Barbados Conference: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla favours ethical use of AI

Bridgetown, Oct 9 Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla chaired a workshop at the 68th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Barbados and called for the ethical use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to bridge the digital divide through the use of technology, an official said on Thursday.

Chairing a workshop on ‘Leveraging Technology: Enhancing Democracy through Digital Transformations and Tackling the Digital Divide’, Birla said real-time AI translation systems like “Sansad Bhashini” will allow every Member of Parliament to communicate in their own language — a new height for democracy in a diverse country like India, the official said in a statement.

He said that through cooperation and knowledge-sharing, it can be ensured that technology becomes a bridge, not a barrier.

Birla highlighted that technological progress and the application of e-Parliament have brought about major transformative shifts in how our parliamentary democracy functions.

He stressed that e-Parliament is playing an immense role in promoting e-Democracy, in turn, promoting greater citizen engagement.

Birla highlighted that AI-based digital systems are making India’s parliamentary processes more efficient and inclusive.

He informed the delegates that systems like AI-based translation, AI-enabled e-Library, and speech-to-text reporting are making parliamentary processes more efficient and inclusive.

Birla said that democracy is at its strongest when citizens are deeply engaged with their Parliament, and technology plays a vital role in strengthening this connection, according to the statement.

He outlined that the journey of the Indian Parliament from a traditional parliamentary system to e-Parliament has been quite phenomenal in terms of its reach, functioning and responsiveness to the aspirations of the people.

He said that this shift signifies a major advancement in democratic governance, harnessing the potential of technology to strengthen legislative processes and foster deeper citizen participation.

The Speaker said that under the “Digital Sansad” initiative, the Parliament has developed an integrated digital ecosystem which connects Members of Parliament, Ministries, and citizens through a single digital platform.

Birla noted that under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has achieved world-class milestones in the digital sector.

He added that a low-cost and open Digital Public Infrastructure has been developed for 1.4 billion citizens, transforming both governance and the economy.

Speaking about India’s “AI Mission” — AI for All and AI for Good — he said the initiative reflects PM Modi’s visionary approach, viewing AI not merely as a technological advancement, but as a powerful tool for citizen empowerment and transparent governance.

Outlining the rapid growth in India’s digital infrastructure, he said that with the rapid deployment of 5G, India has become the second-largest 5G market in the world, and active efforts are underway on 6G as well.

He said that the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has turned digital payments into a mass movement.

Additionally, he said that the government is providing free AI training to 1 million citizens, promoting AI awareness and innovation at the grassroots level. He added that these initiatives have made digital connectivity affordable, inclusive, and people-centric, according to the statement.

In a post on X, Birla wrote, “Chaired the workshop on 'Leveraging Technology: Enhancing democracy through transformations and tackling the digital divide' at 68th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Barbados! As the largest member representing 60 per cent of the Commonwealth's population, India champions democratic values, inclusive development, and human rights. India is proud to contribute to initiatives like the Commonwealth Youth Programme and Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation.”

--IANS

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