AI set to transform India's social fabric

Merger between social responsibility and artificial intelligence will not only enrich technology with the human touch but also become a catalyst for India's journey to become a $5-trillion economy.

Artificial Intelligence is slated to contribute a whopping $15.7 trillion to the global GDP by 2030, but for India its real power lies in its potential of social transformation to bring about dynamic changes across all strata of life. For instance, India stands to lose $4.58 trillion before 2030 due to non-communicable diseases and mental health conditions, while cardiovascular diseases will lead the way in economic loss, according to a report by PwC. In rural India, approximately 70 per cent of households still depend primarily on agriculture for their livelihood, with agriculture having a shrinking share in GDP. In the transport sector, road accidents led to 17 deaths on roads every hour, underscoring the urgent need for smarter infrastructure.

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RAISEing the bar

AI is the magic wand that can not only tackle these socio-economic challenges but also provide cost-effective solutions.

“The teamwork of AI with humans can do wonders for our planet. In India, we have experienced that technology improves transparency and service delivery. We want India to become a global hub for AI,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at the RAISE 2020 Virtual Summit earlier this week, noting that the National Education Policy 2020 focuses on technology-based learning and skilling as a major part of education.

“Technology has transformed workplaces, it improved connectivity. This merger between social responsibility and AI will enrich AI with the human touch. AI is a tribute to human intellectual power... Many Indians are already working on this. I hope many more do so in the times to come,” Modi said.

Home to the world's third-largest start-up ecosystem, India has been actively pursuing AI as the central tenet of its effort towards becoming a $ 5-trillion economy, steering the dialogue towards the challenges of adopting such a model in developing economies. The RAISE 2020 (Responsible AI for Social Empowerment 2020) virtual platform, organised by the Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and NITI Aayog, is one such platform for dialogue, debate and pitches for start-ups to attract investments.

Solution to multiple problems

“We are looking to chart a course for using AI for social transformation, inclusion and empowerment in areas like healthcare, agriculture, education and smart mobility, among other sectors,” said Abhishek Singh, CEO of MyGov with additional charge as President & CEO, National e-governance Division and MD & CEO, Digital India Corporation. “Right now, developed markets have modelled the usage of AI. We are putting forward a narrative of the concerns that the developing world is facing in AI. Challenges faced in Asia and Africa are different. We believe that AI should go beyond being used in the entertainment sector and address larger challenges in healthcare or social inclusion. These are the needs of the hour,” Singh told BusinessLine in an interview.

Observing that typical AI models with built-in social and economic bias will not work for Indian challenges, Singh said: “This is India's effort to rectify the flawed models around AI, which have gender and racial prejudices built into it. Directed by the Indian Prime Minister's vision, India will soon stand out in the international community not just as a leader in AI but also as a model to show the world how to responsibly direct AI for social empowerment.”

From e-courses to be developed in various regional languages and dialects to e-Education units to boost digital infrastructure, content and capacity, India is already undertaking a cohort of actions to prepare for the future. Under the ′Responsible AI for Youth′ programme launched in April, for example, more than 11,000 students from various schools have completed a basic course in AI and are now building their AI projects. With all the rapid developments happening in the shadow of the pandemic, AI is thus set to become a potent tool for India's social transformation and digital leadership.