Ethics must be in the driving seat of the tech transformation
I once joked that not even God could navigate India’s chaotic roads. Yet technology has rushed in where deities fear to tread. Autonomous vehicles are being tested on the mean streets of the world’s most populous nation. The remarkable sight of an SUV worming through the unpredictable madness of suburban India shows that far from being the last frontier for driverless cars, India should perhaps be the first. “This is the most complex that it can get for an autonomous vehicle,” says Sanjeev Sharma, chief executive of Swaayatt Robots. “If you’re able to build it here, this technology is universal.”
Now swing the lens to that other quintessential Indian commotion: the wedding. Drones have become the first name on the guestlist, taking extraordinary footage of lavish festivities from 50ft aloft. The archetypal overzealous family photographer is being replaced by cool airborne robots. And the results are better. At last, the color and magic of Indian nuptials can be done justice – many drone videos are worthy of Bollywood.
Technology is – to a great extent – fun. When time is saved and convenience enhanced, people gain more time to enjoy themselves. The advent of cashless transactions, where India is again a pioneer, has saved on fuss and opened markets in the remotest spots. “No cash,” says the roadside trader. “No problem.” He brandishes a QR code and the transaction is complete.
Yet behind south Asia’s remarkable lifestyle transformation lies a grand opportunity. Technology is democratizing healthcare, allowing medical diagnoses to reach every corner of the republic. This column has in the past declared an interest: I am developing Vionix, which aims to revolutionize healthcare with inexpensive, instant diagnostics. Imagine an India – and a wider world – where every disease can be detected with just a small sample of human fluid or even a single breath.
Renewable energy projects are turning India’s sunshine surplus into cool-air credit. Green-powered aircon is making life, and business, better in the heat. And by harnessing its vast renewable resources, India progresses to energy security – and towards independence.
Yet India faces a trilemma as technology transforms it. Does innovation have the potential to benefit everyone equally? What are the risks and unintended consequences? Does it promote autonomy or dependency?
These three questions drive to the heart of technological ethics. They are pertinent to technologies such as autonomous vehicles and AI-powered diagnostics. Better access to healthcare comes with the risk of greater bias in diagnosis. The march towards a cashless society prompts concerns of digital exclusion and cyber-insecurity. There is a light, bright, easier future. There is also a darker path. The way India answers its trilemma will determine its course.
The risks are clear and present. Drones can deliver life-saving supplies. Yet they can also be weaponized as robotic spies, invading the privacy of freeborn citizens. AI’s promise of personalization can reinforce biases into its algorithms. Outcomes – and advice – reinforce the prejudices of those who feed it. The digital divide – where the young embrace cashless transactions while the old are suspicious of it – is real.
None of these things should hold India back. But it must be aware of the trilemma and work to solve the conundrum at the core of technological advancement. When change is rapid, it can divide where it should unite, confuse where it should clarify, and control where it should liberate.
The world’s biggest democracy is at the vanguard of this ethical challenge: where it leads, the world will likely follow. Not even God could navigate India’s roads. Mere mortals must now solve its technological trilemma.
Vivek Wadhwa is author of The Immigrant Exodus: Why America Is Losing the Global Race to Capture Entrepreneurial Talent
