‘AI must empower people’: PM Modi at G7 Summit

EVIAN (France): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (local time) addressed the Outreach Session on “Ensuring a Safe, Rapid and Efficient Rollout of Artificial Intelligence”, at the G7 Summit in Evian, France.

The Prime Minister highlighted that while Artificial Intelligence was a transformative force with the potential to redefine the direction of human civilization, it must also empower people. He elaborated that it was with this larger thought that India had hosted the AI Impact Summit recently. Underlining India’s human-centric or MANAV [human] vision for AI, he stated that the technology must be anchored in the principles of inclusivity, security, and public good.

Noting that India has always viewed cyberspace as a global public good, Prime Minister emphasized that democratic countries must have access to AI models that can secure their critical information infrastructure and help them deal with cyber threats. He called for an integrated approach to AI development where safety, speed and efficiency are dealt together.

Shared my thoughts at the Outreach Session on ‘Forging New Partnerships and Rebuilding International Solidarity’ at the G7 Summit in Evian. In a world that is getting more interconnected and interdependent than ever before, this subject becomes all the more vital. But,… pic.twitter.com/NjNddWGtFF

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 16, 2026

In this regard, he made four suggestions: AI systems should be safe-by-design; AI deployment must be accompanied by common standards, testing frameworks, and regulatory guidelines; there should be effective global cooperation to deal with deepfakes, misinformation and cyber fraud; and the benefits of AI must reach countries of the Global South to ensure an inclusive world, as per the statement.

The Prime Minister concluded by stating that AI must expand human potential, empower human choice and protect human dignity, and noted that India would continue to work with partners to promote these objectives, the statement said.

Meanwhile, PM Modi met US President Donald Trump on the margins of the G7 Summit. He commended President Trump for his efforts that had resulted in an understanding to end the ongoing conflict in West Asia and restore peace and stability across the broader region. He also underlined the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation and unimpeded commerce in the Strait of Hormuz and the need to ensure the safety of seafarers.

The two leaders reviewed the substantial progress achieved under the India-U.S. COMPACT (Catalyzing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce and Technology) since their meeting in Washington DC in February 2025. They welcomed key developments across the defence, strategic technologies, energy, and bilateral trade sectors.

The statement said that the leaders noted with particular satisfaction the significant progress made in negotiations towards an interim Bilateral Trade Agreement and instructed their officials to work towards a balanced, mutually beneficial, and commercially meaningful agreement at the earliest. The US Trade Representative, Jamieson Greer, will be visiting India next week in this connection.

Prime Minister Modi and President Trump reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the India-U.S. Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and advancing cooperation across all domains for the mutual benefit of the two countries and their peoples, the statement said. (ANI)