AIPF debates futuristic impact of AI on society | Anil Rajimwale

Intellectuals, social thinkers and activists from all over India gathered in Patna on February 7-9 in an all India seminar-cum-workshop to discuss in detail the growing impact of artificial intelligence on science, technology, and on theory and practice of society. They came from Bihar, Punjab, Rajasthan, Kerala, Tamilnadu, Maharashtra, Haryana, UP and others places.

In a continuation of a series of national seminars held every year by the All India Progressive Forum, a platform of open debate and discussion, this seminar focused all its attention on the rapid developments in the AI and latest other technologies.

The theme of this year’ seminar-cum-workshop was ‘Technology, Development and Problems of Employment’ attracted about 30 papers from all over Bihar and India, discussed in six sessions. The participants listened and discussed with intense attention throughout the three days. It was one of the most intense seminars, in which the participants kept coming back to the latest developments in science, technology and particularly in artificial intelligence.

Theme Paper and Base Paper were circulated in advance.

Preparations

An Organizing Committee and a Reception Committee was formed preparatory to the seminar. The OC was headed as Convener by Prof Arun Kumar. The Core Committee included AIPF general secretary Anil Rajimwale, Amit K Singh, Ravindranath Rai, Sunil, Sumant, Priya Kumari, Jitendra Singh and others constituted the core team. A wide range of intellectuals, teachers, doctors, lawyers, students etc were involved. Dr Satyajit headed the reception committee as its chairman.

Inaugural session

The inaugural session was attended by Prof Arun Kumar, Dr Satyajeet K Singh, Working President of AIPF M Vijaya Kumar, general secretary Anil Rajimwale, vice-president Dr Yugal Rayalu, secretary Amit K Singh, and others.

In his inaugural address the famous surgeon-doctor of world fame Dr Satyajeet K Singh warmly welcomed the participants and underlined the importance of the seminar. Earlier Prof Arun invited the dignitaries and introduced the seminar-cum-workshop. Anil provided a brief history and Rayalu a brief introduction of the organisation.

Technology-oriented papers: Base Paper

The papers covered a wide range of subjects, though mostly concentrated upon the latest developments in the AI, robotics, quantum computers and DeepSeek. The tone of discussions was set by the Base Paper by Anil Rajimwale covering a wide range in 82 paras. It was discussed extensively and with great enthusiasm.

The papers presented covered the topics such as: Technology and development; Governance and employment; Technology and employment issues; AI and future of society; AI and health; AI and employment; IT and Marxism; DeepSeek and US monopolies; Technology, employment and future of society; Neocolonialism, technology and working class; Science, technology and human beings; Knowledge ‘blackout’; Technology and social dimensions; Job opportunities and decent work conditions; Globalisation and development; Jobs in IT sector; and others.

The Base Paper and other papers invited intense and focused attention for all the three days. There was pin-drop silence and seriousness throughout the proceedings.

Those who presented/sent papers included: Dr Pranav Shekhar, Kapil, Dr Anil Sawant, Amit K Singh, Dr Rinki, Nico Putz, Dr AR Shanti, Dr GR Ravindranath, Dr G Ramesh, Dr Biju PN, Dr Soma Marla, Dr Gopal Krishna, Sardul Singh, Kanchan Kumar, Prof KS Chalam (President AIPF), Ramesh Rattan, Dr Yugal Rayalu, Dr BS Aulakh, Salimoddin M, Prabhat Kumar, Dr Gopal Krishna, Laxmipathi, H Rajnaika, Gaurav Verma, Dr Rameshwar Das, Priya Kumari, Prof Arun Kumar, M Vijaya Kumar, Anil Rajimwale and others.

Those who chaired and coordinated the sessions included: Anil Kumar Roy, Ghanshyam Rai, Gaurav Verma, M Vijaya Kumar, Ravindranath Rai, Prof Lalbabu Yadav, Dr Anil Sawant, Dr Shanti, Priya Kumari, Sunil K Singh, Khushboo Kumari, and others.

Base Paper sets the tone

The Base Paper set the tone of the seminar-cum-workshop by pointing out the great changes brought about by developments in quantum computers, Willow chips, AI, DeepSeek etc and their growing role in re-fashioning the social structures along with contradictions. It stated: “We are passing through one of the greatest phases of technological revolution…whose chief characteristic is passing on algorithmic powers to the automatic machine systems, leading to machine intelligence.”

AI the centre of Debates

AI was at the centre of debates in the seminar. Study of the emerging technological innovations and their impacts on society has been the hallmark of the AIPF. Absorbing discussions took place in the previous seminars, and some were not yet ready to accept the growing role of IT and other technologies.

But this time the papers and the discussions spontaneously veered round to the AI, quantum computers and their contradictory social impacts. This reflected a big change, with intellectuals and activists coming round to focus on impact of new tech on theory and practice.

The papers and discussions emphasized assimilation of the new developments in all the fields and to raise theory to new higher levels.
The discussions were very optimistic and forward-looking.

Conclusions for the future

Everybody agreed that we are going through historic times, and without study of latest developments, we cannot develop scientific thought. We need to focus on the latest technologies like the AI, quantum computers, robots, DeepSeek, etc and discuss their contradictory positive and negative aspects. We need to think as to how new technologies could be used for people, and how to prevent concentration of wealth and capital in a few hands. Today, it is possible to find ways, methods and structures to distribute social wealth equitably, when productivity is rising fast. Steps can be traced towards a new order of society.

The papers agreed that scientific theory needed constant renewal. The seminar concluded on a very positive and optimistic note for the future.
The workshop-cum-seminar ended with the singing of the National Anthem.

(Author: Anil Rajimwale is the general secretary of All India Progressive Forum)