Caught in the net

 

Histories can be twisted, maligned, because we believe that which is given on a website, written in a manner that is unambiguous and spoon-fed to us, requiring no commitment from our end

When was the World Wide Web released to the public? Searching for an answer, I went to the only place that can provide me with an instant response — the World Wide Web. An NPR article informed me that it was created by Tim Berners-Lee and gifted to humanity on April 30, 1993, free of charge. By the end of the 1990s, this information web had covered the globe to such an extent that the post-90s generations don’t know of a time before the internet.

This one platform has revolutionised information access, learning, knowledge production and connectivity. And this has happened at a speed which is unfathomable. The number of technological developments that have aided, enhanced and accelerated these processes are mind-boggling. With Artificial Intelligence bursting onto the scene, things are only going to get even more unbelievable, literally and metaphorically. On an aside, it is philosophically valuable to consider Roger Penrose’s argument that Artificial Intelligence is a ‘misnomer’. That the computer can only ‘mimic’ intelligence. He argues that consciousness is not computation. Anyway, let me not wander.

Before you jump the gun and assume that this piece is about fake news, deep fakes, post-truth or the dangers of Artificial Intelligence, let me inform you that it is not. The drawbacks of not having the internet and the democratising role the medium has played are there for all of us to see, acknowledge and appreciate. Therefore, I am not going to dwell on the obvious. Neither am I going on a nostalgic rant on ‘the good old days’. But there are other questions about the pre-networked age that require consideration.

Let us begin with something as simple as thinking, a process that every human being engages in by default. To receive information, comprehend and make decisions is nearly automatic. The question before me is whether there was something different about the way we thought before the online network became a permanent fixture in our lives. Similar to how technology helped us reduce the time we spent on gathering, cooking and consuming food, the Cloud has greatly reduced the burden of remembering dates, times or exact events. Such information was given great importance in the past. Unfortunately, the lifting of this unnecessary weight has not meant that we engage earnestly with serious questions. The ease with which the Web provides us with answers somehow curtails the extent of our questioning.

The rapidity of search results and the way material is presented on and for the Web do not make us curious. Furthermore, the tone is more often than not, definitive. In other words, the internet has surreptitiously removed doubt from learning. Doubt is not distrust. It is a prerequisite for education. It is the opening that leads to further investigation. This does not happen by accident. It is part of knowledge creation. In the sharing of what we know, we embed the possibility of doubt, change and growth.

The virtual information highway largely functions in the opposite manner where you get more hits if you present an assured face. Your fingers itch to click the first possible link and people pay to place their links on top. It requires great effort to go past these innumerable layers of ‘surety’ to get to a place where learning is exciting; dare I even say true! This makes me consume in an unthinking manner. Questioning is stunted and people hold on to the programmed opinion they clicked on.

Hence, we should not be surprised that ‘educated’ folks fall prey to blatant lies. This problem did not begin with social media. The algorithms that nurtured cyberspace have always been designed to lessen the time used for assimilation. Speed in time spent on accessing a page and the way the information is presented are key to its success. The moment we foreground the paucity of time, urgency or the claim that we can do more productive things in those extra minutes that are needed to read, read again, think, read again and pause, we lose the ability to learn.

Is the internet a reality? Since creators, developers and participants are real people, we have to accept that the virtual universe is a part of a larger reality. But this agent has drastically reduced physical interactions. Childhood in the 1980s and 1990s entailed feeling the soil, being close to the trees, and meeting people in person. Today, it is all about video calls, playing games and learning via iPads and mobile phones. Parents say technology has made children smarter at an early age. I am no child psychologist, nor an educationist to counter such a claim confidently. Yet, I have to wonder about this smartness. Building the capacity to solve arithmetic or mathematical problems, or remembering things, or cleverness without empathy, love and care is not intelligence. I will argue that true intelligence is felt and every emotional connection is intelligent. When this is missing, humanity goes into hiding. Watching videos on YouTube or Instagram of the horrors that are unfolding in Palestine or Manipur will not make a person more empathetic. Love and compassion have to be learnt and shared physically, directly, without an intermediary.

If something does not exist on the Web, is it real? And, as an extension, is everything that happened before the virtual age and has not been digitised irrelevant? The first question may sound moot because we cannot imagine that there are people or things that do not find mention on the internet. The falsity of this belief stems from the fact that we trust it as a democratic space. The internet is a marketplace, a bazaar where everyone is selling. The fact that anyone can open a shop without paying rent does not imply equality. Social equations that govern our everyday interactions also control the internet. Hence, there are many unheard, wrongly represented and lost voices.

The imperative to give every­thing a digital avatar wipes out all that does not find space in this all-encompassing network. Innumerable cultures, stories and peoples are lost to posterity not only because we do not look beyond the infobahn but also because we have forgotten to remember from life experiences, from what we hear, see and learn in person. Even lived histories have to be virtualised. Histories can be easily twisted, maligned, because we only believe that which is given on a website, written in a manner that is unambiguous and spoon-fed to us, requiring no commitment from our end. Naysayers may argue that all this is hocus-pocus theorisation. That the website is merely the new avatar of the book. Books also spread lies and wipe out people. This is true. But a book required the writer to explain and demanded attention and time from the reader. The internet, on the other hand, celebrates loudness and preys on the lack of attention.

T.M. Krishna

The Telegraph: 1/03/24

Krutrim- India’s first AI unicorn launches Chatbot

 Krutrim, an Artificial Intelligence start-up launched by Ola founder Bhavish Aggarwal, has rolled out an AI chatbot in public beta, similar to OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini.

India’s first AI unicorn

The launch comes a month after Krutrim disclosed a $50-million financing at $1-billion valuation, to become the country’s first start-up unicorn in 2024. The company mentioned that it is the first AI unicorn in the country.

The chatbot, which has the same name as the company (Krutrim), was announced in December. It is the firm’s first product, which will be powered by its multilingual large language models (LLM), also called Krutrim.

Features of AI models

Krutrim unveiled its AI models in December last year. At the time, the start-up also showcased the AI chatbot. Krutrim’s AI models can understand over 20 Indian languages and generate text in 10 Indian languages, including Bengali, Tamil, Malayalam, Gujarati, and Marathi. A higher and more sophisticated version, Krutrim Pro is anticipated to be available in Q4 FY24.

Krutrim’s ambitions

Krutrim, ‘artificial’ in Sanskrit, will come in two sizes: a base model named Krutrim trained on 2 trillion tokens and unique datasets, and a larger, more complex model called Krutrim Pro, launching next quarter for advanced problem-solving and task execution capabilities.

Krutrim Pro, launching in Q4 FY24, will be multimodal in nature, which means it can understand and work with different formats, including text, audio, image, and video, at the same time. It will also have larger knowledge, advanced problem-solving and task execution capabilities.

Way Forward

The start-up is working on building AI infrastructure, developing indigenous data centres and aims to eventually get into server-computing, edge-computing, and super-computers. The start-up is also working on manufacturing AI-optimised silicon chips.

India’s Unicorns in 2023

In December 2023, Fintech company InCred has struck a valuation of over 1 billion dollars becoming the latest unicorn of the country. It is the second unicorn of the year after Zepto, the e-commerce app which delivers grocery. In 2023, only two companies managed to become unicorns.

What is ‘ANUVADINI’- AI Tool?

 

The Government of India has directed all school and higher education institutions across the country to make available digital study material in Indian languages for every academic course within 3 years. This policy aims to enable students to learn in their native tongues aligned to India’s linguistic diversity.

Background

The National Education Policy 2020 has prioritised education in native languages and has also recommended a three-language formula for school education till Class X. The National Curriculum Framework 2023 for school education stated that till Class X a student need to study three languages of which two should be native Indian language and in Classes XI and XII where study of two languages have been recommended, one of which should be native Indian language.

Coverage of Initiative

The digital study materials access mandate applies to both government and private institutions and covers all courses from school textbooks to specialized university texts spanning sciences, humanities, engineering, medicine, law etc.

Anuvadini- the AI Tool

‘Anuvadini’, an Artificial Intelligence-based multilingual translation application developed indigenously, will facilitate swift conversion of existing English materials into multiple languages through machine learning as the bedrock, followed by expert manual reviews for accuracy.

Significant headway has already been achieved over past 2 years with thousands of textbooks translated across domains and curated on the online portal Ekumbh under the initiative. 12 regional languages textual options also exist for national entrance examinations now.

UGC Guidelines

The University Grants Commission (UGC) also issued rules for higher education institutions to provide courses in Indian languages. The UGC said that the Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology has made standard glossaries that can be used to translate. These glossaries cover a wide range of topics. According to the rules, technical terms that are hard for students to understand may be given in English between quotes after their Indian language counterparts.

Intended Benefits

Removing language barriers in accessing high quality pedagogical resources would democratize quality education for the masses while preventing drop outs. It would also promote usage of native tongues in higher academia and professional domains instead of English.

Uses in other arena

More than five thousand judgments of the Kerala High Court and District Courts have been recently translated into Malayalam with the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The judgments are translated using the AI tool ‘Anuvadini’ prepared by AICTE under the Union Ministry of Education.

Digital Ecosystem

In school education, study material is being made available in multiple Indian languages including over 30 languages on DIKSHA portal and competitive exams like JEE, NEET, CUET are being delivered in 12 Indian languages and English.
For the past two years, the translation of engineering, medical, law, UG, PG and skill books are also being done.

In a decision aimed at providing students with the opportunity to study in their own language, Centre has decided that study material for all courses under school and higher education will be made available digitally in Indian languages included in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution.

Game-changer

 The promise of AI is not merely about job displacement and creation but as a potential game- changer in public services.

In the unfolding narrative of technological evolution, the tantalising promise of artificial intelligence (AI) is casting its glow on the emerging world, heralding prospects of unprecedented growth and human capital development. This transformation, however, is not with- out its sceptics, echoing concerns that the benefits of AI may disproportionately favour the already privileged, particularly in the Western world. Yet, beneath the surf- ace, there lies a profound potential for AI to act as a cata- lyst for positive change in developing nations. The narra- tive begins with the acknowledgment that technology has, historically, been a double-edged sword. AI emerges as a unique player in this unfolding drama. Unlike earlier waves of technology, AI’s reach extends faster and more broadly. The key lies in the ubiquity of smartphones in the developing world, acting as gateways to a techno- logical revolution. The promise of AI is not merely about job displacement and creation but as a potential game- changer in public services. Education and healthcare, perennial challenges in developing economies, stand to gain substantially. The sheer scale of challenges, such as overcrowded classrooms in India or a scarcity of doctors in Africa, demands innovative solutions. AI, when harne- ssed strategically, can empower teachers, aid healthcare workers, and bridge the gap in resources. What makes this prospect all the more exciting is the participatory role that developing countries can assume. No longer passive recipients, they have the opportunity to shape AI to suit their unique needs. Localised applications, like speech-recognition software aiding illiterate farmers or chat-bots assisting students with homework in Kenya, showcase the adaptability and potential of AI to address specific challenges. Crucially, the narrative underscores that AI need not succumb to the winner-takes-all dyna- mics that defined earlier technological revolutions. Un- like the dominance of social media and internet-search giants, the flexibility of AI allows for diverse approaches to prosper. Developers in India, for instance, are fine- tuning Western models with local data, avoiding heavy capital costs. As we navigate this transformative landsca- pe, it becomes evident that each country is poised to mould AI according to its unique requirements. China’s tech prowess and deep-pocketed internet giants posi- tion it as a frontrunner, while India’s vibrant start-up sce- ne and government support signal innovation on the horizon. Even countries in the Gulf, traditionally reliant on oil, are strategically embracing AI to diversify their economies. Yet, amid the optimism, cautionary notes are sounded. Challenges such as expensive computing pow- er, the need for local data, and potential misuse of the technology loom on the horizon. Connectivity, governan- ce, and regulation are identified as linchpins for AI’s suc- cessful integration, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. The path forward requires strategic investments to overcome challenges, ensuring AI’s benefits permeate across bor- ders. As uncertainties persist, the certainty remains that AI’s multifaceted capabilities will continue to improve, presenting developing countries with a remarkable op- portunity and the power to seize it.

Source: The Statesman, 3/02/24

Artificial intelligence technologies have a climate cost

 We often think of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies as a gateway to a future written in chrome, operating on a virtual cloud. This techno-optimism underpinned FM Nirmala Sitharaman’s 2022 budget speech, where AI was described as a sunrise technology that would “assist sustainable development at scale and modernise the country.” While there is an allure to national dreams of economic prosperity and global competitiveness, underwritten by AI, there is an environmental cost and — like any issue at the nexus of technology, development, growth and security — a cost that comes with being locked into rules about said environmental impact set by powerful actors.

The “race” for dominance in AI is far from fair: Not only do a few developed economies possess certain material advantages right from the start, they also set the rules. They have an advantage in research and development, and possess a skilled workforce as well as wealth to invest in AI. North America and East Asia alone account for three-fourths of global private investment in AI, patents and publications.

We can also look at the state of inequity in AI in terms of governance: How “tech fluent” are policymakers in developing and underdeveloped countries? What barriers do they face in crafting regulations and industrial policy? Are they sufficiently represented and empowered at the international bodies that set rules and standards on AI? At the same time, there is an emerging challenge at the nexus of AI and climate change that could deepen this inequity.

The climate impact of AI comes in a few forms: The energy use of training and operating large AI models is one. In 2020, digital technologies accounted for between 1.8 per cent and 6.3 per cent of global emissions. At the same time, AI development and adoption across sectors has skyrocketed, as has the demand for processing power associated with larger and larger AI models. Paired with the fact that governments of developing countries see AI as a silver bullet for solving complex socio-economic problems, we could see a growing share of AI in technology-linked emissions in the coming decades.

The idea of sustainability is rapidly entering mainstream debates on AI ethics and sustainable development. In November 2021, UNESCO adopted the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, calling on actors to “reduce the environmental impact of AI systems, including but not limited to its carbon footprint.” Similarly, technology giants like Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet and Facebook have announced “net zero” policies and initiatives. These initiatives are a good sign, but they only scratch the surface. Both global AI governance and climate change policy (historically) are contentious, being rooted in inequitable access to resources.

Developing and underdeveloped countries face a challenge on two fronts: First, AI’s social and economic benefits are accruing to a few countries, and second, most of the current efforts and narratives on the relationship between AI and climate impact are being driven by the developed West.

What then is the way ahead? Like most nexus issues, the relationship between climate change and AI is still a whisper in the wind. It is understudied, not least because the largest companies working in this space are neither transparent nor meaningfully committed to studying, let alone acting, to substantively limit the climate impact of their operations.

Governments of developing countries, India included, should also assess their technology-led growth priorities in the context of AI’s climate costs. It is argued that as developing nations are not plagued by legacy infrastructure it would be easier for them to “build up better”. These countries don’t have to follow the same AI-led growth paradigm as their Western counterparts. It may be worth thinking through what “solutions” would truly work for the unique social and economic contexts of the communities in our global village.

Written by Trisha Ray 

Source: Indian Express, 3/02/22

Artificial intelligence solutions built in India can serve the world

 Written by Abhishek Singh

The RAISE 2020 summit (Responsible AI for Social Empowerment) has brought issues around artificial intelligence (AI) to the centre of policy discussions. Countries across the world are making efforts to be part of the AI-led digital economy, which is estimated to contribute around $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030. India, with its “AI for All” strategy, a vast pool of AI-trained workforce and an emerging startup ecosystem, has a unique opportunity to be a major contributor to AI-driven solutions that can revolutionise healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, education and skilling.

AI is the branch of computer science concerned with developing machines that can complete tasks that typically require human intelligence. With the explosion of available data expansion of computing capacity, the world is witnessing rapid advancements in AI, machine learning and deep learning, transforming almost all sectors of the economy.

India has a large young population that is skilled and eager to adopt AI. The country has been ranked second on the Stanford AI Vibrancy Index primarily on account of its large AI-trained workforce. Our leading technology institutes like the IITs, IIITs and NITs have the potential to be the cradle of AI researchers and startups. India’s startups are innovating and developing solutions with AI across education, health, financial services and other domains to solve societal problems.

Machine Learning-based deep-learning algorithms in AI can give insights to healthcare providers in predicting future events for patients. It can also aid in the early detection and prevention of diseases by capturing the vitals of patients. A Bengaluru based start-up has developed a non-invasive, AI-enabled technology to screen for early signs of breast cancer. Similarly, hospitals in Tamil Nadu are using Machine Learning algorithms to detect diabetic retinopathy and help address the challenge of shortage of eye doctors. For the COVID-19 response, an AI-enabled Chatbot was used by MyGov for ensuring communications. Similarly, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) deployed the Watson Assistant on its portal to respond to specific queries of frontline staff and data entry operators from various testing and diagnostic facilities across the country on COVID-19. AI-based applications have helped biopharmaceutical companies to significantly shorten the preclinical drug identification and design process from several years to a few days or months. This intervention has been used by pharmaceutical companies to identify possible pharmaceutical therapies to help combat the spread of COVID19 by repurposing drugs.

AI-based solutions on water management, crop insurance and pest control are also being developed. Technologies like image recognition, drones, and automated intelligent monitoring of irrigation systems can help farmers kill weeds more effectively, harvest better crops and ensure higher yields. Voice-based products with strong vernacular language support can help make accurate information more accessible to farmers. A pilot project taken up in three districts — Bhopal, Rajkot and Nanded — has developed an AI-based decision support platform combined with weather sensing technology to give farm level advisories about weather forecasts and soil moisture information to help farmers make decisions regarding water and crop management. ICRISAT has developed an AI-power sowing app, which utilises weather models and data on local crop yield and rainfall to more accurately predict and advise local farmers on when they should plant their seeds. This has led to an increase in yield from 10 to 30 per cent for farmers. AI-based systems can also help is establishing partnerships with financial institutions with a strong rural presence to provide farmers with access to credit.

An AI-based flood forecasting model that has been implemented in Bihar is now being expanded to cover the whole of India to ensure that around 200 million people across 2,50,000 square kilometres get alerts and warnings 48 hours earlier about impending floods. These alerts are given in nine languages and are localised to specific areas and villages with adequate use of infographics and maps to ensure that it reaches all.

The Central Board of Secondary Education has integrated AI in the school curriculum to ensure that students passing out have the basic knowledge and skills of data science, machine learning and artificial intelligence. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) had launched a “Responsible AI for Youth” programme this year in April, wherein more than 11,000 students from government schools completed the basic course in AI.

As AI works for digital inclusion in India, it will have a ripple effect on economic growth and prosperity. Analysts predict that AI can help add up to $957 billion to the Indian economy by 2035. The opportunity for AI in India is colossal, as is the scope for its implementation. By 2025, data and AI can add over $500 billion and almost 20 million jobs to the Indian economy.

India’s “AI for All” strategy focuses on responsible AI, building AI solutions at scale with an intent to make India the AI garage of the world — a trusted nation to which the world can outsource AI-related work. AI solutions built in India will serve the world.

AI derives strength from data. To this end, the government is in the process of putting in place a strong legal framework governing the data of Indians. The legislation stems from a desire to become a highly secure and ethical AI powerhouse. India wants to build a data-rich and a data-driven society as data, through AI, which offers limitless opportunities to improve society, empower individuals and increase the ease of doing business.

The RAISE 2020 summit has brought together global experts to create a roadmap for responsible AI — an action plan that can help create replicable models with a strong foundation of ethics built-in. With the participation of more than 72,000 people from 145 countries, RAISE 2020 has become the true global platform for the exchange of ideas and thoughts for creating a robust AI roadmap for the world.

This article first appeared in the print edition on October 8, 2020 under the title ‘Making AI work for India’. The writer is president and CEO, NeGD, CEO MyGov and MD and CEO, Digital India Corporation.

Source: Indian Express, 8/10/20