INDIA’S PURSUIT OF SOVEREIGN AI

TAG: GS 2: GOVERNANCE, GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: India is embarking on a strategic initiative to develop its own ‘sovereign AI’ by focusing on real-life applications in various sectors like healthcare, agriculture, governance, and language translation.

EXPLANATION:

• The government aims to maximize economic development by leveraging technology and data-driven solutions.

SOVEREIGN AI OBJECTIVES:

• Real-Life Use Cases:
  • The focus is on practical applications of AI in sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, governance, and language translation to drive economic growth.
• Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI):
  • India’s approach involves establishing a Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) similar to Aadhaar and Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
  • It will enable the government-sanctioned technology for private entities to develop diverse use cases.

PLANS FOR AI CONTROL:

• National Data Governance Framework Policy:
  • A draft released by the Ministry of Electronics and IT proposed creating an India Datasets platform comprising non-personal and anonymized data accessible to startups and researchers.
• Objectives:
  • Modernizing data collection for improved governance and fostering AI and data-led research and startup ecosystems.

UNIFIED NATIONAL DATA SHARING PLATFORM:

• Stakeholders:
  • The platform aims to facilitate data sharing among Central/State/UT Governments, public and private sector entities, MSMEs, academia, researchers, and civil society organizations.
• Monetization of Non-Personal Data:
  • The platform suggests the possibility of monetizing non-personal data to support data-driven innovation.

AI REGULATION IN INDIA:

• Hybrid Approach:
  • India’s regulatory approach towards AI will be a hybrid model, combining elements from Europe’s citizen rights-focused regulation and the US’s market-oriented regulation.
• Data Sharing Directive:
  • There are considerations to issue a directive to major tech companies (like Facebook, Google, Amazon) to share anonymized personal data with a government-backed database.
• Draft Digital India Bill:
  • This directive might be part of the draft Digital India Bill, anticipated to be introduced after the 2024 general election.
• Economic Benefits from Data:
  • Initiatives to harness economic benefits through aggregated non-personal datasets were proposed by committees to encourage innovation and ensure national security.

Conclusion:

• India’s pursuit of ‘sovereign AI’ involves a multifaceted strategy encompassing the establishment of a robust AI ecosystem, data governance frameworks, and a hybrid regulatory approach.
• The emphasis on leveraging technology and data for practical applications aims to drive economic growth and innovation across various sectors, reflecting the country’s vision for technological advancement and governance.

SOURCE: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/the-pannun-sized-problem-in-india-us-ties-9049329/