Navigating AI’s Potential for Social Change
The rapid advancements in AI over the past few years have been remarkable. "The Promise of AI: Building a Better World" discussion held by Columbia Global Center Mumbai on July 9, explored the far-reaching impact of AI across sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, education, finance, and conflict prevention. The event emphasized the need for ethical frameworks, contextual regulations, and cultural adaptability.
Practical applications in agriculture, healthcare, and education
Sashikumar Sreedharan, chief operating officer at Google Cloud Asia Pacific, highlighted AI’s ability to bridge the gap between literacy and intellect, enabling the revolutionization of education by providing AI tutors and advisors to address challenges such as teacher shortages and multilingual instruction.
Panelists discussed the digital innovations in the evolving healthcare landscape. For instance, AI tools have improved adherence to medication and lifestyle guidelines among cardiac patients, said Kushe Bahl, partner and lead at McKinsey and Company.
Additionally, AI is making significant strides in agriculture. Sreedharan highlighted the innovations in micro weather prediction and livestock management that leverage data analytics. He emphasized the importance of micro data collection, especially in a diverse farming landscape like India.
Skills across the value chain
The panel addressed the evolving skill sets required in the age of AI. According to Sreedharan, the roles in AI will vary across the value chain, with 65% of the roles focusing on building neural networks and engines, while another 25% requiring a combination of computer science and domain knowledge.
Talking about the future of work and new human capabilities required to leverage AI, Ashok Krish, global head of consulting AI, TCS, said, “We are being impressed by a very early stage version of this AI, rather than being depressed by the quality of jobs (in the knowledge economy). The fact that a simple next-word predictor is able to do something for which we have job roles today is something that we have to think about.”
Ethical and regulatory frameworks
The panel also discussed the significance of regulatory frameworks. Dr Paige Arthur, director of global programming at Columbia Global, stressed on the need for frameworks tailored to specific contexts to foster innovation while protecting societal interests.
In conclusion, the panel established that AI serves as an augmentative tool rather than a replacement and requires significant cultural shifts within organizations to preserve core values while becoming more agile.