G20 TASK FORCE ON DPI (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Governance)

Context: India's G20 Task Force on DPI report highlights India's leadership and calls for proactive extension of its digital solutions to the Global South.

G20 Task Force on DPI:

• About: It was formed in January 2023 to oversee India's G20 Presidency agenda on DPI and Financial Inclusion.
• Objective: Aims to enhance productivity by promoting the adoption of digital technologies aligned with government policies on the digital economy.
• Highlight of the Report:

o The report advocates for creating a multinational body to unify and advance the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) ecosystem worldwide, focusing on collaboration among Global South nations.

o Integration of AI in DPI: Embracing Artificial Intelligence within DPI frameworks is recommended to enhance capabilities, emphasizing ethical considerations and robust data privacy measures.

o Promotion of Open-Source Software and AI Models: Encouraging the use of open-source technologies and AI models aims to foster innovation and scalability in DPI, facilitating broader participation by private entities.

o Ensuring Data Protection and Privacy: Implementing stringent measures to safeguard user data is critical for establishing trust in AI-driven DPI services.

o Mitigating Biases in AI Algorithms: Addressing biases in AI algorithms is essential to ensure fair and equitable treatment across all user interactions within DPI.

o Transparency in AI Processes: Promoting transparency in AI operations is key to enhancing public confidence and trust in the reliability of digital services facilitated by DPI.

Digital public infrastructure (DPI):

• About: It is a set of technology building blocks that drive innovation, inclusion, and competition at scale, operating under open, transparent and participatory governance.
• Examples: Internet, powered by common protocols like HTTP, HTML, and SMTP.
• Key Features: It can be developed either as all government or all private.

o Interoperability, security, maintaining registries and continuous updates are its vital aspects.