IIT Madras Prof B. Ravindran appointed to UN’s Independent International Scientific Panel

Story by ANI | Posted by Vidushi Gaur | Date 24-02-2026

Professor B. Ravindran of Indian Institute of Technology Madras

Chennai

Professor B. Ravindran of Indian Institute of Technology Madras has been appointed to the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence, a global body set up by the United Nations to provide rigorous and independent scientific assessments of AI’s impact on society.

The panel was established through a UN General Assembly resolution adopted on August 26, 2025, and brings together leading experts from across regions and disciplines. It is the first global scientific body dedicated to assessing how artificial intelligence is transforming societies worldwide.

The panel’s creation follows the Global Digital Compact adopted at the 2024 Summit of the Future, which committed to forming a global scientific mechanism to ensure international AI discussions are guided by the best available scientific evidence.

Addressing the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in Delhi last week, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the panel would help replace “hype and fear with shared evidence” and close knowledge gaps, adding that AI must “belong to everyone.”

Prof. Ravindran is the founding head of the Centre for Responsible AI (CeRAI) at IIT Madras and currently heads the Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI. With over three decades of experience in AI, his research spans responsible AI and deep reinforcement learning.

Congratulating him, IIT Madras Director Prof. V. Kamakoti said the appointment reflects the institute’s strong contribution to responsible AI research and global policy discourse.

Thanking the UN for the recognition, Prof. Ravindran said he was honoured to represent India and the voice of the Global South on the panel, noting that AI is a “generational technology” affecting people’s lives often without their direct awareness.

The Independent International Scientific Panel on AI aims to strengthen global scientific cooperation, generate evidence-based insights on AI deployment, and support international governance by offering independent, multidisciplinary expertise on the technology’s societal, economic and ethical implications.