IIT-M prof appointed to UN’s Independent International Scientific Panel on AI

CHENNAI: Professor B Ravindran, Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras), has been appointed to the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence (AI), established by the United Nations (UN) to provide rigorous, independent scientific assessment of AI’s impact on society.

Established through the UN General Assembly Resolution, the panel serves as the first global scientific body on AI, bringing together experts from diverse regions and disciplines to assess how AI is transforming lives and societies worldwide.

The panel’s creation follows the Global Digital Compact, adopted at the 2024 Summit of the Future, which outlined a shared vision for an open, safe, and inclusive digital future. Among its commitments was the formation of a global scientific body to advance understanding of AI and ensure international discussions are guided by the best available scientific evidence.

Ravindran is the founding head of Centre for Responsible AI (CeRAI) at IIT-M, and also heads the Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI (WSAI) with more than 30 years of experience in AI.

Ravindran said, “AI is a generational technology, and affects everybody, sometimes knowingly and often, even without their knowledge. So, the UN has now constituted an international panel of experts to look at the far-reaching implications of AI. I’m honoured to be representing India in this panel.”

The panel aims to strengthen global scientific cooperation, generate evidence-based insights on AI deployment, and support international governance efforts by providing independent, multidisciplinary expertise on the technology’s societal, economic, and ethical implications.