French Minister Jean-Noel Barrot to attend Global Partnership on AI Summit during his India visit
Dec 12, 2023
New Delhi [India], December 12 : The French Minister Delegate for Digital Affairs, Jean-Noel Barrot is set to commence his second official visit to India to advance bilateral cooperation on digital technology. He will also participate in the Ministerial Council of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) Summit on Wednesday.
According to an official press release of the French Embassy in India, Minister Barrot will hold a bilateral meeting with Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the Minister of State, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), to discuss international governance of AI and follow up on ongoing bilateral cooperation on digital technology.
His visit to India comes on the heels of the European Union's landmark agreement on the AI Act, which would make the EU the first democracy in the world to establish a comprehensive set of rules on AI, to foster innovation while ensuring the protection of citizens' rights, according to the release.
Barrot will highlight the GPAI's critical role in international AI governance, the need to mobilise GPAI expertise on pressing issues such as the opportunities and challenges of generative AI, and the path forward.
"As a co-founding country of GPAI, France strongly believes in the need for international cooperation to support and guide the responsible development of artificial intelligence that is consistent with human rights. At this Summit, Minister Barrot will highlight the GPAI's key role in the international governance of AI, the need to muster GPAI expertise on pressing issues, such as the opportunities and challenges of generative AI, as well as the way forward for further strengthening the GPAI's functioning," the press release read.
Barrot will also meet with AI experts and hold bilateral meetings with counterparts from other participating countries during the Summit.
"In the course of this visit, Minister Barrot will also visit the headquarters of the Unique Identification Authority of India, where he will learn more about India's digital public infrastructure and be given a demonstration on India's Aadhaar scheme," the French Embassy release added.
Moreover, during his visit, the French Minister will also meet representatives of India's innovation ecosystem, notably in AI, and French digital tech companies to discuss ways of boosting ties between the French and the Indian tech ecosystems.
"As Europe's number one tech hub, France is keen to welcome more Indian tech talents and start-ups, which can benefit from accelerator programmes, French Tech talent visas, and government support," the release added.
The GPAI Summit 2023 is poised to be a milestone event, offering a unique opportunity for stakeholders to contribute to shaping the future of AI.
The summit, running from December 12 to 14, gathers influential minds from various sectors, marking a crucial moment for the collaborative advancement of artificial intelligence (AI).
As the host city, New Delhi is buzzing with anticipation, gearing up to welcome key stakeholders, experts, and enthusiasts in the field of AI. The inaugural event will set the tone for three days of insightful discussions, deliberations, and collaborations.
Since its inception in June 2020, India has made significant contributions to this summit by actively engaging in various initiatives to foster the development, deployment, and adoption of open, safe, secure, and accountable AI.
