GS Analyst: Daily Current Affairs

Context –

London Summit is likely to lay out some important markers for the unfolding global discourse on AI regulation.

Global Summit for AI Governance:

• The London Summit hosted by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak aims to regulate the ethical and secure use of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
• It brings together global leaders and industry stalwarts to discuss the broad spectrum of AI governance, limiting participation to around 100 attendees to facilitate in-depth deliberations.

Context and Varied Global Efforts:

• The summit holds symbolic significance at Bletchley Park, the birthplace of early AI research.
• While the US, China, and the EU are actively proposing regulatory frameworks for AI, Britain aspires to become a major player in the AI development landscape.
• The intent is to create a framework for AI safety and security while acknowledging AI's potential.

Challenges and Diverse Viewpoints:

• The primary challenge lies in balancing innovation and regulation in AI. Various stakeholders, from civil society groups to tech companies, hold contrasting opinions.
• While some advocate for stringent regulations or a ban on AI development, others emphasize preventing over-regulation to nurture innovation.
• The summit's aim to identify 'frontier AI' is met with criticism, as it sidelines immediate concerns like algorithmic biases present in current AI technologies.

Future Implications and Global Dialogue:

• The London Summit holds the potential to establish crucial standards and pave the way for global dialogues on AI governance.
• As emerging economies like India also seek to play a role in this domain, the summit becomes a central platform for defining the future of AI regulations worldwide.

Context – Concerns over the Andhra government’s rush to implement new initiatives.

Embracing English and Financial Investment

• Andhra Pradesh changed its schools to teach in English and restructured them into different categories.
• The state spent a lot of money, around ?63,000 crore, on improving 45,000 government schools.
• The government introduced helpful programs like Jagananna Amma Vodi, offering financial aid to increase the number of students in schools.

Challenges in Implementing Education Reforms

• Criticism from teachers and experts about reforms -
  • Unhappy about the quick and costly implementation of the reforms
  • Lack of appropriate and not enough training for teachers.
• Some new decisions, such as training Class 3 students for the TOEFL test and collaborating with the International Baccalaureate (IB), were disputed by the Jana Sena Party (JSP).
  • The JSP said the projects seemed like a scam and raised concerns about the validity of the tests and the cost of introducing the IB syllabus.

Addressing the Need for a Strategic Approach

• The government wants to offer good education to kids from poorer families.
• However, its plans lack coherence and seem rushed, without considering the existing system.
• There's a need for a more organized approach before taking on big international projects. The government should focus on making elementary schools stronger before jumping into larger plans.

Context –

 As per UN report, the use of technologies that allow people to monitor the water available in their borewells could be the first step to nudge them to manage aquifers responsibly.

State of Aquifers:

• A recent UN University report warns that 27 out of 31 aquifers in India are declining faster than they can be refilled.
• Earlier studies, such as the Mihir Shah Committee report, highlighted a lack of understanding of river systems and their connection to groundwater health.
• Initiatives like the Atal Bhujal Yojana in 78 water-stressed districts were launched by the Union Jal Shakti Ministry to address the issue. This program, which began in 2020, aims at behavioral changes in seven states but requires further efforts to combat the crisis.

Groundwater Overuse in India:

• India extracts the most groundwater globally, relying on tubewells and borewells for about 70% of its water needs.
• While these sources supported food security, there's been a lack of emphasis on innovative water management practices.
• The overexploitation of wells in states like Punjab has been linked to power subsidies, contributing to 78% of wells being overexploited.

Connection to Climate Crisis and Behavioral Changes:

• Researchers correlate groundwater extraction to the climate crisis, especially in regions like the southwest, where hard rock aquifers limit recharging.
• Government efforts to promote less water-intensive crops like millets and efficient irrigation methods have been ongoing.
• To encourage responsible aquifer management, promoting technology that allows individuals to monitor their borewells could prompt essential behavioral changes.