Author's): INCREDIBLE
Originally published in Towards Artificial Intelligence.
We provide data; they own the models. Deciphering the vast gap between India's dreams of an “AI superpower” and reality
A few days ago, I received a notification that I can use the latest version of Gemini 3 Pro LLM for free for the next 18 months worth Rs. 32000 by activating it through my Jio SIM card. Previously, Perplexity and OpenAI offered similar freebies to Indian users. Initially, I was excited about these free offers, but now I'm a little skeptical. Perhaps I am a product, or rather an experiment, for those technological giants who offer their flagship products for free. This skepticism led me to do some detailed research on this topic, and the results are quite disturbing.
The article examines the concept of digital colonialism, highlighting how major US technology companies dominate the Indian AI landscape by exploiting local resources and data. It discusses cases of digital imperialism affecting vulnerable populations, such as the control of food aid through digital frameworks, and references the Cambridge Analytica scandal to show the potential for data misuse. The author highlights the need for India to develop a sovereign AI framework to regain control of its digital future in the face of these challenges, reflecting on investment gaps and tackling existing power dynamics in the AI ecosystem.
Read the entire blog for free on Medium.
Published via Towards AI
