New Delhi, June 10, 2025: Software Freedom Law Center, India (SFLC.in) successfully concluded its five day event-series “AI in Conversation” held from 26th until 30th May, 2025. The event brought together technologists, journalists, civil society actors, and global policy leaders to reflect on the rapid rise of artificial intelligence and its implications for democracy, privacy, free speech, journalism, and the environment. Throughout the discussion sessions, speakers explored how AI is reshaping the digital public sphere, the need for ethical guardrails, and the responsibilities of various stakeholders in building inclusive and accountable AI systems.
The series began with a keynote on May 26, on “Building Responsible AI Models: Opportunities and Challenges Faced in the Indian Context” given by Praveen Chandrahas, Secretary, Swecha. The key points emphasised the importance of developing AI tailored to India’s multilingual and diverse use cases, addressing infrastructure and data access challenges, and ensuring transparency in source code and licensing.
On May 27, the panel “From Consent to Control: Privacy in the AI Era” brought together experts including Gus Hosein, Executive Director of Privacy International, who argued that, “We need to stop talking about consent and start talking about the democratic license for these systems to exist… in the context of human rights and civil liberties.” Speakers emphasized that traditional frameworks around user consent are no longer sufficient and called for more robust, participatory models of governance that center around human rights and lived realities, particularly in the Global South.
The third day featured two keynotes, first by Nithya Ruff, Chair of the Linux Foundation Board, on “Open Source and AI” and the other one followed by Rebecca MacKinnon, Vice President of Global Advocacy at Wikimedia Foundation, on “Free Speech and AI in the Era of Global Uncertainty and Information Warfare.” Nithay highlighted that open source is vital for nations to develop AI that reflects their unique cultures, values, and languages and it’s customization, transparency, and fine-tuning via open source can help with building public trust and meet regulatory demands for explainable AI.
Mackinnon warned of the growing pressure on platforms to censor content under the guise of combating fake news and stressed that, “Regulators are encouraged to focus on business models that incentivize disinformation rather than content takedown, which is often abused to silence critics.” The conversation underscored the delicate balance between platform accountability and the protection of fundamental rights.
On May 29, the panel “AI and the Changing Landscape of Journalism” included perspectives from Itika Sharma (Deputy Editor, Rest of World), Vineet Bhalla (Legal Correspondent, Scroll.in), and Binayak Dasgupta (Editor, Hindustan Times), who examined how AI tools are transforming newsrooms from automated reporting to the detection of deepfakes.
The last session on May 30, featured a keynote by Dona Mathew, researcher at Digital Future Labs, titled “Human and Environmental Costs of the AI Race.” The key note addressed the often-overlooked ecological toll and exploitative labor practices that underpin large-scale AI infrastructure, urging greater transparency in the AI supply chain and stronger labor protections.
Reflecting on the event, team SFLC.in stated, “AI has outpaced the conversations around it, but that doesn’t mean we should cede the space. Through this series, we’ve attempted to slow down and ask: Who builds AI? Who benefits? And who bears the cost? This is a pivotal moment for Indian technologists, policymakers, and civil society to assert what kind of digital future we want and who it’s accountable to.”
“AI in Conversation” provided a critical space for cross-sector engagement at a time when regulatory frameworks are still emerging, and the global AI race continues to accelerate. SFLC.in remains committed to promoting open, inclusive, and rights-respecting discussions on technology and society, and will continue to advocate for policies that ensure AI serves the public interest.
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