How can technologies like artificial intelligence be used for good, how can data be utilised without violating people’s privacy, and how has digital revolution improved healthcare access, education, and agricultural outcomes – these were the points discussed between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates during a 45-minute-long interaction at the former’s residence in Delhi on Friday. Speaking about the digital push, PM Modi said that it was possible only because the technology was democratised and people could value-add as per their needs. “I decided I will not allow a digital divide in India and hence took the infrastructure to villages across the country,” the Prime Minister said when Bill Gates asked him about the technological advancements that he is excited about. “When I used to hear about the digital divide in the world, I used to think that I would not allow anything like that to happen in my country. Digital public infrastructure is a major requirement in itself… Women are more open to adopting new technology in India… I have started the ‘Namo Drone Didi’ scheme. They say that they didn’t know to ride a bicycle but they are now pilots and can fly drones. The mindset has changed,” PM Modi added. Under the scheme, the drones are used for crop monitoring, fertiliser spraying, and seed sowing among others. The programme, he said, will boost the image of women as changemakers in villages. PM Modi said this also increased the confidence of the common man in technology. Citing the example of 2 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs – primary care centres – across the country leveraging digital health services to provide a host of services, the Prime Minister said initially people were wary about receiving treatment when there was no doctor. But slowly they realised that they were getting correct advice from doctors sitting far away, he said. He cited the example of the CoWIN platform being used for Covid-19 vaccination, with people receiving their vaccination certificates in seconds. Speaking about the success of the Covid-19 vaccination drive, PM Modi said the government will now work on cervical cancer vaccination. “I plan to allocate funds to scientists for cervical cancer research in this budget. I want to ask them to conduct local research and make a vaccine. My goal is to vaccinate all girl children at minimal costs, ensuring they are protected from cancer. When we form the new government, I will firstly invest money for the research,” he said. The Microsoft co-founder appreciated India’s role in fostering collaboration between the global south during last year’s G20 meeting. PM Modi also stated that digital technology can be utilised to plug the gaps in the shortage of teachers by creating visuals and telling stories that can help children learn better. Gates then moved on to new frontiers of technology such as artificial intelligence and asked the PM what India’s vision was. To this, the PM replied in jest that in many states of the country children call their mothers “ai” but the children now also speak of AI. Citing examples, the PM said that AI was extensively used during G20 to help drivers and delegates communicate in different languages using an app. He also gave the example of people listening to him in Tamil as he spoke in Hindi at the Kashi Tamil Sangamam. PM Modi said it would be an injustice to use such a tool just to save time by drafting an email, adding that it needs to be used for the people. The two also discussed the issues of fakes generated and data privacy that arise with such technology. Modi said that there has to be Dos and Don’ts, including watermarking like ‘AI generated’ to prevent the spread of misinformation. When it comes to data privacy, he said common people need to be trained about data quality and the data owner should know what the data is being sought for. The two then moved their conversation outdoors to speak about climate change. The Prime Minister said that reusing and recycling were a part of the Indian ethos. He said the jacket he was wearing was made of cloth scrap and 30-40 per cent of it was created from plastic bottles. He added that the outlook of the world when it came to development had to be changed. If development is measured by the amount of electricity or steel used, then people will continue to use it, said PM Modi. He said there has to be a concept of green GDP. The two also discussed the Statue of Unity in Gujarat that Gates is scheduled to visit. The monument was made using iron donated by farmers from 600 villages. PM Modi gifted Bill Gates pearls and terracotta horses from Tamil Nadu, a pashmina shawl and saffron from Kashmir, and Darjeeling Tea.
