AI will enhance, not replace, human creativity in India

Shashi Shekhar Vempati, Chairperson of the Apex Advisory at India’s Department of Science and Technology, believes that human creativity will remain essential despite the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI). He shared his insights on AI's role in the media industry and the broader job landscape in a recent interview. Vempati pointed out that issues like creative copyrights are significant in the media space. There are ongoing court cases about how AI models are trained and their impact on the rights of human creators. He expects regulatory measures to address these concerns. He also emphasized that true creativity is inherently human. He stated that creative content requires a personal touch, which machines cannot fully replicate. While AI will change job markets, especially in IT, Vempati noted that many roles will still need human input. Low-level tasks like software testing and quality assurance will be most affected. However, AI advancements in software development are likely to make the process more efficient and cost-effective. Vempati highlighted opportunities for Indian IT in areas like enriching datasets to make them suitable for AI. This could evolve from previous trends in IT outsourcing. He discussed how India's focus on AI is influenced by societal needs, particularly in addressing language barriers. Several initiatives aim to improve AI capabilities in various Indian languages. He mentioned collaborations among institutions and startups that are working on different AI models, from language translation to healthcare applications. However, challenges remain, such as securing funding and accessing public datasets. Vempati’s organization, AI4India.Org, is promoting data sharing among Indian entities to support AI development responsibly. Ultimately, he stressed the importance of integrating AI throughout various sectors of the economy to enhance benefits in healthcare, education, and governance.