Children's protection against AI abuse will be G7 priority: Macron
What's the story
French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi on Thursday, said one of the G7 priorities will be children's protection against AI and digital abuse. "There is no reason our children should be exposed online to what is legally forbidden in the real world. Our platforms, governments and regulators should be working together to make the Internet and social media a safe space," he said.
Macron
France to ban social networks for children under 15
He said in order to protect children against such abuses, France will ban social networks for children under 15. "We are committed to this journey with a lot of several European countries...Greece, Spain. I know, Prime Minister Modi, you will join this club. This is great news that India will join such an approach in order to protect children and teenagers. We stand ready to take all necessary actions to ensure that our young citizens are truly safe," he said.
President
'Message I have come to convey is that...'
Furthermore, Macron said he was determined to ensure safe oversight of the fast-advancing technology. "The message I have come to convey is that we are determined to continue to shape the rules of the game, and to do with our allies such as India," Macron said in New Delhi. "Europe is not blindly focused on regulation, Europe is a space for innovation and investment, but it is a safe space," he said.
Digital revolution
Macron lauds India for democratizing digital public infrastructure
Macron also praised India for its role in democratizing Digital Public Infrastructure. He highlighted how a street vendor in Mumbai can now accept payments online, thanks to India's digital identity system for 1.4 billion people. "India built something that no other country in the world has built," he said, referring to the country's payment system processing 20 billion transactions every month and health infrastructure issuing 500 million digital health IDs.
Technological impact
AI should be an enabler for humanity, says Macron
Macron stressed that AI should be an enabler for humanity to innovate faster and disrupt various sectors like healthcare, energy, mobility, agriculture, and public services. He praised India's tech-driven approach toward citizen welfare and said the future of AI would belong to those who combine technology with humanity. "One year ago, we demonstrated something else... India made a deliberate sovereign choice," he said while highlighting India's government-funded AI initiative.