Prior approval no longer required for AI products – Indian Government

Indian Government removes approval need for new AI models rollout. There is no need of prior approval to launch new AI products.

The Indian Ministry of Information Technology (IT Ministry) has recently made significant updates to its guidelines concerning the rollout of new Artificial Intelligence (AI) models. In a move aimed at balancing innovation and consumer protection, the government has removed the requirement for digital platforms to obtain explicit approval before launching AI products. The revised advisory, issued on March 15, emphasizes the importance of labeling under-tested or unreliable AI products and upholding legal and ethical standards.

The IT Ministry of India has updated its guidelines regarding the rollout of new Artificial Intelligence (AI) models. Previously, on March 1, the government required digital platforms to get approval before launching any AI product in India. As per the announcement by Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar on 1st March 2024, it was required to have prior approval to launch AI products.

There is no need of prior approval to launch new AI products.

In a new advisory issued on March 15, this requirement for explicit government permission has been removed.

Now, digital platforms no longer need to seek prior approval for launching AI models, but they are still advised to label under-tested or unreliable AI products with a disclaimer. The change aims to make the process easier for companies while still ensuring consumer protection against potentially unreliable AI outputs.

Notably, the revised advisory also emphasizes that AI models must not share content that violates Indian laws, ensure algorithms are unbiased, and not threaten electoral integrity.