External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has called for greater efforts to harness the potential of artificial intelligence while preparing for its consequences and addressing emerging risks. He made the remarks during a session on AI and international peace and security at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.Jaishankar co-chaired the session, titled “AI in the Context of International Peace & Security, with an Emphasis on Maritime Security,” with Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis.Key HighlightsS Jaishankar called for harnessing the opportunities offered by AI.He stressed the need to anticipate AI’s consequences and mitigate its risks.AI could strengthen maritime security, search and rescue and disaster response.The technology could also be used for reconnaissance and cyber operations.Jaishankar highlighted concerns around accountability and increasingly autonomous systems.He called for transparency, technical cooperation and exchange of best practices.Jaishankar on AI Opportunities and RisksJaishankar said AI has the potential to improve several areas of maritime security. These include maritime domain awareness, search and rescue operations, disaster response and identifying suspicious activities.AI can also strengthen the resilience of ports and other critical infrastructure, according to the minister.At the same time, he highlighted potential security risks linked to the technology. AI could enable sophisticated reconnaissance, vulnerability mapping and cyber operations targeting vessels, communication networks and undersea infrastructure.Jaishankar said the challenge is to encourage innovation while remaining aware of its wider security implications.(READ MORE: Why Has S Jaishankar Warned Poland Over Russia Ukraine War and Pakistan Support?)Concerns Over Autonomous Maritime SystemsThe External Affairs Minister also raised concerns about increasing autonomy in maritime systems.According to Jaishankar, greater autonomy can create questions around attribution and accountability while also increasing the risk of escalation. Faster automated decision-making could reduce the amount of time available for human decisions during security situations.He said the UN Charter and international law, including the law of the sea, should remain important frameworks for governing state conduct in the maritime domain.India’s Approach to AIJaishankar also referred to the New Delhi Declaration adopted at the recently concluded 18th BRICS Summit.He said the declaration places emphasis on democratic access to AI resources, developing secure and trustworthy systems, investing in human capabilities and using AI to support economic growth and social welfare.The minister has also previously called for ensuring that AI-driven transformation does not create new divides and for greater participation of Global South countries in discussions on emerging technologies.Call for International CooperationJaishankar called for greater transparency, confidence-building measures, capacity development, technical cooperation and the sharing of best practices.He said these measures are important to ensure that AI is developed and used consistently with international principles.The minister reaffirmed that AI and maritime security remain important priorities for India at the United Nations.The remarks come amid wider international discussions over how governments should address the opportunities and risks associated with increasingly capable AI systems, including questions around safety, governance and human oversight.
