India is advocating for a shift in how artificial intelligence is managed, proposing that core AI resources be treated as shared public infrastructure.
A new white paper released by the government argues that access to computing power, datasets, and AI models should be democratized rather than concentrated in a few global firms.
Drawing on India’s success with digital public systems like Aadhaar, the paper suggests governing AI building blocks as Digital Public Goods (DPGs).
The goal is to make AI infrastructure affordable and accessible to a wider user base, ensuring that the benefits of the digital economy are not limited to major urban hubs or proprietary assets.
The proposal also revives the concept of an “AI commons,” envisioning a shared digital infrastructure built through public-private collaboration.
This approach aims to provide curated, interoperable datasets tailored to local languages and sectors, giving India a strategic advantage in the global AI landscape.
