AI is a two-edged sword, so we must strengthen our advantage: Principal scientific advisor

Artificial intelligence is a double-edged sword and governance must focus on maximising its opportunities while minimising its risks, the government’s top science adviser said on Monday.

“Digital penetration has increased, and children are increasingly exposed to AI-driven platforms. We still do not fully know the long-term effects of growing up with AI companions, personalised learning apps, algorithm-driven feeds and synthetic media,” Principal Scientific Adviser Ajay Kumar Sood said in New Delhi.

Speaking at a session during the ongoing AI Impact Summit in the national capital, Sood emphasised that more evidence is required to understand how AI tools influence a child’s development, mental health and education over time. He noted that artificial intelligence is becoming deeply embedded in children’s daily lives through learning applications, content platforms and interactive models.

The session, titled “AI and Children: Turning Principles into Practice for Safe, Inclusive, and Empowering AI,” focused on translating ethical principles into actionable safeguards. Sood said the growing integration of AI in education and entertainment creates a governance responsibility to ensure children benefit from its potential for learning and inclusion while being protected from harms that can scale rapidly in digital environments.

“AI is a double-edged sword. The governance objective should be to sharpen the edge of opportunity while blunting the edge of risk,” he said. On the positive side, he highlighted AI’s ability to support personalised pedagogy, enabling children to learn at their own pace and receive timely feedback beyond classroom hours.

At the same time, Sood cautioned against over-reliance on AI tools, warning that excessive dependence could weaken critical thinking, independent problem-solving skills and deeper learning abilities. He stressed that embedding child-specific safeguards and guardrails into governance frameworks is essential.

“The need to embed child-specific safeguards and guardrails into the governance framework is not a choice, but it is a must. Future generations should not be victims of today’s technology,” he said.