To Stop Data Leaks, Centre is Thinking About Storing AI Models Locally

According to reports, the Centre is thinking of storing AI models locally to reduce the risks involved and stop sensitive data from leaving India. This is in line with the government's larger initiatives to fortify cybersecurity infrastructure and protect citizen data. S. Krishnan, secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), stated that the Centre is allegedly planning to ratify Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act guidelines by April. This step will effectively prevent the leakage of personal data once the guidelines are put into action.

Notably, the act requires strong security measures for managing personal data and gives the government the authority to limit cross-border data transfers. Krishnan also noted that the government is keeping a careful eye on Chinese LLM models because of possible data usage concerns, according to a news source. S. Krishnan stated that the real issue arises when data is shared via a mobile app or portal, as this can lead the data to leave the country and potentially influence how a certain model is trained. On the private side, the dangers of data leakage are significantly reduced if the model is housed in India.

Rise of Cybersecurity in India

As an indication of increased public awareness and greater surveillance capabilities, the MeitY secretary also emphasised the rise in cybersecurity incidents in India. This follows a few days after Krishnan reaffirmed the need for India to create more foundation models that address concerns specific to the nation and its languages. It is important to remember that India wants to become a worldwide leader in AI while maintaining national security. This is why the country is concentrating on localising AI models and enforcing strict data privacy rules. In keeping with this, India has also launched programmes like the IndiaAI Mission, which seeks to promote AI development through GPU purchase, public-private collaborations, and startup assistance. Additionally, the DPDP Act's data localisation follows international trends in which countries are tightening regulations on cross-border data transfers. Global AI firms including OpenAI, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon are looking to establish or increase their local data storage in India as a result of this data localisation mandate.

India’s AI Sector

With the help of investors and the government, India's domestic AI sector has advanced significantly in recent years. Consequently, since 2020, over 200 GenAI startups have raised over $1.2 billion. While companies like Krutrim and SarvamAI are developing Indic LLMs, others, like ObserveAI, are using AI to provide businesses with tailored solutions. In addition, the nation is using AI in many areas to improve operations and user experience, and by 2030, the domestic GenAI market is expected to reach $17 billion.