[   PUBLIC RELEASE ]

Applied Policy Artificial Intelligence Council (APAiCouncil™)

Human Intelligence First

Terms of Service

For All Users of www.apaicouncil.org

Effective Date: May 17, 2026

Version 1.0

Jurisdiction: Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India

Registered Office: 

Ratan Tata Innovation Hub (RTIH), Tirupati Spoke, Airport Road, Renigunta, Choutur, Tirupati, India

Website: www.apaicouncil.org | Contact: policy@apaicouncil.org

Document Title: Terms of Service – For All Users

Applies To: All visitors and users of www.apaicouncil.org, regardless of user category, including researchers, organizations, governments, and the general public.

Governing Documents: This document is supplemented by the Privacy Policy, Website Usage Policy, Responsible Disclosure Policy, and Compliance Policy of APAiCouncil.

By accessing, browsing, or using www.apaicouncil.org (the "Website") operated by Applied Policy Artificial Intelligence Council (APAiCouncil™) ("APAiCouncil," "we," "us," or "our"), you ("User," "you," or "your") acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree with any part of these Terms, you must immediately discontinue use of the Website.

These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and APAiCouncil and are enforceable under the laws of India, with particular reference to the Information Technology Act, 2000, the Indian Contract Act, 1872, and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act).

Organization: Applied Policy Artificial Intelligence Council (APAiCouncil™)

Tagline: Human Intelligence First

Registered Office: Ratan Tata Innovation Hub (RTIH), Tirupati Spoke, Airport Road, Renigunta, Choutur, Tirupati, India

Primary Contact: policy@apaicouncil.org  and support@apaicouncil.org 

Legal Contact: legal@apaicouncil.org 

Resources Contact: airesources@apaicouncil.org 

APAiCouncil is a policy and governance body focused on artificial intelligence ethics, responsible AI deployment, public policy guidance, training, and peer-reviewed research dissemination.

The Website operates as an integrated platform with four distinct but interrelated functions:

1. Public Resource Hub – Open access to AI policy frameworks, guidance documents, governance tools, and educational materials.

2. Consultation Platform – A channel for organizations, governments, and individuals to submit policy questions, AI use cases, and governance scenarios for APAiCouncil review and feedback.

3. Training and Certification Platform – Formal credentialing programs, structured training modules, and assessments in AI policy, governance, and ethics. Successful completion results in formal certification.

4. Research and Peer Review Repository – Submission, peer review, archival, and publication of original research, white papers, and policy briefs related to AI policy and governance.

Each function may be governed by additional terms specific to that user category (Commercial and Non-Profit Terms apply separately and are incorporated by reference).

By using the Website, you represent and warrant that:

• You are at least eighteen (18) years of age, or the age of majority in your jurisdiction, whichever is higher;

• You possess full legal capacity and authority to enter into these Terms;

• If you are using the Website on behalf of an entity, organization, or government body, you have the authority to bind that entity to these Terms;

• You will use the Website only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms;

• You will not impersonate any other person or entity or misrepresent your affiliation with any entity.

The Website serves four primary user categories:

• AI Researchers and Academics: Individuals and institutions submitting or accessing peer-reviewed research, contributing to scholarly discourse.

• Organizations Implementing AI: Private and public entities seeking AI governance guidance, consultation services, or training and certification.

• Government Stakeholders: Government bodies, agencies, and officials engaged in AI policy formulation, regulatory consultation, and implementation. All government consultations conducted through the Website are public unless otherwise specified by mutual agreement and applicable law.

• General Public: Members of the public accessing publicly available resources, educational content, and informational materials.

Certain functions of the Website require account registration. By registering, you agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information, and to update such information as necessary to maintain its accuracy.

You are responsible for:

• Maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials;

• Restricting access to your account;

• All activities that occur under your account;

• Promptly notifying APAiCouncil at policy@apaicouncil.org of any unauthorized access, use, or security breach.

APAiCouncil shall not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your failure to safeguard your account credentials.

APAiCouncil reserves the right to suspend or terminate your account, with or without prior notice, in the event of:

• Violation of these Terms or any incorporated policy;

• Unlawful, fraudulent, or harmful conduct;

• Misrepresentation of identity, affiliation, or credentials;

• Inactivity for a continuous period exceeding twenty-four (24) months;

• Operational or legal necessity as determined by APAiCouncil.

All content published on the Website by APAiCouncil—including but not limited to policy frameworks, guidance documents, training materials, certification curricula, white papers, branding elements, logos (including the APAiCouncil™ mark), trademarks, and the tagline Human Intelligence First—is the intellectual property of APAiCouncil and is protected under the Copyright Act, 1957, the Trade Marks Act, 1999, and applicable international intellectual property law.

Subject to these Terms, APAiCouncil grants you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to access and use Website content for:

• Personal, non-commercial, educational, or organizational reference use;

• Citation in academic or policy work with proper attribution to APAiCouncil;

• Internal organizational reference, provided no commercial redistribution occurs.

You shall not, without prior written authorization from APAiCouncil:

• Reproduce, distribute, publicly display, or commercially exploit Website content;

• Modify, adapt, translate, or create derivative works from APAiCouncil content;

• Remove, obscure, or alter any copyright notices, trademarks, or attribution markers;

• Use the APAiCouncil name, logo, or branding to suggest endorsement, partnership, or affiliation not expressly authorized in writing; All Logos are Trademark registered.

• Sublicense or resell access to Website content or services.

Where you submit content to the Website (including research submissions, consultation queries, training assessments, peer-review comments, or other user-generated material), the ownership and licensing terms are governed by the user-category-specific Terms of Service (Commercial and Non-Profit), which form part of this agreement by reference.

IMPORTANT:

By   submitting any content to the Website, you confirm that you possess all   necessary rights to submit such content and that the submission does not   infringe upon any third-party intellectual property, privacy, or contractual   rights.

You agree not to engage in any of the following prohibited activities:

5. Using the Website in violation of any applicable Indian or international law, regulation, or treaty;

6. Engaging in conduct that infringes upon the intellectual property, privacy, publicity, or contractual rights of any party;

7. Posting, transmitting, or sharing content that is defamatory, harassing, threatening, obscene, hateful, discriminatory, or otherwise objectionable;

8. Deliberately disseminating false, misleading, or fraudulent information regarding AI policy, governance, or APAiCouncil's positions;

9. Engaging in any form of automated data collection, scraping, harvesting, or extraction without express written permission from APAiCouncil;

10. Introducing or transmitting viruses, malware, ransomware, worms, or any other malicious code;

11. Attempting to gain unauthorized access to the Website, related systems, networks, or user accounts;

12. Interfering with the security features, functionality, or availability of the Website, including denial-of-service attacks;

13. Using the Website for unauthorized commercial purposes, including spam, advertising, or solicitation;

14. Bypassing any access controls, paywalls, certification requirements, or content restrictions;

15. Misrepresenting an APAiCouncil credential, certification, or affiliation;

16. Sharing, reselling, or transferring training credentials, certifications, or access privileges.

Content provided on the Website is intended for general informational, educational, and policy-guidance purposes only. APAiCouncil content does not constitute legal advice, regulatory advice, financial advice, medical advice, or professional consultation. Users must consult qualified independent professionals before acting upon any content from the Website.

THE WEBSITE AND ALL CONTENT ARE PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS. APAICOUNCIL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, RELIABILITY, OR AVAILABILITY.

APAiCouncil does not warrant or guarantee:

• That the Website will be uninterrupted, error-free, or secure;

• That any defects will be corrected;

• That content is accurate, complete, or current at all times;

• That use of the Website will achieve any particular policy, business, or regulatory outcome.

The Website may contain hyperlinks to third-party websites and resources. APAiCouncil does not endorse, control, or assume responsibility for third-party content, services, or policies. Your use of third-party resources is at your own risk and governed by their respective terms.

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW:

17. APAiCouncil, its officers, directors, employees, advisors, contractors, and affiliates shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages, including but not limited to loss of profits, revenue, data, business opportunity, goodwill, or reputation, even if APAiCouncil has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

18. APAiCouncil's aggregate liability arising out of or related to these Terms or your use of the Website shall not exceed the total amount paid by you to APAiCouncil in the twelve (12) months preceding the claim, or Indian Rupees Ten Thousand (INR 10,000), whichever is lower.

19. The limitations in this section shall apply to the fullest extent permitted under Indian law and shall survive termination of these Terms.

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless APAiCouncil, its officers, directors, employees, advisors, contractors, affiliates, and partners from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, or expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from or related to:

• Your use or misuse of the Website;

• Your breach of these Terms or any incorporated policy;

• Your violation of any applicable law or third-party right;

• Any content you submit, post, or transmit through the Website;

• Your negligent or wrongful conduct.

Your use of the Website is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference. APAiCouncil collects, processes, and stores personal data in accordance with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act) and other applicable Indian privacy and data protection laws. Contact Our DATA Protection Office: dpo@apaicouncil.org 

For inquiries regarding personal data, data subject rights, or privacy concerns, please contact legal@apaicouncil.org 

DATA STORAGE   NOTE:

Certain   technical data, including Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, may be stored by   the Website hosting provider as required for operational, security, audit,   and legal compliance purposes.

APAiCouncil reserves the right to modify, amend, or update these Terms at any time and at its sole discretion. Modifications shall become effective upon posting on the Website. Material changes shall be communicated through:

• A prominent notice on the Website homepage;

• Email notification to registered users, where contact information is available;

• A minimum of thirty (30) days' advance notice prior to the effective date of material changes.

Your continued use of the Website after the effective date of any modification constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.

APAiCouncil may, at its sole discretion and without prior notice, suspend, restrict, or terminate your access to the Website, in whole or in part, for any reason, including but not limited to violation of these Terms, suspicious activity, or operational, legal, or regulatory necessity.

You may terminate your use of the Website at any time by ceasing to access it. To request deletion of your account or personal data, please contact legal@apaicouncil.org in accordance with the Privacy Policy.

Upon termination, all provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination shall continue in force, including but not limited to provisions relating to intellectual property, indemnification, limitation of liability, governing law, and dispute resolution.

These Terms and any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or in connection with the Website shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of India, without regard to conflict-of-law principles.

Any legal action, suit, or proceeding shall be exclusively brought before the competent courts at Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India. By using the Website, you irrevocably consent to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of these courts and waive any objection based on inconvenient forum or any other ground.

Prior to initiating formal legal proceedings, both parties agree to attempt good-faith resolution of any dispute through written communication addressed to legal@apaicouncil.org. The party initiating the dispute shall provide a written notice describing the nature of the dispute and proposed resolution. Both parties shall have a period of thirty (30) days from receipt of the notice to attempt resolution.

If good-faith resolution fails, the parties may, by mutual written consent, refer the dispute to arbitration in accordance with the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996. Arbitration shall be conducted by a sole arbitrator mutually appointed by the parties, with proceedings held in Tirupati, India, in the English language.

Where arbitration is not invoked or unsuccessful, disputes shall be resolved through the courts at Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India, as provided in Section 14.

APAiCouncil shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performance under these Terms arising from causes beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, natural disasters, war, terrorism, civil unrest, government action, labor disputes, internet or telecommunications failures, cyberattacks, pandemics, or other force majeure events.

If any provision of these Terms is held invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to render it enforceable, or, if not possible, severed from these Terms. The remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

No waiver by APAiCouncil of any breach or default under these Terms shall be deemed a waiver of any preceding or subsequent breach or default. Any waiver must be in writing and signed by an authorized representative of APAiCouncil.

You may not assign, transfer, or delegate your rights or obligations under these Terms without the prior written consent of APAiCouncil. APAiCouncil may assign or transfer its rights and obligations under these Terms without restriction or notice.

These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy, Website Usage Policy, Responsible Disclosure Policy, Compliance Policy, and any user-category-specific Terms (Commercial and Non-Profit), constitute the entire agreement between you and APAiCouncil concerning the Website and supersede all prior agreements, communications, or understandings.

For any questions, concerns, requests, or notices regarding these Terms, please contact:

Applied Policy Artificial Intelligence Council (APAiCouncil™)

Registered Office: Ratan Tata Innovation Hub (RTIH), Tirupati Spoke, Airport Road, Renigunta, Choutur, Tirupati, India

General Policy: policy@apaicouncil.org 

Legal Inquiries: legal@apaicouncil.org 

Resources: airesources@apaicouncil.org 

Website: www.apaicouncil.org 

By accessing and using www.apaicouncil.org, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms of Service.

END OF TERMS OF SERVICE – FOR ALL USERS