‘Crucial need’: PM Modi’s MANAV vision for AI – what it means | India News

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday laid out what he called India’s “MANAV Vision for AI” at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, setting out a human-centric framework for developing and managing artificial intelligence.“Today at the New Delhi AI Impact Summit, I am presenting the MANAV vision for AI. MANAV stands for people,” he said. “M- Ethical and ethical systems: AI should be based on ethical guidelines. A- Accountable governance means transparent rules, strong oversight; N- National sovereignty means who owns the data, its rights. A- Accessible and inclusive means AI should be a multiplier, not exclusive. V- Valid and legal means and AI should be lawful.“He added that the vision would serve as “a critical link for the well-being of humanity in the AI-based world of the 21st century.”Calling for international cooperation, PM Modi said, “…Let us commit to making AI a global common good. A critical need today is to establish global standards. Deepfakes and fabricated content are destabilizing open societies…”He argued that trust in the technology had to be built from the start. “In the digital world, content should also have authenticity labels so people know what’s real and what’s created with AI. As AI produces more text, images and videos, the industry increasingly requires watermarking and clear-source standards. So, it’s crucial that this trust is built into the technology from the start.”The Prime Minister warned against reducing individuals to mere data. “For AI, humans are just data points. To ensure that humans do not become mere raw materials, AI must be democratized. It must become a means of inclusion and empowerment, especially in the Global South.Using a metaphor, he said: “We must give AI an open sky and put the command in our hands like a GPS. GPS guides us, but it’s up to us which direction to go.”He described AI as “a transformative force”, adding: “If directionless, it becomes a disruption; if the right direction is found, it becomes a solution. How to shift AI from machine-centric to human-centric… That’s the main objective of this Global AI Impact Summit. Welfare of all, happiness of all. That’s our standard.”