India and Britain are positioned as "natural partners" to harness the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI), according to the UK's Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Liz Kendall. Kendall made these remarks while addressing the annual UK-India Parliamentary Lunch at the House of Lords in London on Monday, which was organized by the India Global Forum's UK-India Future Forum (UKIFF).

Kendall highlighted India's rapid economic growth, noting that it has surpassed Japan to become the world's fourth-largest economy. She emphasized that this growth is significantly driven by advancements in science, innovation, and technology.

AI is considered a defining competitive advantage in the current era, and Kendall stressed the importance of the UK and India collaborating to leverage its building blocks. This partnership aims to maximize the benefits of AI for both nations.

The UK government is actively addressing both the opportunities and potential risks associated with AI. Kendall has emphasized the need to balance innovation with safety, particularly regarding AI governance and digital misinformation. This includes addressing ethical concerns and national security implications, as well as combating deepfakes.

The UK is taking steps to regulate AI, including supporting enforcement action against AI tools that generate illegal content, especially concerning children. The government also supports measures against the use of AI to create sexualized images without consent, deeming it "appalling and unacceptable".

Furthermore, the UK is working to establish copyright policies that accommodate AI while protecting creators. Kendall has acknowledged the need for a "reset" in the government's approach to copyright rules, emphasizing the importance of rewarding creators and ensuring they have control over their work. The government is seeking solutions that enable transparency regarding the content and data used to train AI models, while also allowing rightsholders to opt out of having their works used for such purposes.

Kendall has also underscored the potential of AI to revolutionize various sectors, including healthcare, climate change mitigation, and public services. She noted AI's role in discovering new drugs and therapies, improving diagnosis and treatment, and potentially preventing and curing diseases.

The partnership between India and the UK in AI signifies a strategic alliance to harness the transformative power of this technology while addressing its associated challenges. The collaboration aims to foster innovation, economic growth, and societal benefits for both nations.