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Aug 24 2023

Context: 

  • India is seeking re-establishment of the dysfunctional dispute resolution mechanism under the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

More about the news: 

  • This move is guided by the principle of common but differentiated responsibility along with a push towards consensus-based decision making.

 

photo 2023 08 24 23 42 29

World Trade Organization (WTO):

  • The WTO is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations as well as maintaining the free flow of trade between its member countries. 
  • Origin: WTO is an international organization set up in 1995 by replacing the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT) under the Marrakesh Agreement.
  • Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
  • Member Countries: WTO has 164 members and India is a founding member of WTO.

Dispute Settlement Mechanism under WTO

News Source: Indian Express 

Context:

  • Recently, Australian Bureau of Meteorology has reported a shift in the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) index in recent days.
    • The IOD index has increased from +0.34°C to +0.79°C, surpassing the positive IOD threshold of +0.4°C.
    • Last Positive IOD event occurred in 2019.

24.4

About Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD):

  • IOD signifies the fluctuation in sea-surface temperatures from warm to cool in the Indian Ocean area south of Sri Lanka. 
  • The IOD is defined by the difference in sea surface temperature between western Indian Ocean and eastern Indian Ocean south of Indonesia. 
  • The IOD affects the climate of Australia and other countries that surround the Indian Ocean Basin, and is a significant contributor to rainfall variability in this region.

About IOD index:

  • IOD index is defined as the difference between the mean sea surface temperature in the western Indian Ocean and mean sea surface temperature in the eastern Indian Ocean.
  • When the IOD index is positive, the phenomenon is referred to as the positive IOD and when it is negative, it is referred to as the negative IOD.
Positive IOD Negative IOD
  • Warmer sea surface temperatures in the western Indian Ocean relative to the east.
  • Indonesia and Australia tend to be drier than normal, which increases the chances of bushfires, while eastern Africa tends to be wetter than normal, increasing the likelihood of floods.
  • It helps rainfall along the African coastline and also over the Indian subcontinent.
  • Positive IOD event is known to help the South-West monsoon.
  • Cooler sea surface temperatures in the western Indian Ocean relative to the east.
  • Winds become more westerly, bringing increased cloudiness to Australia’s northwest.
  • Indonesia and Australia tend to be wetter than normal, while eastern Africa tends to be drier than normal.

News Source: Hindu BL 

Context:

  • According to the Crisil, social welfare spending of 11 states is to hit a 10 year high of Rs 4 lakh crore.
    • However, these do not include spending on education, agriculture, public health and other key sectors, which are budgeted separately.

Social Welfare Spending

  • The top 11 Indian states account for 75-80 percent of aggregate gross state domestic product (GSDP).
    • It is expected to reach a decadal high of over Rs 4 lakh crore, according to the budget estimates of these states for fiscal year 2024.
  • Committed Expenditure:
    • Includes salaries, pension, and interest payments are estimated to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9 percent between fiscal years 2018 and 2024.
  • Non-Committed Expenditure:
    • Includes outlays on education (10-11 percent of revenue expenditure), power sector (6-7 percent), agriculture (6-7 percent), public health (4-5 percent), and social welfare schemes (13 percent).
  • Expenditure on social welfare schemes is estimated to clock 16 percent CAGR between fiscals 2018 and 2024, much faster than 11 percent growth in overall revenue expenditure. 

Context:

  • According to the Crisil, social welfare spending of 11 states is to hit a 10 year high of Rs 4 lakh crore.
    • However, these do not include spending on education, agriculture, public health and other key sectors, which are budgeted separately.

Social Welfare Spending

  • The top 11 Indian states account for 75-80 percent of aggregate gross state domestic product (GSDP).
    • It is expected to reach a decadal high of over Rs 4 lakh crore, according to the budget estimates of these states for fiscal year 2024.
  • Committed Expenditure:
    • Includes salaries, pension, and interest payments are estimated to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9 percent between fiscal years 2018 and 2024.
  • Non-Committed Expenditure:
    • Includes outlays on education (10-11 percent of revenue expenditure), power sector (6-7 percent), agriculture (6-7 percent), public health (4-5 percent), and social welfare schemes (13 percent).
  • Expenditure on social welfare schemes is estimated to clock 16 percent CAGR between fiscals 2018 and 2024, much faster than 11 percent growth in overall revenue expenditure. 

Legislators Qualification

Context: 

  • Recently, a teacher on the Edtech platform was sacked due to a viral video in which he appealed to students to vote for educated candidates.

Educational Background of MPs in Lok Sabha:

  • Completed Graduation: 72% of the current MPs.
    • Graduates also includes those who are post graduates. 
  • At least completed fifth grade in school: About 23.5% of the current MPs. 
    • At least 5th grade pass includes 5th, 8th, 10th and 12th grade but not college.
  • 24.5Information about the educational qualifications of 4% of the MPs is not available.
  • This means that only less than 0.5% are recorded as illiterate or just literate in the current Lok Sabha.

17th Lok Sabha and MPs with Criminal Charges:

  • According to Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR), the 2019 Lok Sabha polls saw the participation of 67 MPs and four Union Ministers who have declared criminal charges against them.
    • They face charges as serious as abduction, dacoity and attempts to cause death or grievous injury.
  • On average, the criminal cases faced by MPs, against whom charges have been framed, have been pending for 7 years.
    • 24 Lok Sabha MPs have a total of 43 criminal cases pending against them for 10 years or more.

Context:

  • The Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship released the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE), marking a step towards the implementation of National Education Policy.

More about the news: 

  • The National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) is the curriculum framework for the 5+3+3+4 design of schooling as proposed by the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020). 
    • NCF has been drafted by the union government-appointed national steering committee headed by K Kasturirangan.
  • The National Education Policy 2020 and the NCF, are not binding on the states
    • NEP is a policy that states are free to adopt, while the NCF provides guidelines on how school education should be conducted in classrooms.
  • The entire curriculum framework for all the four stages – Foundational Stage, Preparatory Stage, Middle Stage, and Secondary Stage was released
  • Applicability:  For students of grade 9 and above starting from the 2024-25 academic session.

Important Highlight of NCF-SE:

  • Multilingualism and Indian Languages: It mandates teaching of three languages, including two Indian languages, in classes 9-10, and two languages, including one Indian language, in class 11-12.
  • Transition to semester based systems: The revised NCF recommends a gradual transition to semester or term-based systems for all boards over the long run.
  • Assessment: Students will be assessed on a maximum of seven subjects in Class 12. Currently, class 12 students of most school boards have a maximum of six subjects.
  • Flexibility: It offers students the freedom to pursue a mix of science and humanities to reduce boundaries separating arts, commerce and science in Classes 11 and 12 across school boards.
  • Environmental Education: It will be given due emphasis across all stages of schooling culminating in a separate area of study in the Secondary Stage.
  • Conceptual understanding in Mathematics: Higher order curricular goals such as problem solving, mathematical thinking, coding, and communication will be given due importance.
  • Physical Education & Well-being: It will be given a renewed emphasis in the curriculum by defining specific learning standards to be achieved and recommended time allocation in the school timetables.
  • Engaging and effective pedagogy: It enables the entire range of age and context appropriate pedagogy which would also use effective, widely available, and highly engaging teaching-learning-material, including textbooks

Source: Indian Express 

Context: 

  • Recently, the Central Government made it clear before the Supreme Court that it has no intention to interfere with the special provisions in the Constitution applicable to the northeastern states of the country.

Special Provisions for the North-Eastern states in India:

  • Sixth Schedule: Under Article 244 (2) of the Indian ConstitutionIt, it makes special arrangements for the administration of Tribal Areas in the States of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura. 
  • Special status: Under part XXI of the Indian ConstitutionArticle 371A, B, C, F, G, H grants special status to the few northeastern states of India. 
Article Special Provision with respect to:
Article 371A Nagaland (13th Amendment Act, 1962)
Article 371B Assam (22nd Amendment Act, 1969)
Article 371C  Manipur (27th Amendment Act, 1971)
Article 371F Sikkim (36th Amendment Act, 1975)
Article 371 G  Mizoram (53rd Amendment Act, 1986)
Article 371 H Arunachal Pradesh (55th Amendment Act, 1986)

Need of special status for North-Eastern states:

  • To bring peace and harmony and to deal with the disturbed law and order in some parts of these states. 
  • Protect and preserve the cultures, traditions, languages, and ethnic diversity of the tribes of these states.
  • Bring them to an equal footing with the rest of the states in India.
  • Provide them with similar opportunities in terms of educational and employment facilities.
  • Maintaining law and order in these states

Difference between Article 370 and 371:

  • Article 370 granted special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir whereas, Article 371 granted special status to other states of India.
  • Article 370 was a temporary provision whereas, Article 371 is a special provision that is permanent.
  • Article 370 was specifically applicable to Jammu and Kashmir, but Article 371 covers 12 states of India.

News Source: The Hindu

Context:

Government agencies and policymakers are using AI tools to analyze patterns, forecast scenarios, and offer informed recommendations. Yet, AI adoption in decision-making has potential downsides.

More on News:

What are prompts in Generative AI?

Prompts in generative AI refer to the input or instructions provided to the AI model to generate specific output.

Generative AI:

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is a type of artificial intelligence (AI) model that can be used to generate new text, images, video, audio, code, or synthetic data.

  • The biases inherent in AI, often a reflection of the biases in the data they are trained on or the perspectives of their developers, can lead to skewed or unjust outcomes and represent a significant challenge in the integration of AI into governance.
  • Using prompts with generative AI models can raise various ethical concerns.
    • Prompts about the role of women in leadership positions can generate content that portrays women stereotypically and subordinately, reinforcing gender biases.

About Artificial Intelligence (AI):

  • Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think like humans and mimic their actions.
    • For Example:  ChatGPT 

Types of Artificial Intelligence

  • Weak artificial intelligence: It embodies a system designed to carry out one particular job. 
    • For Example:  Amazon’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri. 
  • Strong Artificial Intelligence: These systems carry on the tasks considered to be human-like. They are programmed to handle situations in which they may be required to problem solve without having a person intervene.
    • For Example: These kinds of systems can be found in applications like self-driving cars or in hospital operating rooms.

24.2

India’s Initiatives for Developing AI:

  • NITI Aayog Contribution: 
    • NITI Aayog has come with the ‘National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence’ Discussion Paper that focuses on establishing the International Conference on Tools with Artificial Intelligence (ICTAI) in the country through private sector collaboration.
    • NITI Aayog is to set up India’s first AI-specific cloud computing infrastructure called AIRAWAT. 
  • Artificial Intelligence Research, Analytics and Knowledge Assimilation Platform: It is a Cloud computing platform, aiming to make India a pioneer amongst emerging economies with regards to AI.
  • Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI): In 2020, India joined with 15 other countries to form the GPAI to establish frameworks for the responsible utilization of emerging technologies.

Benefits of AI:

  • Increase in Global GDP: A study by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) predicted an increase in global GDP by 14% or $15.7 trillion by 2030 due to ongoing technological advancements in AI. 
    • Further, a report from Goldman Sachs Research in April 2023 said that generative AI alone could raise global GDP by 7% or almost $7 trillion over a 10-year period. 
  • Boosting annual growth rate: The discussion paper’  ‘Towards Responsible#AIForAll’  by Niti Aayog states that there is a potential for large-scale adoption of AI which can boost the country’s annual growth rate by 1.3 per cent, by 2035.
  • Enhanced Productivity: There is broad consensus on increasing productivity by adopting AI in producing goods and services. 
    • For Example: In a study called “Generative AI at Work, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) economists showed that AI tools boosted worker productivity by 14% and improved consumer satisfaction.
  • Creation of New Job: AI may result in automating some routine jobs but will also result in job creation in various data science, data curation etc. 
  • Innovation: A recent survey among employees of LinkedIn’s top 50 companies in the United States shows that almost 70% of them found AI helping them to be faster, smarter, and more innovative.
  • Effective Policy Implementation: Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) plans to use Artificial Intelligence technologies to carry out pilot studies for Optimization of Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs) in various States.

Ethical Issues  associated with Artificial Intelligence:

  • Labour Replacement: AI can automate repetitive tasks and with generative AI, even creative tasks can be done efficiently and fast, thereby replacing labor.
    • For Example: A research paper titled “Robots and Jobs: Evidence from US Labor Markets” by Daron Acemoglu of MIT found that robot adoption has a negative effect on workers, on average — it reduces the labor share, employment and wages.
  • AI Bias: AI systems can perpetuate existing biases present in training data, leading to discrimination against certain groups. Ensuring fairness and minimizing bias in AI models is a significant challenge.
  • Social Manipulation: AI-powered algorithms can be used to spread misinformation, influence public opinion, and manipulate social behavior.
  • Rights of AIs: AIs are still simple and mostly disembodied programs. But, as AIs become more complex and start to have physical, possibly human shapes, and more numerous, what rights they should have is debatable.
  • Unintended Consequences: AI systems can produce unexpected outcomes due to their complexity, which can have negative impacts on society.
  • Disruptive Nature: AI could be highly disruptive as it is more likely to displace middle-class, white-collared jobs; in comparison, earlier technological advancements displaced people from lower-paid farm jobs to higher-paid factory floor jobs. 
    • For Example: Analysis by Goldman Sachs has suggested that 15%-35% of work in the U.S. economy is exposed to automation. 
  • Multiple Challenges: AI could create deep challenges for society, including in the labor market, politics, data privacy, crime and warfare; these challenges are difficult to anticipate and plan for. 
  • Contrary to Ethical Philosophy:  Immanuel Kant’s ethical philosophy emphasizes autonomy, rationality, and the moral duty of individuals
    • Applying Kantian ethics to the use of AI in decision-making within governance could lead to serious concerns. 
    • If decisions that were once the purview of humans are delegated to algorithms, it could threaten the capacity for moral reasoning.

Way Forward:

  • Reskilling and upskilling: To match with the age of AI, it  will require reskilling and upskilling of the workforce.
    • For Example: MeitY has initiated FutureSkills PRIME, an upskilling programme for 10 emerging technologies.
  • Integration of AI with Curriculum: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) announced its plan to introduce Artificial Intelligence as an elective for students from classes 9 to 12. 
  • Stepping up Cyber regulations: Governments would have to step up their cyber regulations with respect to the new challenges posed by AI.
  • International Collaboration: Member States should work with international organizations, educational institutions and private and non-governmental entities to provide adequate AI literacy education to the public on all levels in all countries in order to empower people.
  • Focus on online Education: The PwC report suggests that the greatest economic gains from AI will come from China, with a projected 26% boost to GDP by 2030. 
    • Thus, it would be prudent for India to focus more on education and training in AI; this could be a lot easier now with online education having larger acceptance after the COVID-19 pandemic.

News Source: The Hindu

Context: 

Recently, ISRO’s (Indian Space Research Organisation) Chandrayaan 3 lander has successfully made a soft landing on the lunar surface.

More on News:

  • Chandrayaan-3 is India’s third lunar mission as well as second attempt to achieve a soft landing of a robotic lander on the moon’s surface.
  • India has become the fourth country to soft land on the Moon after the United States, the erstwhile Soviet Union, and China and the first to touch down near the lunar south pole.

24

From Lunar Orbit to the Lunar Surface:

Deboosting:

24.1

  • It  is the process of slowing down the Chandrayaan-3 lander “Vikram” to position it in an orbit around the Moon where the closest point to the Moon (Perilune) is 30 kilometers and the farthest point (Apolune) is 100 kilometers.

Mission Experiment: Chandrayaan 3:

  • The lander has four experiments on board.
    • The Radio Anatomy of Moon Bound Hypersensitive ionosphere and Atmosphere (RAMBHA) will study the electrons and ions near the surface of the moon and how they change over time.
    • The Chandra’s Surface Thermo physical Experiment (ChaSTE) will study the thermal properties of the lunar surface near the polar region. 
    • The Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA) will measure the lunar quakes near the landing site and study the composition of the Moon’s crust and mantle.
    • The LASER Retroreflector Array (LRA) is a passive experiment sent by NASA that acts as a target for lasers for very accurate measurements for future missions.
  • There are two scientific experiments on the rover.
    • The LASER Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) will determine the chemical and mineral composition of the lunar surface.
    • The Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) will determine the composition of elements such as magnesium, aluminium, silicon, potassium, calcium, titanium, and iron in the lunar soil and rocks.

ISRO’s Space Journey: Satellites, Launch Vehicles, and Planetary Exploration

  • ISRO’s Satellite Programs: 
    • Aryabhata (1975): ISRO’s journey began with the launch of Aryabhata in 1975.
      • Aim: To conduct experiments in X-ray astronomy, aeronomics, and solar physics.
About ISRO

  • ISRO was previously the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR), set up by the Government of India in 1962, as envisioned by Dr. VikramA Sarabhai. 
  • It was formed on August 15, 1969 and superseded INCOSPAR with an expanded role to harness space technology. 
  • The Department of Space (DOS) was set up and ISRO was brought under DOS in 1972.
    • Bhaskar-1 (1979) and Bhaskar-2 (1981): It laid the foundation for the Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) Satellite system, revolutionizing land-based applications. 
    • INSAT-2A (1992):  Indian National Satellite System (INSAT), a series of multipurpose geostationary satellites that aimed to meet the telecommunications, broadcasting, meteorology, and search and rescue needs of India.
    • KALPANA-1 (2002):  It was the first in the series of exclusive meteorological satellites built by ISRO.
    • IRNSS-1A (2013): Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) or NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) is India’s first dedicated navigation satellite.
  • Launch Vehicle Programmes: 
    • US Nike Apach (1963): India launched the US Nike Apache ‘sounding rocket’ from Thumba, near Thiruvananthapuram. 
      • Sounding rockets are suborbital rockets that carry experiments to the upper atmosphere of the Earth.
    • SVL-3 (1980): The first Indian launch vehicle succeeded, placing the Rohini-1 satellite in space. India joined the ranks of space-faring nations.
    • Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV (1992): ASLV achieved its first successful launch after initial failures.
    • Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (1994): PSLV achieved its maiden successful launch, marking India’s entry into the league of launching bigger payloads, up to 1,000 kg.
      • Chandrayaan-1 rode a PSLV rocket in 2008, as did Mangalyaan, the Mars Orbiter mission, in 2013.
    • Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (2014): The experimental flight of the third-generation GSLV (Launch Vehicle Mark-3) with an indigenous cryogenic engine was successful. This marked a significant advancement in India’s launch capabilities.
      • LVM-3 carried the GSAT-19 satellite into space, showcasing its capabilities for launching heavier payloads into geostationary orbits.
      • It also aunched Chandrayaan-2, and Chandrayaan-3 into space.
  • Planetary Exploration: 
    • Chandrayaan-1 (2008): India’s maiden Moon mission, launched. It entered lunar orbit and the Moon Impact Probe made a crash landing on the lunar surface. 
      • Chandrayaan-1’s orbiter detected evidence of water on the Moon.
    • Mangalyaan (Mars Orbiter Mission, 2013): This was India’s first interplanetary mission. It aimed to develop interplanetary mission technologies and successfully entered Mars orbit. ISRO became the fourth agency to reach Mars orbit, after Russia’s Roscosmos, USA’s NASA, and Eurpean Space Agency.
    • Chandrayaan-2 (2019): This mission aimed to explore the Moon more comprehensively. It featured an orbiter, lander (Vikram), and rover. Although Vikram’s soft landing attempt failed, the orbiter continued to provide valuable lunar data.
    • Chandrayaan-3 (2023): Launched on July 14, 2023, Chandrayaan-3 successfully accomplished what Chandrayaan-2 couldn’t.

ISRO’s Future Mission:

  • LUPEX (Lunar Polar Exploration): ISRO is collaborating with the Japanese space agency, JAXA, on the LUPEX mission, which is slated for 2024-25. 
    • This mission aims to explore the polar regions of the Moon, including the permanently shaded areas, and investigate the abundance of water. ISRO will provide the lander for this mission.
Why water on the Moon is important?

  • Serve as a record of lunar volcanoes, the materials delivered by comets and asteroids, and origin of oceans.
  • Resource for future lunar exploration missions (drinking water for astronauts).
  • To cool equipment and machinery. 
  • Source of fuel (hydrogen) for propulsion systems and oxygen for astronauts. 
  • Aditya-L1: ISRO’s first mission to study the Sun, Aditya-L1, is set for launch in the near future. 
    • It will observe the Sun from a distance of 90 million kilometers and study various solar phenomena, including the solar corona, solar emissions, solar winds, flares, and coronal mass ejections.
  • Venus Orbiter: ISRO is working on sending an Orbiter mission to Venus within the next two years. 
    • This mission aims to study Venus, including its atmosphere and surface, and will contribute to our understanding of this neighboring planet.
  • Gaganyaan: ISRO’s human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, is in progress. This ambitious project aims to send Indian astronauts into space.

What should be India’s Next Step Following the Success of Chandrayaan 3?

  • Frugal Engineering: India should move beyond “frugal engineering” and think big in its space endeavors. India needs more substantial budgets and more powerful rockets that can transport heavier payloads more quickly.
    • China’s Change 5 Mission and Russia’s Luna 25 Mission reached the moon in a week.
  • Private Sector Participation: India has started involving the private sector in its space program, aligning with the global trend of commercial space activities. 
    • To fund major space projects, markets need to contribute more to the space budget alongside government funding.
    • Tata Consulting Engineers Limited (TCE) engineered the solid propellant plant, the vehicle assembly building and the mobile launch pedestal in Chandrayaan 3.
  • International Cooperation: India should seek international cooperation in space exploration. After its first nuclear test in May 1974, sanctions limited collaboration, but India is now part of international agreements like Artemis Accords.
    • Artemis Accords is a US-led international partnership on planetary exploration and research. The Accords have been signed by 26 countries till now.
  • Geopolitical Competition: Great power rivalry has extended to the Moon, with the US and China leading competing Moon projects. 
    • India should consider negotiation with the US for mutually beneficial participation in the Artemis Mission and navigate these geopolitical dynamics.
  • Space Governance: India needs comprehensive space laws, both domestically and internationally, to regulate and promote space activities effectively. 
NOTE- For more details on Chandrayaan 3, please refer to the July edition of  Current Affairs Magazine.

News Source: The Indian Express

Context: 

Recently, the United Nations’ International Labour Organization (ILO) released a report on the impact of Generative AI and other platforms on jobs quantity and quality.

Findings of Report:

  • Job Augmentation: Most jobs and industries are only partially exposed to automation and are more likely to be complemented rather than substituted by AI.
    • Generative AI systems similar to GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) are more likely to become productivity tools, supporting and speeding up the execution of some tasks within certain occupations.

23.1

23.2

  • Fears Over Job Destruction: The surge in generative AI and its chatbot applications has sparked concerns about job destruction, akin to the concerns surrounding the introduction of the moving assembly line in the 1950s.
    • Technology can enhance job quality in the workplace by automating routine tasks, allowing more engaging work, but also limiting worker agency or increasing work intensity.
  • Impact on Countries: Recent progress in machine learning, in particular developments around Large Language Mode (LLMs), is likely to have disruptive effects on labour markets, with larger effects in high-income countries and specific occupational groups.
    • 5.5 percent of total employment in high-income countries was potentially exposed to the automating effects of generative AI, whereas only 0.4 percent of employment in low-income countries.
  • Professional Variation: Clerical support workers face the greatest risk of being affected by AI. 
    • About 25% of clerical workers’ tasks face a high exposure to generative AI, and 58% of their tasks face a medium exposure to the technology.
    • Example: Jobs such as typists, travel consultants, scribes, contact center information clerks, bank tellers, and survey and market research interviewers that could eventually be automated.
    • Only 4% of service and sales workers’ tasks face high exposure to generative AI, and 18% of their tasks face medium exposure. 
    • Thus impact is not likely to be jobs reduction but rather the potential changes to the quality of jobs, notably work intensity and autonomy.
  • Gendered Impact: Effects of automation are “highly gendered”, with more than double the share of women potentially affected by automation, due to their overrepresentation in clerical work, especially in high- and middle-income countries.
    • In high-income countries, 7.8% of jobs held by women ( around 21 million jobs) have the potential to be automated.
    • In contrast, only 2.9% of jobs in high-income countries held by men (around 9 million jobs) face the potential of being automated.
    • The recent increase in women’s labor market participation may be threatened by concentrated job losses in female-dominated occupations.

23.3

  • Digital Divide: Generative AI technology is dependent on access and cost of broadband connectivity, as well as electricity. 
    • In 2022, one-third of the global population (around 2.7 billion people), still did not have access to the internet.
  • Access to Electricity: According to the World Bank Enterprise Survey, 49% of registered firms in developing countries experienced electrical outages, averaging 4.5 days per month.
    • Without proper policies in place, there is a risk that only some of the well-positioned countries and market participants will be able to harness the benefits of the transition, while the costs to affected workers could be brutal.

About Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI):

  • It is a type of AI technology that can produce various types of content, including text, imagery, audio and synthetic data.
  • It utilizes deep learning, neural networks, and machine learning techniques to enable computers to produce content that closely resembles human-created output autonomously. 
  • Example:  ChatGPT, DALL-E, and Bard.
Pros of Generative AI: Cons of Generative AI:
  • Creativity and Novelty: It enables the creation of new and unique content, whether it’s images, music, or text.
  • Automation and Efficiency: It automates the process of content creation, saving time and resources.
  • Personalization and Customization: Generative models can be trained on specific data or preferences, allowing for personalized recommendations, tailored content, and customized user experiences.
  • Exploration and Inspiration: Generative AI can provide inspiration to artists, designers, and writers by generating diverse variations, exploring creative possibilities, and serving as a starting point for further creative exploration.
  • Ethical Concerns: Generative AI raises ethical concerns, particularly regarding the misuse of synthetic media, deepfakes, and potential infringement of intellectual property rights.
    • Ex: in July, 2023, Kerala man loses ₹40k to AI-enabled deep-fake fraud.
  • Lack of Control: Generative models can produce outputs that are difficult to control or fine-tune to specific requirements.
  • Dataset Bias and Generalization: Generative models heavily rely on the training data they are exposed to.
  • Computational Resources and Complexity: Training and deploying generative models can be computationally intensive and require significant resources, including high-performance hardware and substantial training times.
  • Implementing and maintaining these models can be complex and resource-demanding.
  • Quality and Coherence: While generative models have made significant progress, they may still struggle with producing outputs that consistently exhibit high quality, coherence, and contextual relevance.

Report Recommendations:

  • All Stakeholder Approach: Consultation and negotiation between employers and workers is critical for managing the transition process as it encourages redeployment and training over job loss. 
  • Adhering to The ILO’s Employment Protection Convention (No. 158, 1982): To reduce negative externalities from dismissal and support an orderly process that balances workers’, employers’, and societies’ needs.
    • It includes provisions on the termination of employment for technological reasons. 
  • Investing in the Care Economy: Improving job quality for care economy workers can provide decent employment and meet society’s care needs to offset the negative externalities of Generative AI in the long term. 
    • It requires increased investment, training, and income support during the transition.
    • Potential: According to the ILO, achieving the SDG targets would require more than double employment in care economy sectors from 206 million in 2015 to 475 million in 2030.
  • Quality Adherence: Ensure quality of the new jobs created as a result of technological change.
International Labour Organization (ILO) 

  • It was founded in 1919 under the League of Nations and incorporated into the U.N. as a specialized agency in 1946. 
  • HQ: Geneva.
  • The ILO is the first and oldest specialized agency of the United Nations (U.N.).
  • Goal: To advance social and economic justice by setting international labor standards.
  • Conventions and protocols of ILO are a major contributor to international labor law.
  • ILO was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1969. 

(For more information about Large language Model, kindly refer to PWONLYIAS July Current Affairs Magazine)

News Source: Economic Times


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 Final Result – CIVIL SERVICES EXAMINATION, 2023.   Udaan-Prelims Wallah ( Static ) booklets 2024 released both in english and hindi : Download from Here!     Download UPSC Mains 2023 Question Papers PDF  Free Initiative links -1) Download Prahaar 3.0 for Mains Current Affairs PDF both in English and Hindi 2) Daily Main Answer Writing  , 3) Daily Current Affairs , Editorial Analysis and quiz ,  4) PDF Downloads  UPSC Prelims 2023 Trend Analysis cut-off and answer key

Quick Revise Now !
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD SOON
UDAAN PRELIMS WALLAH
Comprehensive coverage with a concise format
Integration of PYQ within the booklet
Designed as per recent trends of Prelims questions
हिंदी में भी उपलब्ध
Quick Revise Now !
UDAAN PRELIMS WALLAH
Comprehensive coverage with a concise format
Integration of PYQ within the booklet
Designed as per recent trends of Prelims questions
हिंदी में भी उपलब्ध

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