Artificial Intelligence: The Way Ahead

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TOPIC: General Studies 3

• Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.

What is Artificial Intelligence?

• Intelligence displayed by machines – a set of computational tools that can be used to improve decision-making
• Term devised by: John McCarthy in 1956

Budget: Government has doubled allocation to $480 million in 2018-19, deciding to invest heavily in research, training and skill development in technologies such as AI, digital manufacturing, robotics, Quantum communication and Big Data intelligence, 3D printing, Blockchain, Machine Learning and Internet of Things.

Focus areas for India to fully benefit from AI –

1. Forward thinking: India needs to first invest in Artificial Intelligence in such a manner that it gains substantial experience out of it. Currently AI is more of a buzzword.

• AI is inter-disciplinary in nature. Therefore we need to setup inter disciplinary features in the development of AI and deploy academic collaboration to bring up large pool of people to get leverage out of it.

• Need to promote, fund, and coordinate relevant interdisciplinary research projects (comprising philosophy, neuroscience, and computer science)
• Incentives should be set for researchers and decision makers to deal with the consequences of AI research
• Expert commissions should be formed, and research projects funded
• Need for a proper roadmap – AI Policy which should be able to guide all future policies related to the field

     2. Transparency over new measures:

• Advantages and disadvantages must be systematically analyzed and discussed at a political level.
• While AI has many positive applications, it is a dual-use technology, and AI researchers and engineers should be mindful of and proactive about the potential for its misuse
• Information on the risks associated with AI progress must be made accessible and understandable to a wide audience.
• Grantors should encourage research projects to document the relevance of their work to AI safety, as well as the precautions taken within the research itself

Automation and Job Scenario

A Gartner report predicts that AI will create 2 million net new jobs by 2025. Advances in virtual assistants and deep learning will foster adoption of artificial intelligence, according to the market research firm.

• AI will create new tasks and demand new skills: Investments in human capital will be at the heart of any long-term strategy for producing skills that are complemented, rather than substituted. There is a need to acquire skills that can capitalize on or complement AI. Skill development and reskilling is the key.
• Discard the “factory model” of education: The overall approach to education needs to shift from knowledge dissemination to skills training, with students having the option to pursue formal vocational training.

Conclusion:

Data is perceived to be the future. Artificial Intelligence is complex, is looking at exponential growth and is already expected to make game-changing transformations. But we should be mindful of the fact that when an economic value is generated out of people’s data, they should be paid back. AI might just be able to break the conventional linear approach that is adopted towards solving India’s development challenges. Only time will tell.

Must Read: Link 1 and  Link 2

Connecting the Dots:

1. “With great power comes great responsibility. Technology is in itself just a tool; what matters is how we use it.” Discuss in the context of AI.
2. Can Artificial Intelligence become a potential threat to economy? Examine.
3. Disputes arising from Artificial Intelligence (AI) use are governed by archaic laws, which do not address issues like data privacy, consumer protection and labour liability. Comment.