Artificial general intelligence could reboot India’s prospects
₹10,000 crore across five years for AI development. It will support AI super-computing infrastructure accessible to startups, academia and industry. As India joins the AI race, we must it prepare for the next evolutionary leap that is Artificial General Intelligence (AGI).
Unlike AI designed to do specific tasks, AGI can generalize its understanding and reasoning to solve any problem, including those it has not been specifically programmed for. That means AGI can perform any intellectual task that a human being can, with similar cognitive flexibility. In healthcare, for example, an AGI system could monitor individual health metrics in real time, predict potential problems and coordinate customized preventative care and treatments.
In an ideal AGI world, cities would operate with optimized energy use and minimal waste, while global challenges such as climate change are tackled through predictive modelling and advanced engineering solutions. While this promises a leap in efficiency and capability, it necessitates stringent safeguards against potential misuses such as surveillance overreach and autonomous weaponry, ensuring that AGI serves to enhance rather than undermine human autonomy and equity. While the probability of developing AGI within the next five years might be low (estimates range from 10% to 50%), its risks should not be underestimated.
Just as a 10% chance of an asteroid colliding with Earth would trigger global preparedness, AGI demands as much attention. We must prepare for an AGI-driven economy that may radically transform job markets and economic structures. It is also imperative to safely integrate AGI with India’s defence strategy.
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