IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said artificial intelligence brings significant benefits, but its growing risks make user safety and regulation increasingly important. He said the government is working with industry to find an approach that keeps AI safe while protecting citizens online.
Speaking on the sidelines of SEMICON India 2026, Vaishnaw said regulation has a role whenever a new technology brings both benefits and risks. He said the primary purpose of such regulation is user safety.
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Why AI Safety Is More Complex
“The user-safety challenge is particularly large in the case of AI because of the nature of the technology.”
-said Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology.
He compared it to physical technologies such as nuclear technology, where thinking about safety is more tangible. With AI, he said, imagining how to keep the technology safe is much more complex.
The minister said the government is therefore working with industry to determine the right way to regulate AI, keep its systems safe and protect citizens online.
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AI Risks Drive Global Regulation Debate
The comments come as governments, technology companies, researchers and scientists worldwide debate how to capture AI’s economic and societal benefits while managing its risks.
Concerns include deepfakes, misinformation, fraud, privacy breaches, bias, and the potential misuse of increasingly powerful AI systems.
The debate has also intensified after researchers and safety experts at major AI companies, including OpenAI and Anthropic, publicly raised concerns about the risks associated with increasingly powerful AI systems. Some have warned of potentially catastrophic consequences for humanity.
Governments and technology companies are therefore developing regulatory and safety frameworks to protect users without restricting innovation.
For India, Vaishnaw’s comments indicate that AI regulation is being considered alongside the technology’s wider benefits, with user safety remaining central to the discussion.
The key point to watch is how India balances AI safety, user protection and innovation as the government works with industry on the regulatory approach. The challenge, as Vaishnaw puts it, is not simply regulating AI, but working out what keeping AI safe should actually mean.
Samarjit Kaur is a journalist and communications professional covering technology & emerging digital trends. With a focus on clarity and context, she reports on developments shaping industries and governance. When not reporting, she chooses to plug-in and relax on her playlists and plan her next bucket-list trips!
