Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bill Gates exchanged gifts after a long interaction. PM Modi presented Bill Gates with the 'Vocal for Local' gift hamper in exchange for nutrition books gifted by Microsoft's CEO. Both had a long conversation about Artificial Intelligence to Digital Public Infrastructure and combating climate change. The meeting and discussion between the two took place at the PM's residence on Friday, March 29. Bill Gates praised Indians for their rapid adoption of technology.
PM Modi gifts pearls from Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu. He explained this to Gates, saying, “The place is known as the Pearl City. The local fishermen have done remarkable work in these pearls. During my visit, I decided to show you this and bring some for you.”
'Vocal for Local' Gift Hampers
PM Modi also presented Terracotta to the business tycoon, saying that it holds a special place in Tamil Nadu. “It is widely celebrated, gracing both temples and homes with unique items crafted specifically for worship.
PM Modi encouraged Bill Gates to take selfies using the photo booth on the NaMo app. Watch the videos to see what the two discussed. He said on AI, “If such a good thing (AI) is given to someone without proper training, then there is a possibility of it being misused. Suggested that AI generated content should start with clear watermarks. So that no one can do this. Anyone can use deepfakes. It is important to acknowledge that deepfake content is AI-generated. We need to think about what to do and what not to do.”
Also Read | PM Modi Warns Against Dependence on AI Due to Laziness in Interaction with Bill Gates (Watch Video).
PM Narendra Modi and Bill Gates discuss how India views AI. The PM said, “Even if we use AI as a magical tool, it will be serious. If AI is trusted out of laziness. So, this is the wrong path. Bill Gates says, “These are the early days of AI. It will make things that you think difficult. You will fail at things you think are easy. “It seems that AI is a huge opportunity but there are some challenges that come with it.”
PM Modi on COVID-19 Vaccination Drive in India:
While interacting with Bill Gates, PM Narendra Modi recalled the vaccination drive in India during the COVID-19 pandemic. PM said, "Firstly, I emphasized that our fight against the virus involves everyone. This is not 'Virus vs Government' but the fight of 'Virus vs Life' - this was my first philosophy. Secondly, I started having direct communication with the people of my country from the first day. I publically followed all protocols. I told them 'taali bajao', 'thaali bajao', 'diya jalao' - this was mocked in our country but I had to take people into confidence. Once the confidence was built, it became a mass movement...The financial challenge was significant due to vaccine research costs. I built people's confidence by taking the vaccine first of all. My 95-year-old mother also took the vaccine...When my new government, I want to invest a lot in the research in that direction (Cervical cancer)..."