The Quantum Hub (TQH)

Josh Talks and AI4Bhārat at Indian Institute of Technology, Madras recently launched Voice of India, India’s independent multimodal AI evaluation platform, in the presence of Shri S Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, Government of India. The platform seeks to address an increasingly important question as AI moves into real-world deployment: how do we know that AI actually works for the people it is meant to serve? Our colleague Ananta Sharma guided the proceedings, while our Founding Partner, Rohit Kumar, moderated a panel exploring the evolving AI evaluation ecosystem and what it will take to build deployment-ready Voice AI for financial services in India. With India’s linguistic diversity, code-switching, varied accents and local contexts, robust evaluation is critical to ensuring AI works in the real world. This is especially important in financial services, where AI interacts with identity, money and trust in a highly regulated environment. Voice of India is building an independent evaluation layer to help developers, enterprises and policymakers make more informed decisions about AI deployment. We’re glad to have been part of this conversation on building stronger evaluation infrastructure for India’s AI ecosystem. Mitesh Khapra, Supriya Paul, Shobhit Banga, Sharmistha Dasgupta, Pragya Misra, Gaurav Aggarwal, Sunayana Sitaram, Santosh Kevlani, Avneesh Pandey, Mahesh Hariharan Iyer, Mathangi Sri Ramachandran #AI #AIEvaluation #ResponsibleAI #IndiaAI #AIGovernance

CNN recently surfaced a bizarre workaround for people worried about being filmed through smart glasses without consent: play or sing a Disney song. Because if that footage is uploaded online, automated copyright systems may detect the Disney song and mute, block, demonetise, or take down the video faster than privacy or consent systems would respond to the unauthorised use of your face. That says something uncomfortable about the internet we have built: copyright for commercial content has stronger enforcement rails than personal consent. In this piece, Rhydhi Gupta, Senior Analyst at The Quantum Hub (TQH) explores the urgent need for a consent-based “Likeness ID” — a privacy-preserving system that could help individuals detect suspected morphed or AI-generated misuse of their likeness and choose how to respond. Drawing from emerging debates on synthetic Non-Consensual Intimate Imagery (NCII), platform accountability and concerns about surveillance, the piece asks: can we move from reactive takedowns to proactive, consent-based likeness protection? She also reflects on the trade offs for privacy, if such a likeness ID is generated for all internet users. A timely reflection on trust, privacy, and safeguarding identity in an AI-driven world. Read the piece here: https://lnkd.in/eJgkc3S9 #AI #Privacy #DigitalIdentity #Consent #AIAccountability #TechPolicy

The Quantum Hub (TQH) is delighted to come on board as a community partner for MediaNama’s roundtable on the impact of AI in spam prevention, taking place in New Delhi. The discussion will examine AI-based spam detection, TRAI’s data-sharing requirements, false positives affecting legitimate communications, cross-platform intelligence, transparency and appeals, and the operational impact on telecom operators and internet businesses. Participation is by invitation, with a limited number of seats available. We encourage you to read the agenda and apply to attend. MediaNama will confirm your participation before 11 August 2026. Agenda: https://lnkd.in/gCugcwsD Apply here: https://lnkd.in/gAT5QNPS #Ai #SpamPrevention #TrustAndSafety #Telecom #TechPolicy #PlatformAccountability #ResponsibleAI #IndiaTech

Recent concerns around Meta's content moderation practices have once again brought platform accountability into sharp focus in India, reigniting debates around compliance, content moderation, and the balance between regulation and free expression. Our colleague Deepro Guha, Partner at The Quantum Hub (TQH), spoke about the need to look beyond content takedowns and examine how platforms can be held accountable for the way they operate and respond to risks. Watch the discussion here: https://lnkd.in/gqAEPxYm  NDTV Profit | Vikram Oza | Deepro Guha

Ever left your vehicle at home and realised…. It wasn’t actually that bad? This August, we have partnered up with Uber for the ‘One Less Car’ campaign. We are looking for 25 Delhi NCR-based vehicle owners to hit pause on their usual ride and see what happens when they get around differently. Swap your usual drives for metro, autos, walking, or whatever gets you where you need to go. And before you ask… yes, we’ve got your transport covered with a monetary transport support package. Apply now: https://lnkd.in/gjajGeNz And while you’re at it…know someone who’s always looking for a smarter way to get around? Tag them below. Aparajita Bharti, Venika Menon, Mahwash Fatima, Garima Agarwal, Katha Ray, Pranav Rao, Young Leaders for Active Citizenship (YLAC)

As concerns around online safety and platform accountability continue to grow, the regulation of social media platforms in India is coming under increasing scrutiny. In a conversation with Ashmit Kumar of CNBC-TV18, Rohit Kumar, founding partner at The Quantum Hub (TQH), discussed why India’s current approach to platform regulation may not be enough to address the evolving risks of the digital environment. He spoke about the limitations of relying primarily on content takedowns. He made the case for a “duty of care” approach that puts greater focus on how platforms are designed. This would also mean looking at the risks their systems may create, rather than only addressing harm after it occurs. Apar Gupta of Internet Freedom Foundation also weighed in on the need for evidence-based approaches to understanding the impact of platforms on users, particularly children. What could this shift mean for the way platforms are regulated in India? Watch the full discussion here: https://lnkd.in/grdicBnc #Parliament #OnlineSafety #DataPrivacy #ChildSafety #BigTech

Recently, The Quantum Hub (TQH) and Internet Freedom Foundation brought together authors, internet nerds, policy folks, creators, researchers, and anyone who has ever wondered whether we are all just a little too online for Bytes, Bites & Banter at The Policy Square at our office. Sukhnidh Kaur and Ria Chopra led a conversation that didn't stay on the surface. The discussion moved through the realities of being a woman with a digital presence, what it actually feels like to put yourself online, navigate abusive comments, manage the weight of unsolicited opinions, and keep showing up in spaces that weren't always built with you in mind.  AI brought its own set of questions: deepfakes, algorithmic bias and how technology is reshaping both the opportunities and the risks for women online. Grateful to everyone who showed up and stayed and to the Internet Freedom Foundation for co-hosting an evening that truly felt like a community that cares. Thank you to everyone who attended and for their deep commitment to making the internet a safer, more equitable space for everyone. #DigitalSafety #WomenOnline #AIAndSociety #TechPolicy #DigitalRights

We had an incredible time co-organising with YouTube the second edition of Parliamentary Dialogues, "Young India's Young Internet: Creators as the New Entrepreneurs" earlier this week. Building on our first dialogue on women in the creator economy, this edition brought together aspirational digital creators with policymakers to discuss creators not just as content producers, but as entrepreneurs and economic actors driving India's Orange Economy. We were joined by Dr. Dalip Singh (Additional Director General, Economics Statistics Division, GoIStats MoSPI) and Mr. Pawan Singh Faujdar (Director - Media, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India), alongside Members of Parliament Dr. Thamizhachi Thangapandian, Mr. Karti P.Chidambaram, and Ms. Sulata Deo. The discussion was grounded in evidence and aspirations shared directly by creators– exploring existing skilling and entrepreneurial frameworks that meet their needs, the scope for institutional and policy support for expansion of their businesses, and the need to extend formal recognition to creators to expand India's digital footprint. We're excited to keep building this dialogue between India's creators and policymakers, so that the next generation of creator-entrepreneurs can build, scale, and thrive! Anupriya Mohta, Mira Swaminathan, Shailendra Jha, Aparajita Bharti, Natasha Singh, Sidharth Deb, Arushi Chopra, Tejasi Panjiar, Ayanika Das

The Accessibility Coalition (TAC) met Shri PC Mohan, Member of Parliament and Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment, today to discuss the barriers faced by persons with disabilities across India’s education system. The discussion focused on the need to strengthen the implementation of existing accessibility standards and ensure that accessibility is treated as a core requirement for the recognition and affiliation of educational institutions. We highlighted the importance of accessible physical and digital infrastructure, learning materials in accessible formats, sign language interpretation and captioning, and teaching practices based on Universal Design for Learning principles. Shri Mohan has asked TAC to prepare and share a detailed report which will be tabled before the Standing Committee for its consideration. He also offered to visit schools to understand how the education system can be driven to make accessibility a priority. The delegation included Nipun Malhotra, Secretary General, TAC; Amar Jain, Co-founder, Mission Accessibility; Aishani Jaiswal from the TAC Secretariat and Anushka Gulati, Breaking Barriers Fellow at YLAC. We thank Shri P. C. Mohan for his time, openness and commitment to advancing an education system that is accessible, inclusive and equitable for persons with disabilities. #TheAccessibilityCoalition #DisabilityRights #InclusiveEducation #Accessibility #IntegratedEducation 

AI, data governance, and digital platforms are raising complex policy questions across sectors. We're looking for someone who is passionate about research, public policy, and contributing to informed, evidence-based solutions. We're looking for a Manager – Public Policy (Tech Policy) to lead high-impact projects at the intersection of technology, regulation, and public interest. In this role, you'll work on some of the most pressing policy questions of our time—from AI governance and data privacy to platform accountability and emerging technologies—while partnering with leading organizations, shaping policy conversations, and driving meaningful change. We're seeking candidates with 6–8 years of experience in public policy, law, technology regulation, or related fields, along with strong research, analytical, and stakeholder engagement skills. To apply, please submit your resume, a writing sample (maximum 8 pages), and two references through the application form in the JD:  https://lnkd.in/gWD29mZU If you know someone who would thrive in this role, tag them below or share this opportunity with your network. #Hiring #PublicPolicy #TechPolicy #AIGovernance #DataGovernance #PolicyJobs #EmergingTechnology #TQH