"Debate Grows on How India Should Adopt and Diffuse AI"
General-purpose technology
a technology like electricity or the internet that transforms many sectors of the economy
Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)
shared, open digital systems like Aadhaar and UPI that others can build services on
Artificial Intelligence is often discussed as a race to build the most powerful models. Trillions of dollars are going into chips, data centres and computing power. But a general-purpose technology is a technology, like electricity or the internet, that transforms many sectors rather than just one. History shows that a general-purpose technology spreads most value through downstream adoption, not only its creators. The firms and countries that use a technology well, adapting it to local needs, often gain more than the original inventors.
India's experience offers a useful comparison. Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) is shared, open digital systems like Aadhaar and UPI that any business or citizen can build on. These platforms show how technology, strong institutions, and the right market incentives can work together. They have lowered costs, widened access to services, and created a base on which private companies built new products. The World Bank's World Development Report 2026, titled 'The Promise of Artificial Intelligence', argues that AI can support growth and better public services in developing countries. But this happens mainly by solving real problems at scale, not by winning the race to build frontier models.
This framing matters for India. India is already one of the fastest-growing major economies. It has repeatedly shown that it can roll out digital technology to very large populations. Platforms like Aadhaar for identity and UPI for payments prove this. The AI debate is now asking whether this same model of scale and shared infrastructure can work for AI tools as well.
A central worry about AI is job loss. The evidence so far suggests a more complex picture. Only 4.5% of existing jobs in low- and middle-income countries are highly exposed to automation by generative AI. This compares with 14.2% in high-income countries. A further 16.2% of jobs in developing countries could see real productivity gains from AI. This is close to the 18.7% estimated for advanced economies. This suggests that for most workers in developing countries, AI is likely to complement human work rather than replace it, at least in the near term. AI helps people do their jobs faster or better.
Two real challenges stand in the way of India benefiting fully. The first is concentration. …
Consider the following statements regarding the World Bank's 'World Development Report 2026':
1.It estimates that jobs in low- and middle-income countries are more exposed to automation by generative AI than jobs in high-income countries.
2.It argues that the largest economic gains from AI for developing countries are likely to come from applying AI to practical problems rather than building frontier models.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
With reference to India's AI and digital ecosystem, consider the following pairs:
1.Bharat VISTAAR — Digital platform for farmers
2.UPI — Open digital payments architecture
3.ANRF — Fund for deep-tech private equity investment
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
Which of the following platforms is cited as an example of India's 'Digital Public Infrastructure' that enabled innovation through an open architecture avoiding dependence on a single provider?
Which of the following best explains why AI is expected to mostly complement, rather than replace, workers in developing countries in the near term?
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