iSPIRT Co-founder, Sharad Sharma, Joins UN AI Advisory Body

Sharad Sharma, co-founder of the iSPIRT Foundation, has been appointed as a member of the newly formed United Nations advisory body on Artificial Intelligence (AI). This 38-member advisory panel, which includes senior Indian diplomat Amandeep Singh Gill, aims to establish a consensus on global AI risks and determine how international cooperation can mitigate them. 

Sharma, who leads iSPIRT, known for conceptualizing initiatives like India Stack and Health Stack, will provide the Indian perspective on governing emerging technology. He highlighted India's unique approach to Data Empowerment and Protection Architecture (DEPA) in contrast to China and the US. Sharma, a tech industry veteran, has co-founded Teltier Technologies and held senior positions at companies like Yahoo, Veritas, and Cisco.

In April, Sharma, along with industry leaders, issued a letter emphasizing the potential "catastrophic consequences" of AI, urging nations to address this existential question. The UN's establishment of this advisory panel marks a significant move towards international AI governance, complementing other global initiatives. The panel is set to release preliminary recommendations by late 2023, followed by final ones in summer 2024, in preparation for the Summit of the Future. The inaugural meeting is scheduled for October 27, 2023.