Use Artificial Intelligence to make lives of physically-challenged, farmers simpler: PM Modi in 'Mann ki Baat'

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that machines were getting smarter through self-learning and urged researchers to make use of artificial intelligence (AI) to make the lives of the "divyangs" (differently abled), farmers and the needy simpler.

"The machines are getting smarter these days through self-learning," Modi said in his monthly radio programme 'Mann ki Baat'. 

"And this technology of AI should be used to improve the lives of the farmers, poor and the needy people."

Modi said that he attended a programme on AI at the University of Mumbai where he "urged the scientists and researchers to make use of AI to make the lives of the divyangs more simpler".

The Prime Minister said that through AI, "we can be alerted about natural calamities.Can we help the farmers to know about their crops return? Can it be used to improve the reach of the medical services and help in curing the diseases in more advanced way?" 

"Science and technology are value neutral. They do not have their own intelligence but it depends on us what work we want to take from that machine. And here the human objective guides the outcome of the technology. 

"The technology and machines should be used for the betterment of the humankind," he added. 

Modi also referred to his last month visit's to Ahmedabad along with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu. 

"During my visit to the iCreate Centre in Ahmedabad's Deo Dholera village, I saw how a youth had developed technology for people who cannot speak.

"He developed a device, where a dumb person, whatever he wants to speak just need to write which gets converted into a voice."

Modi also said that on February 28, the nation celebrates National Science Day, the same day when C.V. Raman discovered light scattering.

"It is being said that he discovered light scattering on February 28 and that was the reason why we celebrate the day as National Science Day. He was conferred with the Nobel Prize for his work," he said.