Artificial intelligence current uses and challenges it's possessed in Nepal
By Niroj Aryal (Law Student)
Artificial intelligence refers to the computer system that previously require human brain to do the task such as reasoning, speech recognition, decision making and pattern identification. AI uses many technologies like machine learning, deep learning and Natural Language Processing and robotics. AI learns the pattern and structure of input training data and then generates new data that has similar characteristics. If the Artificial Intelligence has the capacity of generating the text image or other media, then such type of Artificial Intelligence is called GAI or Generative Artificial Intelligence. Chat GPT, Gemini, Co-Pilot etc. are it's some example
Ethical Concern: the fear to worry about
Transparency and Accountability
People are not aware how the AI is making decision. This opacity makes people extremely challenging to understand ethical, moral and bias concerned of AI output. Without transparency, it becomes difficult to hold AI systems accountable for their decisions and actions. If something goes wrong or if biases are present, it may be unclear who or what is responsible.
State v. Loomis (2016)
In this case, the Wisconsin Supreme Court upheld the use of COMPAS, a risk assessment algorithm, in sentencing decisions. The defendant, Eric Loomis, argued that the use of COMPAS violated his due process rights because he could not challenge the algorithm's risk assessment due to its proprietary nature and lack of transparency. The court acknowledged the concerns but allowed the use of the tool, highlighting the tension between the utility of AI and the need for transparency.
Surveillance practices for data gathering
AI's surveillance capabilities pose ethical dilemmas by invading privacy through technologies like facial recognition and data monitoring. The secretive nature of AI decision-making undermines accountability and fairness, stirring concerns about trust and oversight
Carpenter v. United States (2018)
In this landmark decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the government generally needs a warrant to access cell phone location data. The case involved the use of cell phone data to track Timothy Carpenter's movements over several months. The court's decision emphasized the need to protect privacy in the digital age, a principle that extends to AI-driven surveillance practices.
Fairness and Human Right
The deployment of AI systems raises new concerns regarding fairness and the protection of human rights. AI's potential to infringe on fundamental rights requires careful consideration and regulation.
European Court of Human Rights - Big Brother Watch and Others v. United Kingdom (2018)
This case dealt with the UK's bulk interception of communications and the intelligence-sharing regime. The European Court of Human Rights found that these practices violated Article 8 (right to privacy) and Article 10 (freedom of expression) of the European Convention on Human Rights. The ruling highlights the importance of safeguarding human rights in the face of advanced surveillance technologies, including AI.
These cases illustrate the complex interplay between AI technologies and ethical considerations in the legal realm. They underscore the need for transparent, fair, and rights-respecting approaches to AI deployment.
Evolution of AI in Nepal
The evolution of AI in Nepal, while progressing, is notably slower compared to global trends. Initiatives in sectors like education, agriculture, and healthcare are underway, albeit at a measured pace. Despite these constraints, Nepal is striving to integrate AI responsibly, aiming to leverage its benefits while addressing ethical and practical considerations. As the rest of the world adopts self-driving vehicles and modern medical equipment, Nepal is making the initial moves. Collaboration and innovation remain crucial as Nepal navigates this slower but deliberate path towards harnessing AI's potential for societal advancement.
Significance of Artificial Intelligence in Nepal
In Agriculture
AI can significantly enhance agricultural productivity by providing farmers with data-driven insights on crop management, pest control, and weather patterns. Here are some key ways AI can be utilized in agriculture:
Disease Identification: AI can automatically identify diseases in plants and detect infections through images of stems and leaves before they become widespread.
Weather Analysis: AI can analyse weather patterns through data from weather forecasting agencies, satellite images, and climate models, allowing it to suggest selective planting and forecast crop yields.
Precision Farming: AI guides autonomous drones and machinery to apply pesticides and water only where needed, reducing chemical use and saving water.
These applications help farmers make informed decisions, optimize resources, and improve overall crop health and yield.
In Healthcare
AI can revolutionize healthcare by enhancing the ability to predict, manage, and respond to medical needs. Here are some ways AI can be utilized in healthcare:
Epidemic Prediction and Management: AI can analyse health data patterns to predict potential outbreaks of epidemics, enabling governments to take early preventive measures, which is crucial for managing public health on a limited budget.
Demand Prediction: AI can efficiently predict the demand for medical supplies and personnel, ensuring that healthcare facilities can optimally handle patient loads.
Risk Identification: AI can analyse patient records to identify individuals at high risk for certain conditions, enabling early intervention and personalized treatment plans, even with limited resources.
Telemedicine: Most of the population of Nepal lives in ruler area. AI-powered telemedicine platforms enable patients in remote areas to consult with doctors in urban centres via video calls. AI tools provide real-time data analysis and decision support during these consultations.
Remote Diagnostics: Rural health centres can send medical images and test results to specialists for interpretation, with AI tools helping to prioritize urgent cases.
These applications of AI in healthcare help improve efficiency, accessibility, and the quality of patient care, particularly in resource-constrained environments.
In Education Service
In Nepal’s education system, the integration of AI technology has significantly transformed the traditional learning experience. AI-powered adaptive learning platforms provide students with customized educational resources and tools, utilizing sophisticated algorithms to analyse individual learning patterns and preferences. This results in personalized content and assessments tailored to each student’s needs.
The primary goal of this innovative approach is to enhance learning outcomes by catering to the specific requirements of each learner. By delivering tailored educational materials, these AI-driven systems address diverse learning styles and paces, fostering a more effective and engaging learning environment.
Furthermore, the integration of AI in education seeks to democratize access to quality education in Nepal. By leveraging technology, these platforms can reach remote areas and underserved communities, bridging educational disparities and providing more equitable learning opportunities.
Overall, the infusion of AI in Nepal’s educational landscape represents a promising shift towards personalized and inclusive learning methodologies. These advancements strive to optimize learning experiences and improve educational outcomes for students across the country.
Public Safety
AI can be particularly useful in Nepal for enhancing road safety in rapidly growing urban areas. Trained algorithms can automatically detect traffic rule violations and inform the authorities. These systems can also manage traffic signals in congested areas based on vehicle density.
Moreover, properly trained AI algorithms can monitor river levels using data from satellite images and sensors, predicting floods before they occur and facilitating early evacuation. AI can also help plan efficient evacuation routes and identify safe zones, enhancing disaster preparedness.
Additionally, AI tools can monitor pollution levels in air and water, providing immediate warnings about hazardous conditions.
Wild life Conservation
Nepal is home to some spectacular species that are on the list of endangered species and those that require special conservation. Nepal is efficiently protecting these species through the use of armed forces and advanced technology, including AI.
AI tools such as motion sensors and real-time trackers can be used by Nepal to detect the location of poachers and alert authorities to protect wildlife. High-quality drones with AI capabilities can be used to monitor wildfires, plan patrols, and ensure protection. They can also be used to trace poaching activities in real-time and alert the authorities.
AI algorithms can analyse audio recordings to detect and identify specific animal calls, helping to monitor populations of birds, amphibians, and other vocal species. AI tools are also extremely useful for conducting animal censuses, which is a crucial aspect of their protection.
E- Governance
AI offers vast potential to improve various services for Nepal's citizens. AI-powered chat-bots and virtual assistants can efficiently handle inquiries, provide information, and assist with common queries, reducing the burden on human service agents and enhancing responsiveness.
Moreover, AI can automate administrative tasks such as document processing, appointment scheduling, and data entry. This increased efficiency allows government personnel to focus on more complex tasks and strategic initiatives.
While initiatives like Hello Sarkar, Smart Driving License, Nagarik App, Online Registration System, and MDMS are already underway, there is still much more to be done. By fully embracing AI technology, Nepal can streamline these processes, making public services more efficient and user-friendly, ultimately reducing the hassle faced by citizens.
Laws and Legal field
AI tools can revolutionize the legal field by quickly analysing vast amounts of legal texts, case laws, statutes, and regulations, assisting lawyers in finding relevant information and precedents. Additionally, AI can review legal documents, contracts, and agreements to identify key terms, clauses, and potential issues, saving time and reducing human error.
AI systems can optimize court scheduling, reducing delays and improving the efficiency of case management. Furthermore, AI-powered chat-bots can provide basic legal advice, answer common legal questions, and guide users through legal procedures, thereby improving access to justice for those who cannot afford a lawyer.
Moreover, AI can facilitate online dispute resolution platforms, offering a quicker and more cost-effective alternative to traditional court proceedings. These advancements collectively enhance the legal system's efficiency, accessibility, and overall effectiveness.
The historic decision by Nepal's court
Nepal recently made a historic decision regarding online litigation by implementing a system for virtual court hearings and legal proceedings. This initiative was part of a broader effort to modernize the judiciary and improve access to justice, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Supreme Court of Nepal's decision to endorse and facilitate online litigation marks a significant step forward for the country's legal system. This move allows for the continuation of judicial processes without physical presence, which is crucial during times of crisis and for increasing the efficiency and accessibility of legal proceedings.
This transition to online litigation includes the use of video conferencing for court hearings, digital submission of documents, and online case management systems. These technological advancements aim to reduce delays, enhance transparency, and make the legal process more accessible to the public, particularly for those living in remote areas.
The implementation of online litigation in Nepal demonstrates the country's commitment to embracing technology to ensure the continuity of judicial processes and uphold the rule of law. This development is seen as a progressive step towards modernizing the legal system and improving access to justice for all citizens.
Other sector
AI applications are not limited to a specific sector but can be diversified across various fields. In tourism, AI can enhance the experience by compiling lists of hotels, creating travel plans, organizing safety measures with live location tracking, and providing detailed information about specific places, art, and scriptures.
In business, AI can support the establishment of new start-ups through data training, allowing entrepreneurs to run targeted ads on different social media platforms to boost their ventures.
For law enforcement, AI can assist police personnel with surveillance, patrolling, and crime investigation. Similarly, the military can use AI to automatically detect suspicious activities at the border.
On social media, AI can be employed to automatically detect and take down hateful channels and content, helping to control unnatural mobs and violence.
Overall, AI has a vast scope and can greatly benefit a country like Nepal by improving various sectors and enhancing overall efficiency.
Current Situation of Nepal
Nepal's journey toward AI development seems to be inching forward with baby steps. Nepal ranks 150 out of 181 countries in the “AI Readiness Index” of 2022; which shows the urgent need to address the gap in digital skills and education. As there is a need for sufficient trained manpower in this field, it is necessary to build laws, rules, regulations, procedures, policies, guidelines, etc. The recently prepared concept paper, which ideally should provide a clear roadmap for effectively utilizing AI and tackling its inherent challenges, appears to be merely a tentative beginning.
The government’s first Concept Paper on Artificial Intelligence (AI), developed over five months by a technical committee led by Joint Secretary Anil Kumar Dutta from the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, seems to lack the urgency and comprehensiveness required for such a critical issue. While the report does recommend essential actions such as enacting policies for cyber security, data protection, and privacy, and suggests a national AI strategy and data protection framework, it feels more like a preliminary sketch than a robust plan.
Furthermore, the advocacy for an integrated national portal for AI information, prioritizing AI research and development, and promoting transparency, accountability, and increased investment in AI, though commendable, appears to be more aspirational than actionable. One can only hope that these suggestions will translate into concrete actions, rather than remaining just well-meaning rhetoric.
Initiatives like the Smart Traffic Management System, Nagarik App, Smart License, and Mero School are noteworthy examples of AI applications managing data in Nepal. However, these initiatives lack effective laws and regulations to ensure proper oversight and functionality.
This challenges highlightes the urgent need of legislative reforms that can govern the deployment of AI more effecently and more ethically in the country.
Beyond these regulatory shortcomings, Nepal faces several significant challenges in AI implementation:
Lack of Infrastructure:
Nepal lacks the necessary technological infrastructure to support AI development and deployment. This includes inadequate high-speed internet, data centers, and computational power required for AI research and applications.
Limited Skilled Workforce:
There is a shortage of professionals trained in AI, machine learning, and data science. This skills gap hampers the ability to develop and maintain sophisticated AI systems.
Data Scarcity:
AI systems require large amounts of data to train effectively. Nepal struggles with data collection, storage, and management issues, which impacts the quality and performance of AI models.
Regulatory and Ethical Concerns:
The absence of clear policies and regulations on AI use raises concerns about data privacy, security, and ethical implications. Establishing a regulatory framework is essential to ensure responsible AI usage.
Financial Constraints:
AI development and implementation require significant investment. Nepal faces financial constraints that limit its ability to invest in AI infrastructure, research, and development.
Public Awareness and Acceptance:
There is a general lack of awareness and understanding of AI among the public and even within many industries. This can lead to resistance to adopting AI technologies.
While Nepal’s initial steps in AI are noteworthy, a more aggressive and structured approach is necessary to overcome these challenges and fully realize the potential of AI in the country.
In closing, Nepal stands at a pivotal moment in its AI journey, facing challenges but also bringing with potential. We must bridge infrastructure gaps, bolster digital education, and forge strong policies to propel AI innovation responsibly.
Ethical integrity must guide our path forward—ensuring transparency and safeguarding privacy as we embrace AI's transformative power. Progress in agriculture, healthcare, and education showcases our initial strides toward a brighter future.
To succeed, Nepal must unite in investment, skill-building, and collaborative partnerships across sectors. By harnessing AI's capabilities, we can not only catch up but lead, fostering inclusive growth and advancing our nation on the global stage.
With determination and foresight, let us embark on this journey with pride and patriotism, shaping a future where AI serves as a beacon of progress for all Nepalis
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