In response to industry backlash over a government advisory requiring AI platforms to obtain permission before launching a product, Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, clarified that the advisory does not apply to startups.
Chandrasekhar took to X, formerly Twitter, stating, “Recent advisory of @GoI_MeitY needs to be understood. Advisory is aimed at the Significant platforms and permission seeking from Meity is only for large platforms and will not apply to startups.”
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued the advisory on March 1, directing platforms to label or embed AI-generated content with an identifier to trace the creator of misinformation or deepfakes. Platforms were also instructed to submit an action taken-cum-status report to the ministry within 15 days.
The advisory faced criticism from startup leaders in the AI ecosystem. Aravind Srinivas, CEO of Perplexity AI, called it a “bad move,” while Bindu Reddy, CEO of Abacus AI, expressed concerns about bureaucratic hurdles. Pratik Desai from Kissan AI stated the demotivating impact on his work in the agricultural sector.
In his clarification, Chandrasekhar emphasized that platforms can utilize the permission, labeling, and consent requirements as an “insurance policy” against potential consumer lawsuits. He stated, “The process of seeking permission, labeling & consent-based disclosure to the user about untested platforms is an insurance policy to platforms who can otherwise be sued by consumers. Safety & Trust of India’s Internet is a shared and common goal for Govt, users, and Platforms.”
The advisory was prompted by the controversy over Google’s Gemini model’s response to a question about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which generated controversy. Similar concerns were raised regarding Ola’s Krutrim generative AI platform. Chandrasekhar pointed out that such incidents violate Intermediary Rules and provisions of the Criminal Code.
