Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a foundational technology, powering NextGen solutions across a wide cross-section of verticals and use cases. Therefore, it is imperative that the risks of abuse of AI technology are not only addressed through inclusive policymaking but also practitioner-centric initiatives to integrate best practices of ethics and privacy into the AI solutions proactively. DSCI has always championed the practitioner-led approach as a means of making a tangible impact in the policy discourse. Educating the developers and solution architects innovating on AI on all the right practices to meet both user and regulator expectations will create a longer-term positive impact.

To facilitate this, DSCI, in collaboration with the German Development Cooperation (GIZ), Digital India Foundation, and Koan Advisory Group has launched a handbook on Data Protection and Privacy for Developers of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in India to assist developers in building AI solutions that take into account ethical and privacy considerations. The handbook draws from globally recognized ethical principles and the current and evolving regulatory landscape for privacy in India, and it is mainly for developers of AI who are already familiar with Machine Learning (ML) processes such as early-stage start-ups.

With the help of this handbook, developers will be able to follow the guidelines on ethics and data protection laws from the very inception of product/application design to its development. Keeping these parameters in mind from the beginning can save developers and start-ups from issues that may arise later on and can create complications that may even force abandoning and redesigning product/application. Furthermore, the handbook encourages developers to take an interdisciplinary view and think beyond the confines of algorithmic accuracy and focus on the social impact of the product. It does not provide technical solutions but gives developers ethical and legal objectives to pursue.

Several experts from industry and academia contributed with their rich experiences and we thank them for making this handbook of immense value add to the AI ecosystem and motivate the developer talent pool on a journey of discovering responsible AI innovation.