How long before AI directly benefits the public?

As expected, this year has also seen the usual talk in India on how artificial intelligence (AI) could be a force for good for all and how greater application of sophisticated AI technologies could make a difference in the lives of average citizens of the world’s most populous nation in ways they have not even imagined possible.

Discussions have also included the risks that AI could pose when not handled responsibly, how the tech could render redundant many legacy jobs, and the huge energy requirements of large AI data centres.

These conversations have been much less muted when compared to those surrounding how the tech could improve organisational productivity manifold — including more effectively handling functions such as marketing communications, customer care, etc. — and the chatter around large language models (LLMs), etc.

Ordinary citizens would expect that some of the promised benefits of AI in terms of the tech bettering their lives would be evident to a greater degree from 2025 itself. Whether be that in healthcare, education, or other areas that they can relate to more vividly. Be that in terms of AI helping cut patient wait times for receiving cancer treatment through prioritising needs, the tech enabling better delivery of personalised education to learners, deployment of AI leading to better crop yields, etc.

After all, even while acknowledging that large-scale changes take time to manifest themselves, including those involving AI, common people do not stand to benefit much if all the supposed AI gains appear to be largely concentrated in one area only — in bolstering the productivity of companies.

The reason for bringing this up lies in the fact there continue to be many things related to AI which remain unanswered or are not so clearly visible when seen from the perspective of ordinary Indians.

First, and foremost, for a country with a large young population seeking paid employment, the picture is yet unclear on the likely timeline within which AI would come up with new and better-quality jobs to make up for the ones which it would make redundant in India. It is also not clear as to which are the sectors where these prospective new jobs would be created and to what degree.

While the economic survey released in July also talked of the potential challenges which AI deployment poses to the jobs arena in India as in the rest of the world, it did not give a timeline as to when could AI act as a significant job-generator in India.

Second, given the unique issues which India faces on account of its size, diverse topography, and population, we are yet to hear many success stories — except occasional ones like Homosep Atom — where AI is proving to be a solution for problems specific to India.

Developed by the startup Solinas (incubated by the Department of Science and Technology-Technology Business Incubator of IIT Madras), Homosep Atom is India’s first septic tank cleaning robot powered by AI which offers an end-to-end solution to eliminate manual scavenging. This, by extension, is strengthening the Swachh Bharat mission. 

It would be fair to point out that some hopes in this connection have been recently raised through the establishment of three AI Centres of Excellence which would focus on the themes of healthcare, agriculture, and sustainable cities.  

Another matter where greater progress needs to be visible related to AI, pertains to its safety and security, considering that the potential risks which the tech poses have been recognised by key stakeholders. Despite being one of the biggest markets for AI and the country being an ardent advocate of AI being used responsibly, India does not have an AI-specific regulatory/governance structure in place.

Ultimately, AI must demonstrate that it is not a case of more hype and less substance when it comes to being a game-changer for everybody. The new year affords the perfect opportunity to get going in real earnest to make AI become the force for good for all that it is immensely capable of. All those connected with the AI ecosystem coming together to make this happen is what one would hope for.

(Sumali Moitra is a current affairs commentator. Views expressed are personal. X: @sumalimoitra)