New book posits AI boom as new colonialism
Technologist Sudhir Tiku's new book argues that the benefits of artificial intelligence development are concentrated among a few, while data and cheap labor are extracted from the Global South.
SINGAPORE – A new book, "Artificial Intelligence in the Global South: Power, Policy and Progress," was launched in Singapore on Tuesday. Author Sudhir Tiku, a technologist and AI ethicist, presents a critical perspective on the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence.
Tiku contends that AI development heavily relies on data and hidden human labor drawn largely from developing regions such as Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Simultaneously, these regions are marginalized from the value they help create. The author draws a parallel between this situation and historical colonialism of raw materials, but with a new form: "data mining," cheap computing power, and the "ghost work" that trains and moderates AI systems.
The book, however, does not stop at critique. Tiku points to shifts in power balances and argues that the Global South can claim authorship of its digital future. He advocates for the creation of fairer digital "moats" to ensure that the next technological revolution is not solely coded elsewhere.
Dr. Chi Wai (Rick) Lee, General Manager of World Scientific Publishing, emphasized that AI's success requires inclusive and responsible development. Author Tiku himself stated that AI should be developed with the Global South, not just for it, to strengthen digital sovereignty and sustainable development globally.