Thanks, Trump-ji for the push we needed

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https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/opinion/et-editorial/mind-your-language-education-policy/articleshow/131727860.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

Synopsis

US attempts to control advanced AI model exports face challenges. This may push nations like India to develop their own AI capabilities. India’s strong ties to the US software sector mean it must consider diversifying its AI sourcing. Building sovereign AI offers strategic and economic advantages. India can achieve domestic AI resilience with its talent pool.

The Trump regime‘s attempt at controlling the export of Anthropic‘s most advanced AI models, Fable 5 and Mythos 5, may not play to script. The San Francisco-headquartered AI company threatened to disable the models if it is asked to keep access confined to US nationals. The company has a history of challenging the government. It has refused to allow the US military to use its AI models for autonomous warfare. It has also delayed the public release of Mythos, which can detect security flaws, until companies building critical software run conclusive tests with the AI model. This infrastructure is international, and denying access to non-Americans runs counter to Anthropic’s original intent.

However the developments turn, expansion of US export controls from hardware to software will force countries to seriously rethink AI sourcing. India is particularly affected because of its strong linkages to the US software industry through manpower and data. Indian engineers help build AI models, which then train on Indian data. Denial of access to frontier technologies will provoke diversification as well as localisation. India anyway needs sovereign AI because of its cultural diversity and need to protect data. It also has a talent pool that can drive indigenisation. But it will have to depend on advanced US semiconductors to build its foundation AI models.

Domestic AI resilience is within the reach of many countries, including India. Locally-owned AI infrastructure, data and models can scale up surprisingly fast. Strategic and economic benefits of sovereign AI are already shaping market behaviour, with a little help from the government. This has a bearing on policy responses of AI leaders as the race becomes crowded. The hyperscale US model requires a global market for its AI innovations. The state-led Chinese model also depends on overseas customers. India needs to keep its sourcing options open as it builds domestic AI capability. It pays to have friends all over in this game.