India’s 2024 budget once again neglected the needs of Persons with Disabilities, allocating only 0.02% of the total budget for their welfare.
While increasing women’s participation in STEM is challenging, the state can activate private sector participation to enable entry and re-entry of women and girls in STEM education and occupations.
While several legal provisions already exist, it is challenging to execute what the law demands. We argue that tackling the deepfake menace requires an approach that not only improves detection, but also slows down the virality of content once it is flagged, while building the capacity of the audience to not fall prey to false narratives.
The Telecom Act 2023, in its current form, can be both – a shiny new phone with the same old software, or a revolutionary rocket that can turbocharge Bharat’s digital economy. Like Schrödinger’s cat, there is no way to know just yet.
There is no argument that workplaces need to accommodate biological differences between co-workers. However, it is arguable that a legal mandate for employer-funded menstrual leaves is the right course for India at this juncture. We need an all-of-society approach to ensure better conditions for menstruators in India.
As GPAI’s global chair, India has an opportunity to contribute progressively to the international AI governance discourse. This will require shifting away from traditional notions of command-and-control regulation premised on prescriptive compliance and liability.
India correctly identified women-led development as a priority during its G20 presidency. However, preventing GBV and acting against it is an absolute prerequisite for women to realise their full potential.
The engagement of women remains disproportionately low in India’s apprenticeship programs. There is an urgent need to reform these programs to make them women-friendly by creating appropriate infrastructure, providing access to mentorship, incentivising participation in male-dominated vocations, and encouraging a role-model approach towards skilling and apprenticeship.
While the need to regulate algorithmic decision-making is urgent, the effectiveness of mandating algorithmic transparency remains questionable. There is the issue of proprietary concerns. Companies may be hesitant to share such information because these algorithms often form the foundation of their business, as argued by Google when asked for more information about its algorithms by its shareholders.
The fast evolving nature of AI means that regulation should avoid prescriptions and instead embrace standards, strong institutions, and best practices which imbue openness, trust, and accountability.
Children can use platforms with parental consent but child users cannot be tracked, making safety measures hard to apply, even as the law’s exemptions could have unintended adverse effects.
Tackling the root causes of deprivation, investing in education, improving nutrition and food security, and accelerating access to clean energy can help transform the lives of millions.
