OpenAI executives discuss election misinformation and safety with civil society in India

Popular generative artificial intelligence company OpenAI, best known for its ChatGPT tool, gathered some of the top tech policy and civil society representatives in India on February 12 to discuss AI-driven misinformation and election preparedness for the upcoming general election. OpenAI officials emphasised that they were in India to understand the most pressing issues surrounding AI, such as synthetic media (deepfakes) and misinformation

Popular generative artificial intelligence company OpenAI, best known for its ChatGPT tool, gathered some of the top tech policy and civil society representatives in India on February 12 to discuss AI-driven misinformation and election preparedness for the upcoming general election. 

Former top Indian government Information Technology officials and tech scholars who attended OpenAI’s private roundtable meeting in Delhi said the Election Commission of India (ECI) could be doing much more in coordination with major tech platforms such as OpenAI to combat misinformation and disinformation during a time of heightened sensitivities.  

The civil society briefing was attended by digital rights groups, law and policy experts, disinformation reporters, influencers, at least one former government official, and Big Tech firms’ representatives, multiple participants told The Hindu. 

During the meeting, OpenAI officials emphasised that they were in the country to get a lay of the land and understand the most pressing issues surrounding AI, such as synthetic media (deepfakes) and misinformation. The outreach takes on added significance as India emerges as the firm’s second largest user base outside the United States.

Rakesh Maheshwari, a former senior director and group coordinator at the Ministry of Electronics and Information (MeitY), suggested to the company that it should engage in deeper consultations with the Indian government and the ECI.

“I know everyone in the room was focused on OpenAI products and tools and what can be used to improve things with misinformation but the real point is that the Election Commission of India should be doing more. We need to do more with them and bring them into this issue. That’s what our focus should be on right now,” Mr. Maheshwari, who has been director and group coordinator at MeitY from 2018 to 2023, said. 

He said major online platforms and AI creators such as OpenAI, Google, Meta and others in conjunction with the elections commission need to agree on some rules around what is considered misinformation and how to communicate this clearly to each other. Misinformation notices should be received by online platforms or by the Election Commission and then the platforms have to act fast to stop dissemination of misinformation, Mr. Maheshwari said.