Our work

Between 2021 and 2023, we conducted extensive primary research on the societal impacts of AI across critical social sectors in India. Through this work, we recognised the pitfalls of relying on techno-solutionism — the belief that technology can serve as a standalone remedy for complex social challenges. This approach often neglects the deeper systemic issues that underpin these challenges.

Our findings emphasised that addressing the harms of AI systems requires more than just examining their outcomes; it necessitates a comprehensive analysis of the entire lifecycle of AI design and development.

This means shifting from a product and use-case orientation to examining the broader political economy of the ecosystem, the business models driving AI innovation, the invisible labour enabling AI development, and the growing environmental costs.

We work to advance such a systems view of AI governance and Responsible AI and develop new frameworks that resonate with societal needs and institutional capacities in the Majority World.

In the early years of our journey, we conducted extensive research on the monopolisation of our informational, economic, and social structures by Big Tech companies. We welcome the growing interest in creating open digital infrastructures for digital development in this context.

But, we are also concerned that the current conversation is skewed toward the technical features of open architectures without enough attention to their governance. Technical openness in itself does not guarantee transparency and accountability.

For example, India’s digital public infrastructure model provides an exciting way forward. However, it may contribute to the commercialisation of public service delivery and create new digital gatekeepers while also transforming the social contract between the state and citizens - posing new conundrums for political accountability.

In our work, we seek to identify the frameworks needed to support public interest technology and advance the democratic governance of those infrastructures.

Policymakers, industry leaders, media, and funding agencies often focus on the latest technological advancements—Generative AI being a recent example. This focus frequently overshadows a critical issue: ensuring meaningful digital access for marginalised genders.

There is also little attention to how emerging technologies widen the gender divide—whether through AI products that reinforce biases and stereotypes or the rise of harassment and violence on social media. Technology policies often overlook gender dynamics, failing to reflect the everyday realities of marginalised communities.

Our work aims to advance knowledge and build partnerships that centre gender concerns in technology policy and design. We go beyond addressing visible symptoms of discrimination and exclusion, tackling the deeper power structures, institutions, and socio-cultural norms that sustain these inequalities.

As governments in the Majority World strive to keep pace with the so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution, the impact on labour markets and workers' rights requires urgent policy attention. Some countries see the gig economy as a pathway to new income opportunities, while others rely on services like data enrichment, curation, and translation for global AI companies to drive employment.

However, growing evidence highlights the precarity of such piecemeal work. One reason technological "revolutions" advance so rapidly is the availability of cheap, easily exploitable labour. Many labour-related harms in AI production—such as low wages and poor working conditions—are not just side effects of AI development but fundamental to its existence.

Up-skilling alone will not solve these challenges. We must create new employment opportunities and strengthen social protections. Through worker-centred research, we aim to reframe technology policy to prioritise labour rights and dignity, emphasising the role of public policy in safeguarding workers' well-being.

In recent years, interest has grown in AI’s potential to address the climate crisis. While AI can help analyse large-scale data, improve efficiency, and aid in discovering new materials, our research shows that many current applications are based on weak science, driven by commercial interests, and fail to prioritise those most vulnerable to climate change.

AI development also risks worsening the crisis. Focusing on AI for climate action can enable greenwashing and divert attention and resources from the policy interventions needed for real solutions.

Our work cuts through the hype to identify where AI and digital technologies can genuinely help and what skills and cross-disciplinary collaboration are necessary to make this happen in the Majority World. Grounded in real-world expertise, we also track and document research on AI’s environmental impact across its lifecycle and highlight urgent interventions needed to mitigate harm.

Biotechnology is advancing rapidly, with breakthroughs in gene editing, innovative drug therapies, and neurotechnology for both medical treatment and human augmentation. While these innovations—especially when combined with AI and robotics—have the potential to transform healthcare, many current applications prioritise commercial interests over accessibility and the needs of vulnerable populations.

Neurotechnology, for example, is pushing the boundaries of what once seemed like science fiction. Companies are developing devices that decode brain activity, enabling communication through thought. While these technologies hold life-changing potential for people with disabilities and neurological conditions—areas that remain underfunded and stigmatised in India and other parts of the Majority World—they also introduce unprecedented ethical risks. Direct interaction with the brain raises concerns about privacy, manipulation, and threats to human agency and free will.

The past decade of digital transformation has already shown the dangers of allowing commercial interests to dictate the trajectory of innovation. As part of our new research focus, we are exploring the opportunities, risks, and ethical challenges at the intersection of biotechnology and AI.