India's AI revolution: Pioneering a global paradigm shift

In a groundbreaking revelation, the potential of Generative AI (GenAI) in India's pharmaceutical sphere is illuminated.

 This cutting-edge AI paradigm not only promises to revolutionize drug development but also positions India's pharmaceutical industry for global leadership.

India is already a stalwart in generic drugs and low-cost vaccines, yet it grapples with limitations in value production, ranking a distant 14th internationally.

GenAI presents a unique opportunity for Indian pharma companies to enhance their position across the entire drug development process, addressing crucial challenges such as resource scarcity and the complexity of progressing drugs beyond early clinical trials (Phase II).

This technology emerges as a game-changer, offering a beacon of hope for sustained industry growth and competitiveness, particularly in comparison to major pharmaceutical companies in the US and Europe.

Drug discovery is a slow and expensive process, and both China and India face similar challenges. China has recently seen a breakthrough using artificial intelligence. Insilico Medicine, a biotech startup based in Hong Kong, has achieved a world-first: a drug candidate developed entirely with AI.

This "Gen AI" drug is now in human clinical trials. Throughout the preclinical stages, Insilico's AI identified a target molecule, designed new drug candidates, assessed how well they bind to the target, and even predicted outcomes of clinical trials.

This highlights the potential of AI tools like AlphaFold, developed by DeepMind (a subsidiary of Google). AlphaFold predicts protein structures, a crucial step in drug design. Another promising tool is Nvidia's BioNeMo, which helps pharmaceutical companies build and use AI models for drug discovery. BioNeMo can even reduce or replace the need for some experiments, making the process faster and cheaper. Even American companies like Recursion Pharmaceuticals use AlphaFold, highlighting its significance in the field.

India is a major Asian innovator and a global magnet for tech talent, making it a key player in the coming AI revolution. This is especially interesting because India is the world's largest democracy. As India explores AI, it will not only change its own technological landscape but also provide valuable examples for other countries.

India's massive population of 1.4 billion people is already familiar with AI, with a recent Microsoft study showing that 90% of Indians already use AI in their daily lives. In fact, most Indians believe AI will make life easier (79%) and help them advance in their careers (76%).

Artificial intelligence (AI) was a major focus at the Global Technology Summit (GTS) 2023. Indian government officials highlighted the importance of creating policies that both encourage and regulate AI development. Industry leaders, on the other hand, presented practical applications for AI technology. Interestingly, international policymakers even discussed the potential for India's approach to AI governance to serve as a model for other countries.

The Indian government is at the forefront of using AI for social good. They've developed applications for disease detection, improving agriculture, and even promoting languages. This approach is attracting attention - the World Bank praised India's use of digital infrastructure to expand financial access.

India's national AI strategy, focused on both innovation and social welfare, is valuable for developing countries. This focus is being shared globally. At the G20 summit, India advocated for a pro-innovation approach to AI governance.

Later, at the AI summit they hosted, the concept of "collaborative AI" was formed, where countries agreed to share AI resources with developing nations.

India is diving headfirst into the world of AI with a positive and excited outlook. While some places worry about the potential downsides of AI, Indians are overwhelmingly confident that it will improve many aspects of their lives. This optimism is a key reason why India has the potential to become a world leader in AI.

India is working hard to be a leader in using AI for defence. India's journey into using AI for defence started in 2018 with the creation of two key organizations: the Defence AI Council and the Defence AI Project Agency. This was followed by a focus on developing 75 specific AI projects in 2022. India has already shown its AI capabilities in military exercises, such as with an AI-controlled swarm of drones in 2021.

Other classified projects involve predicting atmospheric conditions and analyzing imagery. While there are challenges in getting research and development projects completed on time, government entities like Bharat Electronics Limited and DRDO are crucial players. Reforms are being considered for DRDO to improve collaboration with universities and smaller businesses.

Internationally, India is working with the U.S. and Israel, and exploring partnerships with European nations. This shows a clear effort to leverage AI for defence, but India must also navigate international trade regulations. A major question mark is the long-term impact of AI on regional stability, especially considering India's nuclear doctrine and tensions with China and Pakistan.

 The upcoming national security strategy, expected after the 2024 elections, should provide more clarity on India's long-term AI defence plans and shape the future of this developing field.

India is carefully invested into AI for things like cyber defence, training simulations, and autonomous weapons. They are also using AI to guard their borders and keep track of what's happening underwater. India wants to use AI to stop terrorism before it happens. They are working with both private companies and government groups to develop this technology. To help them build a strong AI system for defence, India is partnering with countries like the United States and Israel.

They are also considering working with France, Italy, and the UK. India is still figuring out exactly how AI will affect national security, but they are expected to come up with more details in their upcoming national security strategy.

As India translates AI principles into policy, three key factors need consideration. First, data. While India prioritizes data sharing for innovation, the lack of structured data in local languages creates bias. India should focus on making digital content more accessible and collaborate internationally for representative AI models.

Second, compute power, or "compute," is crucial but faces challenges. To ensure smooth AI development, India needs a scalable, self-sufficient, and sustainable "compute stack." This requires measuring current compute capacity and needs to inform decisions on local semiconductor production.

 Additionally, India should evaluate proposals for democratizing access to compute. Finally, the debate on AI models is whether to use small, open-source models or large, proprietary ones. While there's room for both, India's historical open-source software policy suggests a potential preference for open models. This is a key strategic decision for India's AI future.

There are important lessons the rest of the world can learn from India's approach to AI. First, India is including everyone. People from all walks of life are using AI there, showing that these tools should be accessible to everyone and benefit all parts of society. Second, India is making progress with AI even though they have some challenges with infrastructure and economic differences within the country.

This shows that it's possible to be creative and adaptable and still make advancements in AI. India is also working together – the government, businesses, universities, and new startups are all collaborating on AI. This teamwork helps create new ideas, speed up research, and allows a strong entrepreneurial spirit to flourish – a model that can be followed by other countries. Finally, India is making sure AI is developed ethically.

They are creating guidelines to address privacy concerns, prevent bias in AI systems, and ensure someone is accountable for how AI is used. By prioritizing ethics, India is setting a good example for how AI should be implemented around the world.

In harnessing the transformative power of Generative AI (GenAI), India's pharmaceutical prowess is set to soar, transcending global barriers and paving the way toward unparalleled leadership.

Beyond pharmaceuticals, India's inclusive approach to AI, marked by collaborative partnerships and ethical frameworks, serves as a beacon for global innovation. As India navigates the intricate realm of AI, it not only pioneers technological advancements but also upholds inclusivity, creativity, and ethical stewardship. With unwavering determination and visionary leadership, India stands at the forefront of the global AI revolution, shaping a future where innovation serves humanity's highest aspirations.

*Dr. Divya Rani is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social Sciences at BHU, Varanasi. She is the Principal Investigator of an AI-related project.