Meta AI Chatbots for Public Governance: Maybe Right to Information is Needed?
From Abhivardhan, our President
Since Meta AI is partnering with Maharashtra Government to integrate use of AI chatbots, it's an interesting time to discuss about PPP-based AI integration and legal issues associated with such integration plans, in context of right to information and AI literacy.
Ironically 2 weeks ago (2 days left 😅) - I had released the 5th version of India's first privately proposed AI regulation (aiact.in), which discusses these 2 issues hypothetically. Since I was unwell previous week, I couldn't talk.
But now, let's understand.
1️⃣ Right to Information & DPDPA: Core Regulatory Battleground
The bill's Section 20A directly confronts the ongoing regulatory collision between transparency and privacy in India's digital governance framework.
The DPDP Act is referenced in three critical contexts within Section 20A:
Public access to AI-generated data - Section 20A(3)(ii) establishes that PPPs must "Provide public access to data generated by AI systems in public service contexts, unless restricted under Section 8 of the RTI Act, 2005, or Section 6 of the DPDP Act, 2023"
Personal privacy exemption - Section 20A(7)(ii) creates an exemption from disclosure when information "Violates personal privacy under the DPDP Act, 2023"
Legitimate use purposes - Section 20A(7)(iv) allows withholding information that "Conflicts with legitimate use purposes as defined under Section 6 of the DPDP Act, 2023, per Section 8 of the RTI Act, 2005".
The DPDP Act explicitly governs digital personal data, including data "collected in digital form" or "collected in a non-digitized form and subsequently digitized". By incorporating these DPDP definitions, Section 20A establishes that AI systems processing personal data are bound by the same digital data protection standards.
2️⃣ Right to Artificial Intelligence Literacy
We need to establish a right to artificial intelligence literacy in India, not as a fundamental right under the constitution, but definitely as a legal right under public law statutes.
There will be endless collaborations between companies like Meta, Microsoft and others with Union and State Government bodies, and while these AI integration PPPs are great, an end-user (most probably citizens), should be aware about the anthropomorphising trap behind these conversational AI tools and the lack / surplus of cultural competencies as AI is used.
Let's get real: IndiaAI's Competency Framework for AI Integration was disappointing (link: https://indopacific.app/product/iplr-ig-014/) and that handbook will only create new options for lack of accountability of public officials since it risks misleading government officials with its superficial approach to ethics, problematic over-reliance on human-in-the-loop without accountability mechanisms, and failure to address problem mis-selection in public governance.
Anyways, what do you think about the right to information and AI literacy provisions of aiact.in? Comment below.