27 Aug AI and Bridging the Digital Divide in India

In my bustling office at Patna, Bihar, I found myself immersed in a high-pressured environment, where quick turnarounds of documents were the norm. My role focused on developing strategy and business, often requiring the completion of proposals and reports under tight deadlines, sometimes overnight. That’s when AI, particularly ChatGPT, revolutionized my workflow.

ChatGPT not only enhanced the efficiency of my document preparation but also ensured quality. I could swiftly organize my thoughts, edit grammar, and even adhere to specific character or word limits for proposals. This AI tool significantly improved my writing abilities, setting me apart from others. However, users must be vigilant to ensure it retains the intended meaning and focus.

An interesting challenge arose with a grant opportunity to develop a proposal for an Agriculture Information Exchange Platform utilizing AI for farmers in Bihar and Kenya. The pivotal question was how to make this information accessible to illiterate women, a demographic often doubly marginalized compared to their male counterparts. Our solution? Audio-based bots in local languages, specifically targeting women by partnering with government institutions and platforms for data inputs. According to the India Inequality Report 2022 by Oxfam, there’s a stark digital divide in the country:

• Indian women are 15% less likely to own a mobile phone and 33% less likely to use mobile internet than men.
• States like Maharashtra, Goa, and Kerala lead in internet penetration, whereas Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand lag behind.
• The likelihood of access to a computer is more for the General and OBC groups than for the SC and ST populations.
• The difference between the general category and ST is as high as 7% to 8% between 2018 and 2021.
• Among all religions, Sikhs have the highest likelihood of having a computer followed by Christians, Hindus and last Muslims.

This divide is not just a matter of technology but also involves geography, gender, caste, and religion. The pandemic further exposed these disparities as children in Bihar’s government schools missed educational opportunities due to the lack of online resources, a scenario hard to imagine for those with uninterrupted access to digital education. Primary education is considered a fundamental right in India, yet there are groups of people who lack or are systematically denied this opportunity. For these marginalized groups, access to digital technology and AI remains a distant reality.

ChatGPT, a widely used AI tool, represents a broader shift in technological applications. Elon Musk, discussing the potential of AI, expressed his anticipation of a ‘ChatGPT moment’ in the context of Tesla’s Cybertruck market demand (Tesla partners with Cadence to design the Cybertruck’s Full Self Driving (FSD) and DOJO AI supercomputer chips). This shift raises critical questions about the future of jobs, like those in the driving sector, amidst growing automation. Imagine if services like Ola and Uber in India transitioned to self-driving cars; what would become of the hundreds or thousands of drivers currently employed?

While automation initially focused on repetitive tasks, AI is now expanding into roles that involve decision-making. Our challenge lies in navigating this evolving landscape to ensure that technological advancements do not exacerbate the digital divide but instead bridge the gap across all societal sectors, particularly for the most marginalized.

This trend also impacts human interactions, already influenced by smartphones. Advancements in AI, such as self-driving cars, will further diminish the need for human assistance in driving. In the future, you might not need a spouse or friend to drive you if you don’t know how to drive. Additionally, as 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 highlights, God has restored our relationship with Him through Christ and has given us the ministry of restoring relationships. However, that’s precisely the cost AI may exact from us: our relationships. I believe there will be a tipping point when people will yearn for human contact after AI has become pervasive, making it important to consider what the human race will have to sacrifice before we reach that point.

AI is set to transform the world, but it needs diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and voices to guide its development and implementation. A recent controversy with Google’s AI model Gemini, which struggled to accurately depict white people based on prompts, highlights this need. As generative AI advances, it raises ethical and social questions about the responsibilities and implications of creating and using such technologies.

To address the AI divide in places like India, a comprehensive approach is necessary, encompassing government initiatives, private sector involvement, and community engagement. Key strategies include:

1. Infrastructure Development: Expanding internet connectivity to rural and remote areas is fundamental. Government initiatives, often in partnership with private companies, are crucial for building necessary infrastructure.

2. Affordable Access to AI Tools: Making AI tools and technologies affordable and accessible through open-source platforms, economical AI services for small businesses, and educational and non-profit subsidies is essential. Subsidies or affordable plans can significantly aid low-income households.

3. Local Content and Language: Enhancing digital inclusivity involves creating content in diverse Indian languages, making the internet more accessible and relevant.

4. Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs): Collaborations between governments and private companies can expedite the digital inclusion process by combining governmental reach and authority with private sector innovation and efficiency.

5. Focus on AI for Social Good: AI applications in healthcare, education, environmental protection, and humanitarian efforts can ensure that AI advancements address broader societal needs.

6. Supporting Local Innovations: Encouraging local startups and innovators to develop AI solutions tailored to their communities can effectively address region-specific challenges.

7. Focus on Vulnerable Groups: Prioritizing vulnerable or marginalized groups, like women and certain social and religious groups, with tailored programs can enhance their access and usability of digital technologies.

Addressing the AI divide is critical, not just for equitable access to technology but also for shaping a future where AI is a tool for societal enhancement rather than a source of increased disparity.

Abraham Dennyson Koilmani, holds a B.Tech, MBA, and PGD in Public Health Nutrition. He currently serves as an Associate Director at PCI, India, lives in Patna, Bihar. He promotes the concept of Business as Mission. He supports entrepreneurial start-ups, and fosters a community health network in Bihar. He is married to Savita Dennyson and blessed with a son, Yannis Abhishek and a daughter, Shana. He can be reached at abraham.dennyson@gmail.com.