The Gavel Goes East: Why India is Crucial for Global AI Rules
Forget just 'having a seat at the table' – India's rapidly becoming the one setting the table, and possibly even designing the cutlery, for global AI governance. While the West debates ethics in ivory towers and China perfects surveillance tech, India brings a unique blend of massive scale, diverse societal needs, and burgeoning innovation that's desperately needed to prevent AI rules from becoming another form of digital colonialism. It's not about being *a* voice; it's about being *the* voice that ensures AI serves humanity, not just shareholders or states.
This isn't mere speculation; the numbers speak volumes. India, a nation of over 1.4 billion people, isn't just a demographic giant; it generates roughly 20% of the world's data – a veritable goldmine for AI development and ethical dilemmas alike. Coupled with having the second-largest AI talent pool globally and over 700 million digitally connected citizens, India presents an unparalleled laboratory for understanding AI's real-world impact across diverse socio-economic strata. Such scale and complexity offer critical insights that are indispensable for forging truly universal, equitable, and robust AI governance frameworks.
