AI's rise: Progress, power, and ethical peril

Is AI shaping our future or stealing our humanity? This global race for AI supremacy risks sidelining the very essence of what makes us human

- SRINATH SRIDHARAN

healthcare, credit, or even justice, they wield moral authority far beyond their intended design. The societal consequences of these decisions demand scrutiny—scrutiny that technologists are neither trained nor equipped to provide.

Globally, attempts to regulate AI reveal a fragmented landscape. The European Union's AI Act is among the most comprehensive efforts, categorising AI systems by risk and enforcing strict requirements on high-risk applications. The US has taken a more sector-specific approach, while China, with its vast data resources, has embedded AI deeply into surveillance and state control. India, meanwhile, stands at a crossroads, attempting to balance aspirations for technological leadership with the need to address its unique challenges of data sovereignty.

In a country defined by its sheer size and complexity, how do we ensure fairness in AI systems when digital literacy and access are still uneven? How do we protect individual consent in a socio-economic environment where power dynamics are deeply entrenched? These are questions that must inform India's regulatory frameworks.