Government announces draft AI Policy
Panaji: Goa is pushing to prohibit children under 16 from accessing social media in order to combat the growing trend of mobile phone and social media addiction among children in the state.
Information Technology (IT) Minister Rohan Khaunte said on Wednesday that while children require access to educational tools on phones, platforms like Instagram and Facebook are unnecessary for those under 16.
Noting that Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have implemented similar bans, Khaunte said that the IT department has moved a proposal to the government to restrict social media access following inputs from academia, parents and students. The state IT Policy will require an amendment to enforce these restrictions, he said.
Khaunte made these remarks shortly after announcing the draft Goa Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy. The draft is set to open for public suggestions for 15 days starting May 4.
The policy aims to establish Goa as a hub for responsible AI and applied innovation, focusing on the ethical aspects of AI and its impact on citizens’ lives. It will create a framework for AI in education and government-to-citizen (G2C) services, including the promotion of multi-lingual chatbots. According to the minister, the policy is designed to improve daily life through skilling rather than complicating it.
Goa is poised to become the first state in India to adopt a dedicated AI Policy.
Speaking alongside IT Director Kabir Shirgaonkar, Goa Electronics Limited (GEL) CEO Revati Kumar and various industry representatives, Khaunte expressed the government’s goal to have all IT graduates AI-certified by 2028. He said that children should be exposed to AI from the Class 6 onwards.
Khaunte said that the state is targeting 50,000 skilled professionals among women and youth by 2030.
The announcement fulfills a promise made by the minister during the March 13 assembly session to deliver an AI Policy within 100 days.
