As Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools become ubiquitous, a leading Indian expert has issued crucial guidance on their safe and effective use. Dr Shruti Patil, Director of the Symbiosis Artificial Intelligence Institute (SAAI), emphasized in a recent interview that while AI is powerful for automation, it should never be a substitute for professional medical or financial advice.
Practical Applications and Automation
Dr Patil outlined several safe and productive ways to incorporate AI into daily life. She highlighted its strength in automating repetitive, research-intensive tasks. "If you want to travel somewhere and want to create an itinerary within a particular budget... All these things can be done in just two minutes using ChatGPT," she explained. This extends to content generation, such as designing event invitations using tools like Gemini or Notebook LM, saving significant time and effort.
She categorically stated that AI's role should be that of an assistant for task automation and information synthesis, not a decision-maker for critical life choices. For instance, while one can ask an AI about current stock trends, final investment decisions must follow independent research and professional consultation.
Guarding Privacy and Verifying Information
A major pillar of safe AI use is data privacy. Dr Patil warned users to be extremely cautious about the information they share with generalised large language models like ChatGPT. Sensitive personal data, including financial details, passwords, or anything that can reveal identities, should never be disclosed to these platforms, which are trained on millions of data points from across the globe.
The issue of AI hallucination—where tools generate plausible but incorrect information—was also addressed. Dr Patil noted that free AI models can be prone to errors, especially with complex documents like multi-page PDFs. "Even on single-page PDFs, AI sometimes hallucinates, so it depends on the criticality of the data," she said. Her clear recommendation is to always cross-check AI-generated results, particularly for important tasks, as the consistency of accurate outcomes is not yet guaranteed.
The Call for Strong AI Policy in India
Moving beyond individual responsibility, Dr Patil stressed the urgent need for robust national regulation. She pointed to the misuse of generative AI, such as editing women's photos or videos without consent, as a critical concern. "More than users, it is important for a country to come up with an AI policy, which should be enforced by every AI service-providing company," she asserted.
She advocated for the Indian government to establish clear guardrails, specifying what user data can be used for training and what is strictly off-limits. This policy framework is essential to protect citizens from privacy violations and emotional manipulation, especially as some users become overly attached to AI interfaces.
In summary, Dr Shruti Patil's advice for 2026 is a balanced approach: embrace AI's efficiency for automating tasks and generating content, but maintain a healthy skepticism. Protect your private data, verify critical information independently, and rely on qualified human experts for matters of health and finance. The path forward requires both smart individual habits and a strong, enforceable national AI policy.
