Editorial 1: A discourse on AI governance that India must shape

Context

The U.S. and China are driving the AI governance discourse to advance their strategic interests, which could isolate the Global South.

Introduction

The Summit of the Future (September 22-23 2024) will be a decisive moment for global diplomacy and the international norm-building process in the sphere of Artificial Intelligence (AI). At the summit, world leaders and stakeholders are to come together under the aegis of the United Nations to advance the Global Digital Compact (GDC).

What is Global Digital Compact?

• The GDC aims to build a collaborative multi-stakeholder framework that strives to address the digital divide, advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and create a secure and inclusive digital environment.
• It seeks to strengthen the international governance of emerging technologies, including AI, to ensure that they align with fundamental rights and values.
• As digital technologies continue to shape our societal and geopolitical landscape, it is imperative for India to not only to engage with but also actively shape the international discourse on the international governance of AI.

The Geopolitical contestation

Parallel to the GDC, the UN General Assembly recently adopted two key resolutions on AI led by the United States and China as follows:

• The U.S.-led resolution, on ‘Safe, Secure and Trustworthy AI for Sustainable Development’: It advocates a harmonised approach to AI governance and encourages member countries to develop shared ethical principles, data protection measures and transparency standards.
• By promoting a harmonised approach to AI governance, the U.S. aims to assert dominance in AI technology and dictate the terms of its development worldwide.
• The China-led resolution, on ‘Enhancing Cooperation on Capacity Building of AI’: It focuses on equitable benefits from AI development, bridging the digital divide, and promoting an open and non-discriminatory business environment.
• The resolution not only prioritises inclusivity and equitable development but also strategically positions China as an important player in global trade and technology standards.

Thus,  these resolutions are deeply intertwined with each country’s interests and highlight growing geopolitical contestation in the domain of digital governance.

UN’s role towards AI

• An Apex Forum: The UN is quickly emerging as the apex forum for shaping and harmonising global standards on AI — something not entirely unexpected given the impact of AI on markets and societies.
• Inclusivity and Cooperation: The UN offers an inclusive platform to articulate challenges, reconcile diverse national interests and promote international cooperation mechanisms.
• India’s standing with UN on AI: India has an active and long-standing engagement at the UN and strategic engagements at the G-20 and Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI).
• Window of opportunity for India: To ensure that the GDC aligns with its developmental priorities and ethical standards, bridges the global digital divide, and meaningfully commits to the interests of the Global South.

India’s Influence towards AI

• Stand on Global South: India has a deep historical legacy and influence at the UN, even as it has championed the issues of the Global South.
• Stand on Climate action: This is most evident from its engagement in international climate negotiations where it has consistently advocated the principle of equity and climate justice as the basis of global climate action.
• Stand on Climate negotiations: India positioned itself as a key player in climate negotiations following the UNGA Resolution 44/207 in 1989 and contributed to integrating the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR), which acknowledged that developed countries bore the primary responsibility for climate change.
• Stand on developing countries concerns on climate change: India led significant efforts to shape the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol, ensuring that developing countries like itself are not subjected to obligations not aligned with their developmental plans and priorities; it emphasised the need for technology transfer and financial support from developed countries.

Importance of India’s diplomatic weight

• India as a political support: India also played a pivotal role in forming coalitions of developing countries to ensure that their perspectives are adequately represented throughout negotiations.
• India as a voice of developing world: India created the Green Group alliance comprising 72 like-minded developing countries at the first Conference of Parties under the UNFCCC to counter demands from the developed countries to have stringent commitments on developing countries.
• India’s support to  BASIC group: India also worked closely with Brazil, South Africa and China to form the BASIC Group to safeguard its developmental and poverty reduction objectives in the 2000s.
• India active participation for development countries: As evident in the Paris Agreement and reaffirmed at the Dubai Summit — where it advocated fair terms and obligations that consider the varied capabilities and needs of developing countries.

Challenges for India in AI debates

The unique challenges it faces, positions it as an important contender in debates around AI.

• Facing Inequalities in Innovation: As a Global South country, India grapples with structural inequalities in the AI innovation landscape.
• Infrastructural gaps: This includes a lack of advanced computing infrastructure, high-quality data sets, and capital.
• Need for AI Governance: Just as India advocated differential needs and responsibilities in climate agreements, it must now ensure that discussions around AI governance include considerations of equity, accessibility and fairness

Steps taken by India towards the AI challenges

India has succeeded in registering these considerations at other international fora as seen in the G-20 New Delhi Leaders Declaration and the GPAI Ministerial Declaration.

• India’s leadership: The G-20 and the GPAI have underscored the importance of fair access to critical AI resources, emphasised equitable sharing of AI benefits, and mitigated risks while fostering international cooperation. It is crucial to voice these concerns to the UN.
• Role of SDG’s: The UN has unique legitimacy as an organisation with universal membership and a well-established framework grounded in the rule of law, a Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR), and SDGs that offer clear pathways to accountability.
• Building coalitions: India is adept at building coalitions and advancing first principles that prioritise the interests of the Global South.
• Voice of developing countries:  By leveraging the UN platform, India can amplify its existing efforts on a wider scale, ensuring that the voices of developing countries are heard.
• Promoting equitability: India should advocate for equitable access to AI technology, enhancing technical capacity, and establishing mechanisms for knowledge sharing so all countries can benefit from AI.
• Promoting Inclusivity: India can seize this opportunity to reshape the multi-stakeholder model to be more inclusive, amplifying voices from the Global South, especially marginalized and underrepresented groups. This involves creating a platform accessible to smaller NGOs, SMEs, and others typically excluded from global discussions.
• AI Governance: India should advocate for an inclusive AI governance approach that upholds human rights, aligns with international laws, and ensures AI systems are fair and representative of diverse perspectives.

Way Forward: Address the challenges

India’s push for a fair and inclusive AI governance framework is particularly important in the context of the bipolar dynamics between the U.S. and China, where both nations are shaping the AI governance narrative to serve their strategic interests. This risks side-lining the unique needs and perspectives of the Global South. The wide gaps between developed and developing countries are starkly evident in the realm of AI advancements. While developed countries have readily available resources, developing countries lack even the basic infrastructure, Internet access, and electricity — absolute essentials for AI advancements.

Conclusion

Addressing these challenges requires a localised understanding and approach, which might be overlooked or simplified by those unfamiliar with these specific contexts. This can lead to policies and frameworks that overlook the core challenges faced by developing countries, undermine the effectiveness of global AI governance efforts, and worsen existing inequalities. India’s historical legacy of advocating the interests of the Global South, robust engagement at international fora, and lived experiences as a Global South country make it well-positioned to lead these conversations. Its active engagement will not only advance its interests but will also contribute towards a balanced and sustainable digital future. Thus, India’s leadership in AI governance is crucial for ensuring that global policies address the unique challenges of developing countries and contribute to a more inclusive and equitable use of AI.

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Editorial 2: ​Take on the challenge of rising income inequality

Context

There must be a realisation that the new economics is all about moving from ‘economies of scope and scale’ to ‘economy of purpose’

Introduction

Addressing income inequality is a serious global challenge. It’s a complex task that requires exploring and implementing various strategies to create a more equitable society. Here are key areas to focus on:

• Progressive taxation: Polices are needed to redistribute wealth, not by taking from the rich to give to the poor, but by using tax revenue to enhance health, education, skill development, the environment, and job creation.
• Education and skill development: Access to quality education, skill development and lifelong learning is critical to enhance employability and increase earning.
• Fair labour laws: Enforcing labour rights, minimum wages, safety, security, eliminating child labour, protection against exploitation, and collective bargaining are essential to ensure that all workers benefit from economic growth.
• Investment in infrastructure. This will reduce regional disparities, ensure inclusion, and promote sustainability. Infra spending for the environment, water, sanitation, forests, energy, climate change, housing, and transportation is essential..
• The contribution of the super-rich: Bill Gates and Warren Buffet began a global campaign called the ‘Giving Pledge’ for the superrich to donate more than half their wealth in order to benefit the public.

Dynamics of rich people across globe

• World: As of 2023, more than 235 super rich people in 28 countries have committed $600 billion for public good.
• Advanced countries, there is a specific inheritance tax for transferring wealth to the next generation, with rates like 55% in Japan, 50% in South Korea, 45% in France, and 40% in the United States. This tax applies only to the very wealthy and substantial asset transfers.
• India: Several people in India have proposed this tax. According to the World Inequality Lab, India’s top 1% share of national income is among the highest globally, and the country is now more unequal than it was under British rule.

Goal of inclusion and equity

• The need for resources: This isn’t about raising taxes on the middle class or wealthy; it’s about finding resources to lift millions out of poverty and joblessness while promoting production, efficiency, quality, inclusion, sustainability, dignity, and justice.

• The need is for analysis and debate: not for inventing falsehoods to cause a scare. India has already lifted millions out of poverty, more efforts are needed.
• The  purpose is inclusion, equity and sustainability: to lift millions out of poverty.
• Economics: The new economics is all about moving from “economies of scope and scale” to “economy of purpose”. Discussions on fiscal and other measures should be understood within this context.

Future Indian strategies for resilience in uncertain times

• The need is for reflection and a policy framework: that can ensure growth with justice and hope, by looking at and debating every possible option available through learning from global experience and drawing on India’s creative and innovative abilities.
• Managing Globalisation: Some view globalization and market liberalization as simple solutions rather than strategies requiring vigilance and constant adjustments. Past global market upheavals, the COVID-19 pandemic, and conflicts in Europe and West Asia highlight the costs of globalization
• The Gandhian model of development: With a focus on decentralisation, local needs, local talent, local resources, local production and “small is beautiful” makes huge sense in a hyper-connected world in order to ensure local employment and prosperity in India.
• Investment in small and medium-sized enterprises and local innovations: is important to network to scale for global markets.
• Efforts by Banking system: Unfortunately, banks prefer large loans to big companies as opposed to small loans to SMEs. This must change with digital technology for financial services.
• Catering the districts: India’s 800 districts can each become production centers with unique resources and talents, leading to 800 digital platforms for supply chains, logistics, and markets.

Conclusion

In an AI-dominated future, job opportunities will still arise in food, education, health services, tourism, and manufacturing. Young Indian talent will play a key role in the global workforce. This issue is thus about assessing progress in terms of human and technology development and a new economic model based on decentralisation and digital platforms to network needs and change consumption patterns and behaviours. The future definitely lies in a new tech economic model to deliver on inclusion, basic human needs, decentralisation, conservation and non-violence. The future also lies in a change in lifestyle that values happiness from “sharing and caring” as opposed to a “vulgarity of conspicuous consumption”. India can play a leading role with youths active participation and ensure and inclusive growth.