What are the key challenges to adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in India found out by NITI Aayog in its recently released National Strategy for AI? What should be done to deal with those challenges? (200 words)
Refer – The Hindu
Enrich the answer from other sources, if the question demands.
IAS Parliament 6 years
KEY POINTS
Challenges
· Lack of enabling data ecosystems
· Low intensity of AI research
i. Core research in fundamental technologies
ii. Transforming core research into market applications
· Inadequate availability of AI expertise, manpower and skilling opportunities
· High resource cost and low awareness for adopting AI in business processes
· Unclear privacy, security and ethical regulations
· Unattractive Intellectual Property regime to incentivise research and adoption of AI
Status of AI in India
· India has around 50 top-notch AI researchers, concentrated in elite institutions like the IITs.
· Further, only around 4% of Indian AI professionals are trained in emerging technologies such as deep learning.
· While India does publish a lot, these publications aren’t very impactful; India’s H-index, a measure of how often its papers are cited, is behind 18 other countries.
· This is not encouraging, considering that returns on AI are not guaranteed.
Suggestions
· Research – Incentivise core and applied research in AI
· Skilling the workforce & student –
a) Integration with relevant existing skilling initiatives
b) Building of new platforms that can enable improved learning
c) Novel methods of allowing large scale employment generation through promotion of AI.
d) Education sector needs to be re-aligned in order to effectively harness the potential of AI in a sustainable manner.
· Promote AI adoption –
a) Spreading awareness on the advantages AI offers
b) Establishing supporting start-ups
· Responsible AI –
a) Tackle the biases of AI
b) Ensure Transparency
· The trick will be to follow it up with action, which will demand a strong buy-in from policymakers and substantial funds.
