Tech Giants' "Free" AI in India: Generosity or Data Grab?
So, these tech giants—OpenAI, Google, Perplexity—are suddenly feeling generous and giving away AI tools for free in India? Yeah, pull the other one. It's insulting how transparent this is. They think we're all idiots?
The "Hook 'Em While They're Young" Strategy
This isn't about philanthropy; it's about market domination, plain and simple. Some analyst, Tarun Pathak, over at Counterpoint Research, spells it out: "The plan is to get Indians hooked on to generative AI before asking them to pay for it." No freakin' kidding. It's the digital version of giving out free samples of crack. Get 'em addicted, then charge 'em later.
And India? It's the perfect target. Huge population, cheap data, and a bunch of young people glued to their phones. 900 million internet users, most under 24. They're practically begging to be mined for data. These companies are partnering with mobile giants like Airtel and Reliance Jio to shove these AI tools down everyone's throats. "Here, have some free AI with your data plan! What could possibly go wrong?"
Data Privacy? Who Cares!
Oh, right, the whole data privacy thing. That Delhi-based technology writer, Prasanto K Roy, says people are "willing to give up data for convenience or something free." Ain't that the truth. We're all so used to trading our privacy for shiny gadgets and free services that we don't even blink anymore.
But hey, Roy says the government will step in and regulate things. Sure they will. I'll believe that when pigs fly... or when the government can actually figure out how to use email. Let's be real, regulation always lags way behind innovation, especially when it comes to tech. By the time they figure out what's happening, our data will already be halfway around the world, fueling some AI overlord's master plan.
The AI Overlords Are Coming
And speaking of overlords, Kim Williams, the ABC chair, is out there warning about "extremely autocratic" views of some AI investors. He's worried that these guys have a "severe view of human organisation and politics" and believe in an "anointed few being in charge of the many." ABC chair warns ‘extremely autocratic’ views of some AI investors could lead to ‘dangerous and sinister’ outcomes
Is he wrong? Look at who's funding this stuff. These aren't exactly bleeding-heart liberals. They're the same people who want to colonize Mars and upload our brains to the cloud. They see AI as a way to optimize society, which, in their twisted minds, probably means getting rid of all the "useless eaters."
Williams also thinks AI could be devastating for entry-level jobs in accounting and law, but not so much for journalism. He thinks journalists are "smart, perspicacious people" who will figure out how to use AI to get better. Maybe. Or maybe we'll all be replaced by AI-powered content farms churning out clickbait articles written by robots for robots. Who knows.
So, What's the Catch?
It's all about the data, offcourse. India is just a giant petri dish for these companies to train their AI models. They're betting that the unique use cases and data emerging from India will give them a competitive edge in the global AI race. We're just pawns in their game. And honestly, I'm not sure what's worse: being exploited for our data or being told we should be grateful for the "free" AI.