Haves and have-nots in AI

Context: The issue with the current emphasis on Artificial Intelligence in India that it is narrowly focused on its implementation rather than research and development (R&D).

Steps taken in the field of Artificial Intelligence:

• Committees set up by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology: have submitted reports on issues such as:

• Data platforms.
• Skilling and re-skilling
• Leveraging AI for national mission
• Cyber security, legal and ethical matter.

• NITI Aayog’s discussion paper: for a national strategy on AI.

• Global Partnership of Artificial Intelligence (GPAI): India joined as a founding member of GPAI, an initiative to guide the responsible development of the technology.

• Private sector participation: Both established technology companies and startups seem to be working on AI solutions in areas ranging from health care to agriculture.

Issues in approach towards Artificial Intelligence: 

• Neglected Research and Development: The government and companies are largely focused on AI applications, which are even at the lower end of the spectrum.

• Danger of being on the wrong side of Technocolonialism: Dividing the countries into haves & have nots.

• Countries that control technology, exploit other, poorer countries depending on technology accessibility. 
• AI being 4th General-Purpose Technology (GPT): dramatically alter societies and economics similar to the steam engine (the 1700s), electric power (1890s), and IT (1970) in the past. 

• India has not entered the AI race: The race to AI is really between the US, China, and the EU which have invested in the research and development far earlier than India.

• US universities started working on AI when it was just a theoretical subject.
• China, although started much later, pushed huge amounts of money ($ 12 billion) to dominate the global AI order by 2030.
• EU, although not one country and having weak academic business linkages, adopts new technology quickly with robust processes in place.

Way Forward:

• Formulate long term plan: Squeezing expenditure elsewhere to find money in R & D and also provide incentives to attract talent and getting businesses involved.