Former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy recently shared the stage at the British High Commission in New Delhi, engaging in a fireside chat that blended humor, shared heritage, and discussion on artificial intelligence (AI). Lammy, introducing Sunak, emphasized their ability to work together despite political differences, focusing on shared goals for the UK and globally. He highlighted their cross-party cooperation, stating, 'Whilst we are on different sides of the political aisle, we can work together and have been friends for many years.'
Lammy also underscored his own India connection, saying, 'I just want to establish my heritage too, because my great-grandmother on my mother's side was from Calcutta.' This connection was further emphasized by Sunak's interjection, 'Son-in-law', drawing laughter from the audience. The discussion then turned to AI, with Lammy referencing Sunak's decision to convene the first global AI Summit at Bletchley Park, asking, 'Why did you decide that it was something that you were going to use your platform to signal to the world that this is important?'
Sunak, in his keynote address at the AI Impact Summit, called India the ideal venue for shaping the future of AI, highlighting the country's digital public infrastructure, innovation ecosystem, and public optimism around the technology. He noted that India is uniquely positioned to drive the next phase of AI's global journey, not just for developed nations but for the developing world as well. Sunak praised India's digital public infrastructure, including Aadhaar, UPI, and Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts, as foundational systems capable of delivering AI-powered services to 1.4 billion people.
However, Sunak emphasized that AI safety and AI progress go hand in hand. He stressed that public trust will ultimately determine AI's success, particularly in the public sector, where citizens can directly experience faster services, better healthcare, and simpler government interactions. He also highlighted the unprecedented speed of AI adoption, noting that 'ChatGPT' reached 100 million users in just two months, compared to 75 years for the telephone and 15 years for the PC.
In conclusion, the discussion between Sunak and Lammy underscored the importance of cross-party cooperation and shared heritage in addressing global challenges, particularly in the field of AI. It also highlighted India's rising stature in the global AI landscape, with Sunak praising the country's digital public infrastructure and innovation ecosystem.
