Have responsibility for getting things right in tech: Sundar Pichai
San Francisco, May 9: Amid a global call to regulate digital platforms and safeguard users' data privacy, Google's Indian-born CEO Sundar Pichai has reiterated that the tech companies have a "deep responsibility to get things right".
Kicking off the annual "Google I/O" developer conference at its Mountain View campus in California on Tuesday, Pichai said we're at an important inflection point in computing, and it's exciting to be driving technology forward.
"But it's clear that we cannot just be wide-eyed about what we create. There are very real and important questions being raised about the impact of technology and the role it will play in our lives," Pichai told the gathering of over 7,000 developers.
"We know the path ahead needs to be navigated carefully and deliberately -- and we feel a deep sense of responsibility to get this right," Pichai added.
Pichai's call came after Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on Monday stressed that the company is determined to ensure users' data and is building secure solutions towards preserving data privacy.
"We have the responsibility to ensure that the new-age technology is empowering everyone, creating equitable growth for all while creating employment on the global scale," Nadella said at the annual Microsoft "Build 2018" developers' conference.
Echoing Nadella, the Google CEO said that "the need for useful and accessible information is as urgent today as it was when Google was founded nearly two decades ago".
"What's changed is our ability to organise information and solve complex, real-world problems thanks to advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI)," he added.
Betting big on AI, Pichai said there's a huge opportunity for this technology to transform many fields.
"Already we're seeing some encouraging applications in healthcare. We've also found that our AI models are able to predict medical events, such as hospital readmissions and length of stays, by analyzing the pieces of information embedded in de-identified health records," he said.
"Another area where AI can solve important problems is accessibility," he added.
During an earnings call in April, Pichai said that Google was ready for the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to harmonise data privacy laws that would come into effect on May 25.
After four years of debate, the GDPR was finally approved by the EU Parliament on April 14, 2016. Organisations that fail to comply with the new regulation may face hefty fines.
In a blog, Google said it was informing advertisers and publisher partners about changes to its ad policies.
"Google already requires publishers and advertisers using our advertising services to get consent from end users to use our services, as required under existing EU law. However, the GDPR will further refine these requirements," the post added.
"To comply, we will be updating our EU consent policy when the GDPR takes effect and the revised policy will require that publishers take extra steps in obtaining consent from their users," it added.
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VHP warns of statewide stir in Karnataka against move to ease cattle transport law
Udupi (Karnataka) (PTI): The VHP on Saturday demanded the immediate withdrawal of a proposed amendment to the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act, 2020, accusing the state government of weakening a law that has deterred illegal cattle transport.
The organisation's Go Raksha Wing, Karnataka South, has also announced district-level protests on December 8.
According to officials, the existing law mandates a bank guarantee for securing the release of vehicles seized for alleged illegal cattle transportation.
On December 4, the state Cabinet proposed an amendment enabling the release of such vehicles on an indemnity bond instead.
Addressing reporters in Udupi, VHP leader and Prantha Goraksha Pramukh Sunil K R, said the government's move amounted to "sympathy for cattle lifters" and claimed that it was part of broader actions "targeting Hindus".
He argued that the law in its current form is stringent and has played a crucial role in reducing incidents of illegal cattle transport and theft.
Under the Act, vehicles involved in offences can be surrendered and, upon conviction, permanently seized by authorities. "Diluting these provisions will embolden offenders," Sunil said.
The VHP leader warned that easing the process of vehicle release would not only encourage violators but also result in rising cruelty against cattle.
Sunil further claimed that the strict enforcement of the 2020 law had brought down cases of cattle-related offences significantly. Rolling back these provisions, he said, could reverse those gains and would lead to an increase in illegal transport.
He reiterated that the government must reconsider its decision and preserve the integrity of the existing law.
