Syllabus
GS Paper 2 – Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential;
GS Paper 3 – Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.
What does this article provide?
The article discusses how India can leverage the AI Action Summit to advance key priorities for the Global South, positioning itself as a leader in AI policy and governance.
Key Takeaways for UPSC CSE Mains Exam:
Understand India’s role and strategic priorities in global AI governance.
Recognize the importance of equitable access to AI resources for developing nations.
Analyze the impact of AI on economic development and policy-making.
Potential Topics for Prelims
Voice of the Global South, Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI), DeepSeek, International Scientific Report on the Safety of Advanced AI
Potential Topics for Mains
Global AI Governance,India’s Role in AI Policy, Equitable Access to AI Resources, Impact of AI on Economic Development
Source
The Hindu
India’s Opportunity at the AI Action Summit
Introduction
In early January, India accepted France’s invitation to co-chair the AI Action Summit on February 10 and 11 in Paris. This summit will be the third of its kind, following meetings focused on AI safety in the U.K. (2023) and South Korea (2024). Beyond AI safety, the Paris agenda will emphasize innovation, public interest AI, future of work, and AI governance issues. This presents India with an opportunity to not only continue its global engagement on AI safety but also to amplify the voice of the Global South on broader AI issues.
Voice of the Global South in AI Governance
- Bletchley Park Meeting:
- Focused on the safety of ‘frontier AI models’
- Addressed the emerging risks of AI
- Launched the U.K. AI Safety Institute (AISI)
- Seoul Meeting:
- Expanded to multilateral collaboration on AI risk management
- Formed a network of AISIs with countries/blocs like the U.S., France, Singapore, Japan, and the European Union
- Included ministerial and high-level bureaucratic representation
- India’s Engagement:
- Actively participated in the global discourse on AI safety
- Announced plans to set up an AI Safety Institute by India’s IT Minister
- Multilateral Leadership:
- India has been a vocal advocate for the Global South in various international fora
- Highlighted that the Global South hasn’t fully harnessed AI’s transformative potential
- G20 Presidency 2023:
- Under India’s leadership, the G20 endorsed a “pro-innovation regulatory/governance approach”
- Aimed to balance AI innovation and the establishment of necessary guardrails for AI
- GPAI Meeting December 2023:
- Hosted by India, emphasized “equitable access to critical resources for AI research and innovation”
- Stressed the importance of enabling AI infrastructure for developing AI applications
Priorities at the Paris AI Summit
- Benefit from Broad Agenda:
- India’s vision for the Global South can gain from the extensive agenda of the Paris meeting
- Democratising AI Resources:
- Advocate for equitable access to AI resources across the value chain
- Expand beyond hardware to include data sets, storage infrastructure, cloud platforms, foundation models, and application platforms
- Promote distributed computing solutions and access to safety tools like watermarking technology
- Open-source AI Models:
- Highlight the success of DeepSeek and the importance of open-source models
- Advocate for flexible cross-border transfer of AI technologies with safety standards
- Identifying AI Use-Cases:
- Develop a framework for prioritising AI applications relevant to Global South’s unique contexts
- Ensure AI applications address local needs, such as early disease detection, personalized learning platforms, and agricultural productivity tools
- Contextualising AI Risks:
- Emphasise the distinct challenges faced by developing nations
- Address cultural erosion due to exposure to large language models trained on western data
- Highlight the expert report by Yoshua Benjio on AI risk and harm probability
- Evidence of AI-Related Harms:
- Call for collecting evidence of AI-related harms specific to the Global South
- Establish a repository of AI-related harms to inform future regulatory approaches
Major Challenges in Global AI Governance
- Representation Gap: Lack of representation from developing nations in AI governance initiatives.
- Transboundary Issues: AI systems impacting multiple countries simultaneously, raising data privacy and security concerns.
- AI Misalignment: Instances where AI systems act in ways that do not reflect human intentions, such as unsafe medical recommendations or biased algorithms.
- Threat to Democratic Processes: Risks like disinformation and deep fakes undermining the integrity of democratic institutions.
- Uneven Global Landscape: Many developing nations lack a voice in decision-making, affecting AI assessment decisions and funding.
- Coordination Among Institutions: Need for stronger coordination between existing international institutions governing AI.
Different Ways Countries Manage AI
- National AI Strategies: Many countries have developed national AI strategies to support AI development while maximizing societal benefits. These strategies often include goals for research, innovation, and ethical guidelines.
- Government Coordination Bodies: Some countries have established dedicated governmental bodies to oversee AI policies. For example, the United Kingdom has the Government Office for AI, and the United States has the Artificial Intelligence Initiative Office (NAIIO).
- Multi-Stakeholder Groups: Countries like France and Canada have set up multi-stakeholder groups comprising AI experts to advise on AI policies and report on opportunities and risks.
- AI Observatories: Germany and Canada have established AI observatories to monitor and evaluate the implementation of their AI strategies.
- OECD AI Principles: Many countries have adopted the OECD AI Principles as a framework for crafting policies to tackle AI risks and capitalize on opportunities.
- Regulatory Approaches: Countries are implementing various regulatory approaches to manage AI, including data privacy laws, AI ethics guidelines, and safety standards.
India’s Role in AI Policy
- Advocating for Global South: India has been a strong advocate for the Global South, emphasizing equitable access to AI resources and promoting inclusive AI policies.
- National AI Strategy: India has developed a comprehensive national AI strategy, focusing on research, innovation, and ethical guidelines to harness AI’s potential.
- International Collaboration: India actively participates in international forums and summits, such as the AI Action Summit, to shape global AI governance and policies.
- AI for India 2030: The AI for India 2030 initiative aims to integrate AI across India’s socio-economic fabric, addressing systemic challenges and driving inclusive growth.
- Investment in AI Infrastructure: India has made significant investments in AI infrastructure, including computing power, AI startups, and education to build a robust AI ecosystem.
Way Forward
- Inclusive Representation: Ensure active participation from developing nations in AI governance initiatives.
- International Collaboration: Strengthen coordination among international institutions and countries on AI-related issues.
- Tailored Risk Mitigation: Formulate context-specific AI risk mitigation strategies for different regions.
Conclusion
As co-chair of the Paris meeting, India must leverage its position to advance the key AI priorities of the Global South. Doing so would also position India as an ideal candidate to host the next AI Action Summit, ensuring continued focus on the Global South perspective on AI. This would, in turn, cement India’s role as a bridge between the AI superpowers in the Global North and developing nations catching up in the global AI sphere.
Related PYQ
Introduce the concept of Artificial Intelligence (AI). How does AI help clinical diagnosis? Do you perceive any threat to privacy of the individual in the use of AI in healthcare? [UPSC CSE – 2023 Mains]
Practice Question
In the context of the AI Action Summit, examine the importance of equitable access to AI resources for the Global South. How can India advocate for a fair AI ecosystem at the multilateral level? [150 words]
Guidelines to Answer the Question
- Introduction:
- Briefly explain the AI divide between the Global North and South and how AI can drive development.
- Emphasize India’s role at the AI Action Summit in promoting inclusive AI access.
- Body:
- Importance of Equitable Access to AI Resources for the Global South: Describe how AI can reduce developmental disparities, stimulate economic growth, prevent tech monopolies, improve public services, and sustain cultural diversity.
- India’s Advocacy for a Fair AI Ecosystem at the Multilateral Level: Detail India’s potential strategies, such as enhancing AI infrastructure, supporting open-source AI, encouraging South-South cooperation, shaping AI governance policies, and ensuring ethical AI risk management.
- Conclusion:
- Highlight India’s unique position as a leader of the Global South in balancing AI innovation with equity and governance to foster a more inclusive global AI ecosystem.