Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Sep 24: The Institute for Human Flourishing (IHF), an India-headquartered research and policy lab aimed at ensuring artificial intelligence (AI) creates economic opportunities for workers, has been launched on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly week.

Founded by entrepreneur Ravi Venkatesan and led by Chief Executive Officer Urvashi Aneja, the initiative is backed by The Rockefeller Foundation and Schmidt Philanthropies. It has also received formal endorsement from the Government of India's Expert Group on Human Flourishing.

Welcoming the initiative, MeitY Secretary S Krishnan said India's approach to AI has been anchored in inclusion, with technology being treated as a public good that expands opportunities for all.

"Building rigorous evidence on how AI can strengthen livelihoods, particularly in the informal economy, complements the government's efforts under the IndiaAI Mission," Krishnan said.

The IHF will create a Livelihoods Lab to conduct live, co-designed demonstrations of human-AI collaboration. It will also establish an AI and Jobs Observatory to track workers' experiences and develop a foundational Index of Human Flourishing.

The index will focus on measuring factors including agency, dignity, capability and economic security, with the initiative seeking to build evidence on how AI can support workers and expand economic opportunities.