AI for Digital Public Infrastructure: How to Transform Government Services with Artificial Intelligence, by Karl Mehta

AI for Digital Public Infrastructure: How to Transform Government Services with Artificial Intelligence, by Karl N. Mehta, explores the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing government services through Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). With more than 24 years of experience in the field of AI, Mehta brings a deep understanding of how AI can be applied to DPI. Karl Mehta’s AI for Digital Public Infrastructure explores how artificial intelligence can revolutionise government services, making them faster, smarter, and more accessible. Through real-world examples of 9 countries, he shows how AI is already transforming healthcare, social security, and public safety. The book highlights both the opportunities and ethical challenges of AI in governance, making a strong case for thoughtful policies that balance innovation with privacy, security, and fairness.
Governments today are struggling on two fronts: domestically, in providing large-scale services and benefits to their citizens, and globally, as geopolitical great power competition intensifies. Technology is the answer to both. Digital Public Infrastructure serves as an underlying platform that enables faster, cheaper, and more efficient service delivery in sectors such as healthcare, employment, and social security. In today’s geopolitical landscape, technological power determines geopolitical influence. AI, as the next major wave of technological advancement, holds the promise of transforming societies by addressing critical challenges such as healthcare innovation, climate crisis mitigation, clean energy solutions, and improved agricultural productivity for food security.
The author starts with the basic concepts of AI and DPI and the qualities that a successful model of AI in DPI should have. One of the finely described sections in the book is that of the concept of Metabolic Closure. Originating in molecular biology, it is the idea that all the catalysts needed for an organism to stay alive must be produced by the organism itself, relying on nothing from the outside apart from energy. As Mehta explains, applying these principles in digital system design would involve creating systems that are self-sufficient, efficient, and capable of managing their own resources effectively [p. 32].
The book is structured into three main sections:
Global DPI Success Models
This section provides an overview of successful DPI implementations worldwide, offering insights into how various nations have leveraged AI to drive economic transformation and improve public services. From major economies such as the USA, China, and India to smaller nations like Estonia, known for its pioneering use of AI in DPI, several case studies illustrate the application of AI across diverse sectors, including healthcare, transport, education, and national security.
Mehta not only informs the readers about these initiatives but also explains how they are shaping lives, presenting both their positive and negative impacts in an objective manner. For instance, he praises China’s use of AI in healthcare while also critically examining the controversial aspects of its Social Credit System, which raises concerns about privacy and civic liberty.
Benefits of AI in DPI
In this section, Mehta delves into the advantages of integrating AI into public infrastructure, highlighting improvements in efficiency, service delivery, and equitable access to government services. He discusses how AI-driven automation can reduce bureaucratic delays, optimise resource allocation, and enhance citizen engagement. The book also explores real-world use cases, such as AI-powered chatbots for public queries, predictive analytics for social welfare programmes, and fraud detection in subsidy distribution.
Future Considerations
The final section of the book addresses the legal and ethical implications of AI deployment in public sectors, emphasising the need for thoughtful governance and policy-making to navigate the complexities of AI integration. Given how inadequate the AI Summit in France was in this aspect, prioritising innovation over regulation, this section of the book serves as a clear guide to framing effective AI regulations.
Throughout the book, Mehta presents complex concepts in an accessible manner, making them understandable to readers who do not have a technical background. He supports his discussions with extensive references, providing readers with resources to further explore the topics covered. As we celebrate National Science Day (February 28), this book, which elaborates on the contemporary advancements in AI, serves as both a practical guide and a call to action for individuals and government officials aiming to harness AI’s potential to revolutionise public infrastructure and promote economic prosperity.
(Nupur Kulkarni is a Research Assistant at PIC.)