Technology as a national priority amid rising AI investments worldwide

Meity has seen 50% increase in the Budget. While the fund allocation is crucial, several policy measures will have to be taken to ensure that investment in advanced manufacturing systems increases

As major economies across the world deepen their investment in artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, the era of politicised technology has begun.

 

In recent months, when the biases in western AI models were called, the errors were attributed to lack of information and weak learn models. The errors in the recently revealed Chinese LLM Deepseek demonstrate an inescapable fact. AI-based platforms will be as biased as their makers want them to be. The role of government and private sector notwithstanding, AI models will largely reflect the world view of the country and society they are created in. Fragmentation and polarisation of LLMS is likely to accelerate in 2025.

 

 

Every country and government will want to ensure dominant control over their LLMs and technology platforms.

 

This realisation becomes important as countries like India embark on national technology programmes funded by government and private funds. In the latest budget, several new initiatives have been announced to strengthen India’s capabilities. A National Geospatial Mission will be launched to develop foundational geospatial infrastructure and data. A Deep Tech Fund of Funds to be explored to catalyse the next generation startups. 

 

As new jobs get impacted by tech platforms, new policies are being created to support gig workers. 

 

The finance ministry has announced that Gig workers will be provided identity cards and registration on e-Shram portal to track their financial well-being. For exports, a unified platform for trade documentation and financing will be created.

 

A national framework will be formulated as guidance to states for promoting Global Capability Centres in emerging tier 2 cities. This will suggest 16 measures for enhancing availability of talent and infrastructure, building bye-law reforms, and mechanisms for collaboration with industry, the budget has announced.

 

The government is also supporting the creation of a national LLM model in its Rs 10,370 crore IndiaAI Mission. A few companies have been selected to supply 18,693 graphics processing units or GPUs to boost national computer power.

 

While DeepSeek may have succeeded with fewer GPUs than OpenAI, the need for high chips will remain high for India’s needs. The need for small language models will also grow in an era of AI muscle flexing. India could learn from the steady and focused investment in technology capabilities by the United Arab Emirates.

 

In 2020, during the Covid-19 months, UAE decided that it must take the next leap forward by embracing emerging technologies of the fourth industrial revolution.

 

The leadership decided to create the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC). The objective was to establish a “vibrant research and development ecosystem that positions Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE as a key technology player on the world stage.” The aim of the ATRC is to support the country’s transformation into a knowledge-based economy. Later, ATRC set up the Technology Innovation Institute (TII), its dedicated applied research pillar. It was tasked to deliver discovery science and breakthrough technologies that have a global impact. Since then it has been working on a range of technologies which have various applications for society, business and governance.

 

India has increased the funds for the IndiaAI mission and also for the semiconductor sectors. The ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY) has received an almost 50 per cent increase in the budget to over Rs 26,000 crore. While the fund allocation is important, several policy measures will have to be taken to ensure that investment in advanced manufacturing systems increases. Technology has to be treated as a critical dimension of national economic security. And within that priority cyber security will require increased investment, fund allocation and institutional effort. The next phase of global competition is technology. India has to be prepared.