Parliament Question: Expansion of AI and its impact on human cognition

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1662 TO BE ANSWERED ON: 13.02.2026 EXPANSION OF AI AND ITS IMPACT ON HUMAN COGNITION 1662. DR. M. DHANAPAL: Will the Minister of ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state: (a) whether Government has examined the rapid expansion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies in 2025 across creative, educational, professional and social domains, including AI- generated content and AI-assisted decision-making and the implications of such dependence; (b) if so, the details of assessments undertaken by Government on risks related to human cognition, misinformation and impacts on indigenous creative sectors; and (c) the measures proposed by Government to promote responsible AI adoption while safeguarding human intellectual capacity and cultural creativity? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI JITIN PRASADA) (a) to (c): In line with Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's vision, the Government is democratizing the development and usage of technology. The focus is using Artificial Intelligence (AI) for solving real-world problems and ultimately improving lives across various sectors. The IndiaAI Mission is working with motto of ‘AI for All’ which would ensure AI is human-centric, safe & inclusive. NITI Aayog Report – AI for Inclusive Societal Development The NITI Aayog report of September 2025 shows how AI can empower India’s 490 million informal workers by expanding access to healthcare, education, skilling, and financial inclusion. It highlights how AI-driven tools can boost productivity and resilience for millions who form the backbone of India’s economy. Economic Survey 2025-26 highlights that India’s opportunity lies in deploying AI in a way that is economically grounded and socially responsive. Budget 2026-27 considers cutting-edge technologies, including AI applications, to serve as force multipliers for better governance.Government is cognizant of the risks associated with mass adoption of AI across sectors. Government has taken the following steps to ensure AI development is responsible, safe and ethical: • Under the ‘Safe & Trusted AI’ Pillar of the India AI Mission focusses on bias mitigation, machine unlearning, privacy-preserving architectures, algorithm auditing tool, deepfake detection, risk-assessment protocols, and ethical AI frameworks, to accelerate safe and trustworthy AI. 13 projects have been selected to under the pillar to strengthen responsible AI adoption • The AI Foundation Models pillar supports the development of indigenous foundational models, including large language and multimodal models, aligned with India’s linguistic, cultural and socio-economic diversity. • AI Kosh enables controlled and secure access to India based datasets, thereby supporting data governance, privacy protection and responsible data use. • India AI Governance Guidelines: o The India AI Governance Guidelines lay down a national framework to ensure that AI systems in India are safe, trustworthy, human-centric and inclusive, while continuing to promote innovation and economic growth. o The guidelines are anchored around seven core principles (Sutras), including Trust, People First, Innovation over Restraint, Fairness & Equity, Accountability, Understandable by Design and Safety, Resilience & Sustainability. o A risk-based governance approach is recommended, with proportionate safeguards for high-risk AI use cases, including measures to address algorithmic bias, misinformation, deepfakes and unintended societal harm. o The framework proposes strengthening institutional mechanisms through the establishment of bodies such as an AI Governance Group, Technology & Policy Expert Committee, and an AI Safety Institute to guide oversight, standards and safety research. • The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 provides a robust legal framework for data privacy and protection, imposing obligations on data fiduciaries and ensuring lawful, fair and secure processing of personal data used in AI applications. • DPIIT has also published a working paper on AI and Copyright that discusses responsible AI adoption and training of AI datasets. The working paper proposes a new policy framework aimed at striking the balance between the rights of content creators and AI innovators. *******