Governing Artificial Intelligence in an Age of Inequality

Padmashree Gehl Sampath

Global Policy, 2021, vol. 12, issue S6, 21-31

Abstract: This article seeks to position both AI‐based activities, and related policy developments, in the global South in light of a technology industry with desires for continuous expansion and self‐governance. The article proceeds along three themes. First, using field interviews and related information (in an anonymised manner), the article classifies expanding AI activities in several core sectors by businesses, governments and other agencies in the global South into three categories. Next, it reviews the current AI policy priorities and positions in developing countries, showing how the introduction of AI has been punctuated by considerations of digital cannibalization by large firms from the North at the expense of a full‐fledged debate on privacy and data protection. By showing how AI exemplifies structural inequality in the global South, the article identifies four critical departure points in developing countries that make the expanding use of AI a matter of concern. While many of challenges posed by AI are somewhat universal, the article argues that their ramifications can be much worse in the global South. Countering these will require policy frameworks that factor in privacy protection in a more accountable manner. It concludes with suggestions for a more nuanced debate on industrialisation, privacy protection and development.

Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://doi.org/10.1111/1758-5899.12940

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:bla:glopol:v:12:y:2021:i:s6:p:21-31

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.blackwell ... bs.asp?ref=1758-5880

Access Statistics for this article

Global Policy is currently edited by David Held, Patrick Dunleavy and Eva-Maria Nag

More articles in Global Policy from London School of Economics and Political Science Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Wiley Content Delivery ().