UN’s AI Advisory Panel Ropes In The Brain Behind UPI, ONDC

UN’s AI Advisory Panel Ropes In The Brain Behind UPI, ONDC

SUMMARY

The iSPIRT cofounder will bring the Indian perspective to the table and suggest recommendations for the international governance of AI

Sharad Sharma will join senior Indian diplomat Amandeep Singh Gill on the 38-member panel, who currently serves as the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology

An alumnus of Delhi Technological University, Sharma leads the iSPIRT Foundation, which conceptualised Indian digital public infrastructure projects such as the UPI and the ONDC

Think tank iSPIRT Foundation’s cofounder Sharad Sharma has been chosen as a member of the newly launched United Nations’ high-level advisory body on Artificial Intelligence (AI). 

Sharma is expected to be the voice of India on the 38-member panel, which also comprises senior Indian diplomat Amandeep Singh Gill, who serves as the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology.

The iSPIRT cofounder will bring the Indian perspective to the table and suggest recommendations for the international governance of AI. At the outset, the panel will build a global scientific consensus on risks and challenges concerning AI and strengthen global cooperation on governance of the emerging technology.

Sharma leads the iSPIRT Foundation, which conceptualised state-backed digital public infrastructure projects such as the UPI and the ONDC. The non-profit organisation also played a key role in ideating the overall India Stack, the Health Stack, and other digital public goods.

Speaking with The Economic Times, Sharma said that the new advisory panel will debate whether AI is ‘good or bad’ for society. He added that the board will look into aspects such as regulation and study global best practices, including India’s approach. 

“If it (AI) is good and bad, how do we regulate (it)? India’s approach to data empowerment and protection architecture is distinctive. It is neither like the Chinese approach nor like the US approach. We have a different approach for personal data as well as aggregate data,” he said, as per the publication. 

He also said that three or four sub-groups will be formed within the panel, one of which will be chaired by India. 

“At a time when people used wallets, India decided to use Unified Payments Interface. Similarly, India is also introducing techno-legal regulation. So, India’s approach is distinctive. Three or four sub-groups will be formed, and India will chair one of the groups,” he said.

An alumnus of the erstwhile Delhi College of Engineering, now Delhi Technological University, Sharma cofounded wireless infrastructure startup Teltier Technologies, which was eventually acquired by CISCO. 

He also previously held senior positions at major companies such as Yahoo, VERITAS, Symantec, Lucent, and AT&T. 

The iSPIRT cofounder is also an active angel investor and has more than 24 investments, including proptech startup ADDA, and fintech startup EzeTap (later acquired by Razorpay), among others. 

Meanwhile, the AI advisory body will hold its first meeting on October 27 and will issue its preliminary recommendations by the end of the year. The panel will come up with final recommendations by 2024.

Note: We at Inc42 take our ethics very seriously. More information about it can be found here.

You have reached your limit of free stories
Become An Inc42 Plus Member

Become a Startup Insider in 2024 with Inc42 Plus. Join our exclusive community of 10,000+ founders, investors & operators and stay ahead in India’s startup & business economy.

2 YEAR PLAN
₹19999
₹7999
₹333/Month
UNLOCK 60% OFF
Cancel Anytime
1 YEAR PLAN
₹9999
₹4999
₹416/Month
UNLOCK 50% OFF
Cancel Anytime
Already A Member?
Discover Startups & Business Models

Unleash your potential by exploring unlimited articles, trackers, and playbooks. Identify the hottest startup deals, supercharge your innovation projects, and stay updated with expert curation.

UN’s AI Advisory Panel Ropes In The Brain Behind UPI, ONDC-Inc42 Media
How-To’s on Starting & Scaling Up

Empower yourself with comprehensive playbooks, expert analysis, and invaluable insights. Learn to validate ideas, acquire customers, secure funding, and navigate the journey to startup success.

UN’s AI Advisory Panel Ropes In The Brain Behind UPI, ONDC-Inc42 Media
Identify Trends & New Markets

Access 75+ in-depth reports on frontier industries. Gain exclusive market intelligence, understand market landscapes, and decode emerging trends to make informed decisions.

UN’s AI Advisory Panel Ropes In The Brain Behind UPI, ONDC-Inc42 Media
Track & Decode the Investment Landscape

Stay ahead with startup and funding trackers. Analyse investment strategies, profile successful investors, and keep track of upcoming funds, accelerators, and more.

UN’s AI Advisory Panel Ropes In The Brain Behind UPI, ONDC-Inc42 Media
UN’s AI Advisory Panel Ropes In The Brain Behind UPI, ONDC-Inc42 Media
You’re in Good company