahead in this evolving space. 

"Our creative professionals are among the best globally. To maintain this edge in the AI era, we must ensure ethical AI use, protect creative integrity, and integrate AI-driven content into marketing, advertising, and training. This will elevate talent, enhance creativity, and strengthen our industry’s global position,” Singh advised giving his closing remarks.