Artificial

Intelligence (AI)

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

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Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the ability of machines to perform cognitive tasks like
thinking, perceiving, learning, problem solving and decision making. Initially conceived as a
technology that could mimic human intelligence, AI has evolved in ways that far exceed its
original conception. With incredible advances made in data collection, processing and
computation power, intelligent systems can now be deployed to take over a variety of tasks,
enable connectivity and enhance productivity. As AI’s capabilities have dramatically expanded,
so have its utility in a growing number of fields.

Types of AI
 Software: virtual assistants, image analysis software, search engines, speech and face
recognition systems.

 “Embodied” AI: robots, autonomous cars, drones, Internet of Things.

Applications of Artificial Intelligence

 AGRICULTURE: AI has a major role to play in driving a food revolution and meeting the
increased demand for food. Applied AI addresses challenges such as lack of assured
irrigation, inadequate demand prediction, excess use of pesticides, fertilizers, and
fungicides. Some uses include improved crop production through advanced detection of
pest attacks, prediction of crop prices, and real-time advisory. AI applications in
agriculture have developed applications and tools which help farmers in inaccurate and
controlled farming by providing proper guidance to farmers about water management,
crop rotation, timely harvesting, type of crop to be grown, optimum planting, pest control
etc.

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 TRANSPORT, LOGISTICS AND SMART MOBILITY: AI could improve the safety, speed and
efficiency of rail traffic by minimising wheel friction, maximising speed and enabling
autonomous driving. This domain mainly includes various autonomous and semi-
autonomous features, for example, monitoring and maintaining a predictive engine along
with driver-assist. Other applications of AI include improved traffic management,
autonomous trucking, and delivery.

 ONLINE SHOPPING AND RETAIL: Being one of the early adopters of AI solutions, it
provides applications such as developing user experience by personalized suggestions,
image-based product searches, and preference-based browsing. Other uses include
customer demand anticipation, improved inventory management, and efficient delivery
management.

 HEALTH – Researchers are studying how to use AI to analyse large quantities of health data
and discover patterns that could lead to new discoveries in medicine and ways to improve
individual diagnostics. Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) backed by artificial intelligence
helps to treat neurological diseases and trauma to the nervous system, helps in developing
next generation radiology tools such as PET-SCAN, CT-SCANS etc.

 MANUFACTURING: It can enable ‘Factory of the Future’ through flexible and adaptable
technical systems to facilitate various processes and machinery to respond to unfamiliar or
unexpected situations by making smart decisions. Impact areas include engineering, supply
chain management, production, maintenance, quality assurance, and in-plant logistics and
warehousing.

 ENERGY: Potential use of Artificial Intelligence also includes modeling and forecasting of
the energy system to reduce unpredictability. Artificial Intelligence also focuses on
increasing the efficiency of power balancing and enabling the storage of energy in
renewable energy systems. This process uses smart meters to enable intelligent grids,
thus, improving the affordability and reliability of solar energy. Apart from these, AI may
also be deployed for predictive maintenance of grid infrastructure.

 SMART CITIES: Incorporation of applied AI in developing cities could also help in meeting
the demands of a rapidly growing population and providing them with enhanced quality of
life. Traffic control for reducing congestion and enhanced security by providing improved
crowd management are some of the potential uses of AI systems.

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 EDUCATION AND SKILLING: AI plays a major role in the Indian education sector by
providing solutions for quality and access issues including augmentation and enhancement
of the learning experience through personalized learning, automating and expediting
administrative tasks, and predicting the need for student intervention to reduce dropouts
or recommend vocational training.

 WEB SEARCH: Search engines learn from the vast input of data, provided by their users
to provide relevant search results.

 DIGITAL PERSONAL ASSISTANTS: Smartphones use AI to provide services that are as

relevant and personalised as possible. Virtual assistants answering questions, providing
recommendations and helping organise daily routines have become ubiquitous.

 MACHINE TRANSLATIONS: Language translation software, either based on written or

spoken text, relies on artificial intelligence to provide and improve translations. This also
applies to functions such as automated subtitling.

 SMART HOMES, CITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE: Smart thermostats learn from our
behaviour to save energy, while developers of smart cities hope to regulate traffic to
improve connectivity and reduce traffic jams.

 CYBERSECURITY: AI systems can help recognise and fight cyberattacks and other cyber
threats based on the continuous input of data, recognising patterns and backtracking the
attacks.

Challenges of Artificial Intelligence

 Massive Data Centres Needed – Achieving the above mentioned objectives, AI requires
massive computational capacity, which means more power-hungry data centres and a big
carbon footprint.

 More Energy Consumption – According to studies, around 40 % of the total energy that
data centres consume goes to cooling IT equipment. Now, to reduce energy consumption,
companies are moving their data centres into cooler climates such as Siberia.

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 Jurisdictional Issues of Data Pooling – Countries are passing stricter legislations on data
security (Eg: EU GDPR) that require citizen data to be stored on servers located
domestically, picking colder climates beyond their borders is becoming a difficult option.

 Environmental Impact of Coolants used in Data Centres – The environmental impact

caused by data centres doesn’t stop at electrical consumption. Coolants are often made of
hazardous chemicals, and battery backups at data centres – needed for when there are
power shortages – cause an environmental impact both due to mining for battery
components and the disposal of the toxic batteries afterward

 AI can displace the work force which forms the base of the Pyramid – Robotics and AI
companies are building intelligent machines that perform tasks typically carried out by low
-income workers: self-service kiosks to replace cashiers, fruit-picking robots to replace
field workers, etc.

 Creating New Inequalities – Without clear policies on reskilling workers, the promise of
new opportunities will in fact create serious new inequalities. Widens Gap between
developed countries. Use of AI to discriminate on grounds of Race, Religion, Gender,
Ethnicity etc.

 Privacy Issues – AI uses digital footprints and feeds them in their algorithm to exploit
commercially without our consent.

 AI Nudges our digital behaviour – Algorithms based on our past digital searches creates
and provides us with probable solutions or alternatives which we are looking for. Hence,
based on our digital footprints, AI is trying to mimic our preferences and even thought
perceptions.

 AI feeds on data provided by humans – Data for Algorithms are sub-consciously and
unconsciously provided by humans – and AI feeds on such data.

Niti Aayog – National Strategy for Artificial

Intelligence
AI has the potential to provide large incremental value to a wide range of sectors, adoption till
date has been driven primarily from a commercial perspective.

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Technology disruptions like AI are once-in-a generation phenomenon, and hence large-scale
adoption strategies, especially national strategies, need to strike a balance between narrow
definitions of financial impact and the greater good.

NITI Aayog has decided to focus on five sectors that are envisioned to benefit the most from
AI in solving societal needs:

 Healthcare: increased access and affordability of quality healthcare,

 Agriculture: enhanced farmers’ income, increased farm productivity and reduction of

wastage,

 Education: improved access and quality of education

 Smart Cities and Infrastructure: efficient and connectivity for the burgeoning urban
population, and

 Smart Mobility and Transportation: smarter and safer modes of transportation and
better traffic and congestion problems.

Challenges in Bringing Al in India

 Lack of broad based expertise in research and application of AI.

 Absence of enabling data ecosystems – access to intelligent data.

 High resource cost and low awareness for adoption of AI.

 Privacy and security, including a lack of formal regulations around anonymisation of data.

 Absence of collaborative approach to adoption and application of AI.

 Low intensity of AI research.

 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.

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Core Principle of Ensuring Al

 Principle of Safety and Reliability

 Principle of Equality

 Principle of Inclusivity and Non-discrimination

 Principle of Privacy and security

 Principle of Transparency

 Principle of Accountability

 Principle of protection and reinforcement of positive human values

Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence

(GPAI)
 In June 2020, India became a part of the GPAI.

 GPAI is an international and multi-stakeholder initiative to guide the responsible

development and use of AI, grounded in human rights, inclusion, diversity, innovation, and
economic growth.

 The grouping aims to bridge the gap between the theory and practice of AI.

 India’s AI strategy is known as “AI for All”.

 It focuses on responsible AI, building AI solutions at scale with an intent to make India the
AI garage of the world — a trusted nation to which the world can outsource AI-related
work.

 It emphasizes inclusive development through the use of AI technologies.

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Responsible AI for Youth Programme

 The programme’s aim is to give the young students a platform and empower them with
appropriate new-age tech mindset, relevant AI skill-sets and access to required AI tool-
sets to make them digitally ready for the future.

 Under this, selected students (of classes 8 to 12) from central/state government schools
from all over the country will attend online training sessions on AI, and how social impact
projects can be identified and created with the help of AI.

 Based on this, students will submit their solutions through videos, after which they will
receive relevant training and handholding to develop their ideas into fruition for showcase
on appropriate platforms.

Practice Questions

Q1. With reference to the Artificial Intelligence (AI), consider the following statements:

1. It refers to the ability of machines to perform cognitive tasks like thinking, perceiving,
learning, problem solving and decision making.

2. “Embodied” AI includes virtual assistants, image analysis software, search engines, speech
and face recognition systems.

Which of the statements given above is/are incorrect?

a. 1 only

b. 2 only

c. Both 1 and 2

d. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: B

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Q2. Artificial intelligence (AI) is having applications in which of the following areas?

1. Agriculture

2. Health

3. Education

4. Online shopping and retails

5. Cybersecurity

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

a. 1,2 and 3 only

b. 1,2,3 and 4 only

c. 1,2,3 and 5 only

d. 1,2,3,4 and 5

Answer: D

Q3. With reference to Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI), consider the
following statements:

1. It is an international and multi-stakeholder initiative to guide the responsible development

and use of AI, grounded in human rights, inclusion, diversity, innovation, and economic
growth.

2. India is not the founding member of this organisation.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a. 1 only

b. 2 only

c. Both 1 and 2

d. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: A

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