6. The Global AI Surge: Geopolitics, Warfare, and Ethical Oversight

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is currently heralding a civilizational shift comparable to the Industrial Revolution. As highlighted by global leaders and strategic experts, we are moving beyond a mere technological \'transition\' into a structural \'rupture.\' This new era is defined by intense Great Power rivalry, particularly between the United States and China, where AI is utilized not just for economic growth but as a primary instrument of statecraft, diplomacy, and unconventional warfare. Summary of Key Developments • Paradigm Shift in Global Power: AI has evolved into a strategic weapon, where economic integration and supply chains are leveraged as vulnerabilities. The rivalry between the U.S. and China is accelerating the rollout of Large Language Models (LLMs), shifting global influence toward those who master \'sovereign AI stacks.\' • Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA): Warfare is transitioning from man-controlled to autonomous systems.AI-driven platforms—including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), cyber weapons, and autonomous drone swarms—are redefining combat by enabling operations without direct human intervention. • Asymmetric Warfare Capabilities: As seen in recent conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine war, \'comingage technology\' allows smaller forces to neutralize conventional military superiority. This represents a colossal transfer of power from traditional militaries to tech-capable entities. • Judicial and Institutional Caution: While AI aids in legal research (e.g., India’s SUPACE portal), the judicial fraternity warns against \'hallucinations\'—where AI fabricates judgments or citations—and emphasizes that empathy and moral judgment cannot be automated. • The \'Doomsday\' Risk: The potential for AI to become an autonomous force, escaping human control, poses a dystopian threat. Scientists and leaders are increasingly concerned about self-sustaining technologies that could act as the \'greatest force amplifier\' for rogue actors or terror groups. • Need for Multi-Stakeholder Oversight: To prevent AI from \'running away,\' a global consensus on checks and balances is essential. Effective oversight must balance the strategic benefits of AI in crisis response with the existential risks of unchecked algorithmic autonomy. Key Definitions • Large Language Models (LLMs): AI systems trained on massive datasets to understand, generate, and manipulate human language (e.g., GPT-4, Llama). • AI Hallucination: A phenomenon where an AI model generates false, misleading, or fabricated information but presents it as a confident, factual statement. • Autonomous Weapon Systems (AWS): Also known as \'killer robots,\' these are military systems capable of selecting and engaging targets without further intervention by a human operator. • Sovereign AI Stack: A nation’s independent infrastructure of hardware, software, and data, ensuring strategic autonomy and data security from foreign interference. Constitutional & Legal Provisions • Article 21 (Right to Privacy & Dignity): The Supreme Court\'s Puttaswamy judgment makes the protection of personal data from AI misuse a fundamental right. • Section 79 of the IT Act, 2000 (Amended 2026): Mandates that intermediaries must proactively label synthetic (AI) content and remove non-consensual deepfakes within 2 hours to maintain their \'Safe Harbour\' status. • IT (Intermediary Guidelines) Amendment Rules, 2026: Specifically defines \'Synthetically Generated Information\' (SGI) and establishes strict disclosure norms for photorealistic AI content. • Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023: Provides the framework for processing personal data by AI models, emphasizing \'notice and consent\' for Indian citizens. Conclusion The \'AI Surge\' is no longer a futuristic concept but a present-day disruptor of the international order. While its potential to transform healthcare, fintech, and diplomacy is immense, its militarization threatens to eclipse human control. The challenge for the 21st century lies not in stopping AI, but in developing a \'techno-legal\' architecture that ensures these systems remain assistive rather than extractive, keeping the \'human-in-the-loop\' for critical moral and lethal decisions. UPSC Relevance • GS Paper II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests; Governance and the use of technology in the judiciary. • GS Paper III: Science and Technology-developments and their applications and effects in everyday life; Security challenges and their management in border areas; Cyber security. • Ethics (GS Paper IV): Ethical dilemmas in autonomous warfare; Bias and accountability in algorithmic decision-making