Rohit Adlakha brings over 15 years of experience in driving transformational success, profitability, and effectiveness. As a member of the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Artificial Intelligence, he regularly advises board executives, management teams, partner networks, and regulatory organizations. In this second instalment of the interview series, Mr. Adlakha delves into how governments and private sectors are pushing AI forward and looks at distinctive aspects of AI development compared to common software engineering practices. You can check out the first part of our interview series over here.
In terms of the journey, how does AI differ from traditional software development?
You know, AI is a fascinating field as it’s quite different from traditional software like ERP or CRM implementations. With traditional software, it’s comparatively easy to estimate the scope, features, cost, and timeline. But AI? Well, it’s a bit more unpredictable and there are no guaranteed outcomes.
Developing AI involves training it using machine learning, which can be quite data-hungry, not to mention the vast number of parameters involved — take GPT-4 for example – it is rumored to be trained on around 100 trillion parameters. AI is more like an ever-evolving journey, constantly refining itself and its outcomes.
The world of AI is totally different, and that’s what makes it so exciting for us thought leaders in exploring its possibilities!
What’s the potential of AI to improve public administration for governments?
I believe that the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve public administration is significant. However, it also comes with its fair share of challenges that need to be addressed.
One of the major concerns is the potential job displacement due to AI, which can lead to mistrust among people. With over 75 million jobs estimated to be affected, and 125 million new jobs to be created, there are concerns about the ethical implications, transparency, and data privacy associated with AI-driven adoption.
Another concern is the concept of singularity, where highly intelligent machines could potentially alter human existence. This raises anxiety and questions about AI fairness, potential biases and whether AI truly represents diversity in its decision-making processes.
Despite these challenges, some governments are taking proactive steps to harness the potential of AI. For instance, Singapore has established five pillars for its AI ecosystem, including triple helix partnership involving the government, corporates, research, and academia. They are working towards a robust international collaboration, building the government data architecture, creating a progressive and trusted environment, and providing training and enablement to the public on how to leverage AI.
Similarly, India launched its “AI 4 All” strategy in 2018, focusing on sectors like healthcare, agriculture, education, smart cities, and smart mobility, showcasing the wide array of areas where AI can be implemented for positive impact.
In the corporate world, many companies are integrating AI throughout their organizations, with some even hiring Chief Artificial Intelligence Officers (CAIOs). AI is being utilized for purchasing decisions, data quality checks, and other areas to improve operational efficiency and decision-making.
While AI holds immense potential for improving public administration and government adoption, it is crucial to address challenges like mistrust, ethics, and fairness to ensure that AI is utilized responsibly and its full potential is realized. As corporate leaders, we must actively work towards mitigating these concerns while leveraging the benefits of AI for the betterment of society.
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