Mrityunjaya Dubey
“Long before the outbreak of the historic catastrophe that humanity is witnessing now, Shri Rajiv Malhotra has years before shown the right trajectory to all humankind that was often been ignored by various thought leaders across the globe, his latest book on “AI and the future of Power” still leaves room to do the much-needed course correction to comprehend post-COVID-19 pandemics lessons with AI at its core”.
Shri Rajiv Malhotra’s latest book on “Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Power: 5 Battlegrounds” is a clarion call for India in particular and the world, in general, to avert any harm to the progress made by human civilization since ages. This book is truly an intellectual treat for every conscious/speculative/considerate being in the world. The lucidity combined with wit in between each line of this polemical work along with Shri Rajiv Ji’s unique way of laying out the intricacies of every single issue discussed in this book stands unparalleled to any previous work pretending to be a humane perspective on AI. The ease of expression with which Shri Rajiv Ji has elaborated each fundamental concepts/ideas/principle that is often presumed/perceived to be AI jargon for young leaders hailing from diverse backgrounds is a crystalline and scintillating reflection that is highly needed in our societies, nations, countries, regions and the world in general and in every individual living under the sun in particular.
AI (Artificial Intelligence) is and will be the driving force in a fast-changing world and emerging India post COVID-19. Shri Rajiv Ji has divided his book into five arenas which he terms as “Five Battlegrounds”, these battlegrounds are the broad and holistic grounds where AI will be the key driving force (majorly as a disruptor) impacting primarily the thought process of every individual living under the sun in countries big and small, developed or developing. These battlegrounds are economic development and jobs, global power, psychological control and agency, metaphysics followed by India’s Future. The impact of the AI will have the force to divide our diverse societies into a loose societal fabric to merely harness the monetary growth and development and then to subsequently widen fault lines and hard press our psychological hot buttons too.
A deeper analysis of this work makes it crystal clear with the solid substance that how “India- A Vishvaguru” has failed miserably in negotiating with the big tech giants and corporates under its myopic bureaucrats, ill-informed, conservative and often obsolete leaders. The author impinges on the urgent need to do the course correction by substantiating unbiased and well-researched arguments- combing a whole range of humane, conscious and economy examples to mention a few. The book impinges upon the need to consciously cross-check the two terms like technological growth like AI and civilizational growth often incorrectly equated as synonyms while legislating and implementing long-term policies by leaders across the globe.
On similar lines, the book also lays emphasizes the need for the conscious application of AI technology by thought leaders in India and the world to let humane instincts remain unhindered by machines and robotics deemed to replace humans and subsequently result in making this our planet and world obsolete in long run. The author highlights the need to abandon pseudo-altruism and to immediately think beyond mere cost-benefit analysis.
The author’s lifelong passion and a quest for both physics and philosophy and his undying inspiration from the works of renowned theoretical physicist such as Werner and Erwin Schrodinger. The comprehensive use of Vedic Insights by the aforementioned physicists in their approach to understanding quantum mechanics is indeed a true inspiration not only for the author but for each conscious reader cum analyst of this great work. Shri Rajiv Ji in his book elaborates with utmost clarity in his unique style of critical-appraisal of the interplay of spirituality and artificial intelligence.
The author explains the concepts like algorithms and intertwined nature with our thought process like none-other. The work is a completely and truly milestone in all senses dedicated towards the progress, growth and development of human civilization in India and the world. It is high time for leaders and governments of the day to think rationally on the lines of this work to avert any danger to human progress in the long term like AI that can disrupt everything imaginable in humane senses.
There is a true urgency for young leaders, researches and technocrats to awake their consciousness and to look beyond short-sighted goals merely targeted to achieve instant gratifications. Shri Rajiv Ji in his book has explicitly elaborated various nuanced policies by so-called visionaries that aimed to mere instant gratifications and monetary benefits. Analysis of this book also makes it noteworthy to question various strategies (in the form of policies both domestic and foreign) that were taken up by policymakers has proved to be a national security threat for India in long term. The book is a clarion call having intense and immense potential to make leaders in India to awake now or never!
The call is to prevent policymakers and leaders from selling out our rich heritage for mere monetary benefits and short sighted-shallow and western dominated ideas of economic growth and development. Shri Rajiv Ji lays out a fine balance in the utmost sustainable way that is unbiased by any domestic and foreign dogmas to open-eyes of our leaders, technocrats, businesses, banks and every conscious individual to take the right step in this direction and to not only learn from our mistakes in the past but to now solely internalize it for better future.
In conclusion, this polemical work as emphasized above is a concrete expression and a true reflection of the various course corrections that India currently needs to follow without any further delay to maintain a fine equilibrium keeping intact its unique and diverse position in the areas such as its geostrategic location, economic conditions, political tradition, societal fabric, national morale, national character, national pride, its economic conditions and political tradition alive and keep evolving in the right direction amidst the fast-changing world with AI driving the western notion of globalization.
I would highly recommend this book to each conscious individual who is passionate enough and strives to bring a change in our societies and the world.
I can’t lay out all the unique ideas that have been laid out by Sri Rajiv Ji in this book here. Every line of this book is a true inspiration for a young budding researcher in the field of International Studies like me!!!
Keep tuned up to deeper issue wise insights into this great work by the most revered and prolific author Shri Rajiv Malhotra Ji.
The book has deeply impacted and shaped my thoughts and worldview. I am eagerly and passionately looking forward to contributing and spread awareness within India and abroad through all my upcoming projects.
The book is a must for leading Indian Universities striving to internationalize their education system post-NEP 2020. On similar lines,
this book stands as an unbiased reflection for laymen and professionals in almost all interdisciplinary fields such as International Studies/Affairs, Geopolitics, Academia, Think Tanks, Corporates, Natural and Social Sciences to mention a few.
The book has the power to take New India to the zeniths of “Atmanirbharata” in all possible dimensions. The book is a must-read for all individuals, consultants’ firms in intelligence and R&D professionals.
In a nutshell, the book is a subtle reflection of sovereignty of individuals vis-à-vis artificial intelligence. I as a budding and passionate researcher in the domain of International Studies confident that this work will definitely trigger thoughtful and conscious deliberations, dialogues and discussion to get answers to several significant questions laid out by Shri Rajiv Malhotra Ji. The author has in an utmost exclusive way shown the right discourse for an emerging power like India in particular and the world in general.







