Karnataka Government constitutes Committee on Responsible AI

The Government of Karnataka has constituted a Committee on Responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI) to develop a comprehensive framework to guide the safe, ethical and transparent adoption of AI across government systems and public services.

The committee, chaired by Kris Gopalakrishnan, Co-founder of Infosys, and co-chaired by N. Manjula, Secretary, Department of Electronics, IT, Biotechnology and Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka, brings together leading experts from industry, academia, policy and law.

According to a government communique, the first meeting of the committee was held on Thursday (March 12, 2026) in Bengaluru, where members discussed the rapidly evolving AI landscape and the need to establish strong governance frameworks to ensure the responsible use of AI technologies, particularly in systems that impact citizens.

The committee would develop a Responsible AI policy and implementation roadmap for Karnataka, aimed at enabling innovation while ensuring that AI systems deployed across government are safe, fair, transparent and accountable, it said.

Commenting on the initiative, Priyank Kharge, Minister for Electronics, IT, Biotechnology and Rural Development & Panchayat Raj, said, “As Karnataka enters its Deeptech Decade, the State is focused not only on accelerating AI innovation but also on ensuring that these technologies are deployed responsibly and in the public interest.’’

The Responsible AI Committee brought together leading experts from industry, academia and policy to help shape a governance framework that promotes innovation while safeguarding transparency, accountability and citizen trust, said Mr. Kharge, adding, this initiative would help the State to continue to lead in building an AI ecosystem that is both cutting-edge and responsible.

“Artificial Intelligence is a highly disruptive technology, and we are already seeing its potential to significantly accelerate the growth of Karnataka’s economy. If we are able to leverage this opportunity effectively, Karnataka can become the first state in the country to develop a comprehensive framework for responsible AI—one that drives better citizen services, creates the jobs of the 21st century, and strengthens our innovation ecosystem,’’ said Mr. Gopalakrishnan, Chairperson, Committee on Responsible Artificial Intelligence.

By harnessing AI thoughtfully and responsibly, Karnataka would be able to significantly accelerate the growth of its economy, he further said.

Some of the topics which came under discussion at the maiden meeting of the Responsible AI Committee included: establishing responsible AI principles and policy guidelines for the State, aligned with India’s AI governance guidelines and global best practices, including legality, fairness, non-discrimination, privacy, safety, security, transparency, accountability, human oversight, inclusion and national interest. The discussion also covered areas such as developing a risk classification framework for AI systems used in governance, categorising applications based on potential impact and risk levels, and recommending a Responsible AI policy framework for adoption across government departments in alignment with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, sectoral laws and India’s Digital Public Infrastructure.

Other areas the committee considered included identifying AI practices that should be prohibited or restricted, including social scoring of citizens, unlawful or disproportionate surveillance, discriminatory profiling or exclusion, and high-stakes automated decision-making without meaningful human oversight. It also highlighted the importance of recommending safeguards, approvals and review mechanisms for high-risk AI applications in sectors such as welfare delivery, healthcare, education, policing, recruitment, financial decision-making and public safety.

Published – March 12, 2026 08:18 pm IST