Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it clear that artificial intelligence should be treated as a public resource rather than a private commodity. In a guest article for the German business paper Handelsblatt, he argues that technology delivers its greatest benefits when it is shared, not hoarded as a strategic asset.
Modi stresses that open platforms can help keep AI safe and user‑centric. “This collective intelligence is the greatest strength of humanity” he writes, insisting that AI must evolve into a global commons. He warns that a person should never become just another data point. Instead, AI should serve the global good and open new avenues for progress in the global south.
He also calls for standards to verify AI‑generated content. With generative systems flooding the world with material, democratic societies face risks from deep‑fakes and misinformation. Modi compares the need for authenticity markings on digital content to nutritional labels on food, proposing international standards for watermarks and source verification. India has already taken the first step by legally mandating clear labeling of synthetically generated content.
