Madhumita Murgia on Addressing Unintended Harms of AI

Podcast Episode

Madhumita Murgia on Addressing Unintended Harms of AI

By Anirudh Suri and Madhumita Murgia

Published on May 23, 2024

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Interpreting India, Anirudh Suri is joined by Madhumita Murgia, author and AI editor of the Financial Times, to examine the profound impacts of artificial intelligence on society in her new book, Code Dependent: Living in the Shadows of AI. Their conversation centers around the human stories behind AI, spotlighting the inequalities and unintended harms its implementation can catalyze.

How is AI changing what it means to be human? How is AI altering the human experience and societal structures? What are some of the policy implications arising out of these unintended consequences?

EPISODE NOTES

In the past two years, artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly evolved from a burgeoning technology to a transformative force, reshaping industries and everyday life. Enthralled by AI's promises and potential, the tech world and society at large have surged ahead, often without pausing to consider the technology's broader implications. In her book, Code Dependent: Living in the Shadows of AI, Madhumita Murgia talks about the crucial gap in the discourse—the unintended consequences of AI. As AI redefines what it means to be human, it poses profound questions about its impact on individuals, families, societies, and cultures worldwide. A key concern is the concentration of power within a few large tech companies that control extensive data, capital, and infrastructure. The discussion extends to the impact of AI on labor, emphasizing the importance of ethical labor practices and fair wages for data workers, the challenges of biases in AI systems, and the inclusion of diverse voices in AI development to mitigate potential harms and ensure equitable advancements in technology.

What are the unintended consequences of AI on global societies and cultures? Will AI deepen existing inequalities or serve as a tool for greater equity? Will it centralize power among a few or democratize access to resources and opportunities? How does the concentration of AI power affect global politics and economics?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Madhumita Murgia joins Anirudh Suri to answer these pressing questions and discuss the ever-evolving nature of AI and its implications.

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

More Work from Interpreting India

Podcast Episode
Data, AI, and the Laws Trying to Keep Up
In this episode of Interpreting India, Nidhi Singh is joined by Nikhil Narendran, Partner at Trilegal, for a conversation on two of the most pressing issues shaping India's digital future: data protection and AI governance. From the nuts and bolts of India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act to deeper questions about regulating artificial intelligence, Nikhil brings the perspective of a technology lawyer who is not just advising on these issues but actively living them.
Nidhi Singh, Nikhil Narendran
Podcast Episode
Inside the Iran Conflict: Power, Strategy, and India’s Balancing Act
In this episode of Interpreting India, Srinath Raghavan speaks with Gaddam Dharmendra, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Carnegie India and India’s former Ambassador to Iran about the ongoing U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran and what it means for the region. The conversation looks at Iran’s response to sustained attacks, the wider impact on energy markets and regional stability, and the changing relationships between Iran, the Gulf countries, and global powers. It also reflects on India’s position as it balances its ties across West Asia while navigating strategic and economic pressures, and what lies ahead as the conflict continues to shape the region.
Srinath Raghavan, Gaddam Dharmendra
Podcast Episode
Recalibrating BRICS: India’s Moment in a Fragmented World
In this episode of Interpreting India, Vrinda Sahai is joined by Ana Garcia, Associate Professor at PUC-Rio and Coordinator at the BRICS Policy Center, to discuss the evolving direction of BRICS as India assumes the 2026 presidency. The conversation reflects on Brazil’s 2025 chairship, the bloc’s continued focus on reforming global financial governance, and the cautious progress on issues such as local currency trade, financial coordination, and institutional reform. Ana Garcia also highlights the limits of BRICS as a unified geopolitical actor and outlines key priorities for India, including strengthening financial mechanisms, advancing climate and health cooperation, and consolidating the expanded BRICS membership.
Vrinda Sahai, Ana Garcia
Podcast Episode
Deciphering the “Mother of All Trade Deals”: The India–EU FTA
In this episode of Interpreting India, Dinakar Peri is joined by Mohan Kumar, former Indian Ambassador to France and a veteran trade negotiator, to unpack the newly concluded India–EU Free Trade Agreement and why he describes it as the “mother of all trade deals” for India. Kumar explains why the agreement is strategically significant, why the timing matters, and what it signals about India’s trade posture, competitiveness, and broader alignment between trade, technology, and security.
Dinakar Peri, Mohan Kumar
Podcast Episode
AI Adoption Journey for Population Scale: The UCAF Framework
In this episode of Interpreting India, Nidhi Singh is joined by Shalini Kapoor, chief strategist for Data and AI at the EkStep Foundation, and Tanvi Lall, director for strategy at People+ai. They unpack why so many AI initiatives get stuck after impressive demos, and what it takes to move from pilots to real, sustained adoption. Drawing on research spanning 1,000+ use cases across 25 countries, the guests introduce the Use Case Adoption Framework (UCAF) and explain how India can translate AI ambition into population-scale impact—especially across public services, agriculture, health, and other high-priority sectors.
Nidhi Singh, Shalini Kapoor, Tanvi Lall

More Work from Interpreting India

Podcast Episode

Data, AI, and the Laws Trying to Keep Up

In this episode of Interpreting India, Nidhi Singh is joined by Nikhil Narendran, Partner at Trilegal, for a conversation on two of the most pressing issues shaping India's digital future: data protection and AI governance. From the nuts and bolts of India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act to deeper questions about regulating artificial intelligence, Nikhil brings the perspective of a technology lawyer who is not just advising on these issues but actively living them.

Nidhi Singh, Nikhil Narendran

Podcast Episode

Inside the Iran Conflict: Power, Strategy, and India’s Balancing Act

In this episode of Interpreting India, Srinath Raghavan speaks with Gaddam Dharmendra, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Carnegie India and India’s former Ambassador to Iran about the ongoing U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran and what it means for the region. The conversation looks at Iran’s response to sustained attacks, the wider impact on energy markets and regional stability, and the changing relationships between Iran, the Gulf countries, and global powers. It also reflects on India’s position as it balances its ties across West Asia while navigating strategic and economic pressures, and what lies ahead as the conflict continues to shape the region.

Srinath Raghavan, Gaddam Dharmendra

Podcast Episode

Recalibrating BRICS: India’s Moment in a Fragmented World

In this episode of Interpreting India, Vrinda Sahai is joined by Ana Garcia, Associate Professor at PUC-Rio and Coordinator at the BRICS Policy Center, to discuss the evolving direction of BRICS as India assumes the 2026 presidency. The conversation reflects on Brazil’s 2025 chairship, the bloc’s continued focus on reforming global financial governance, and the cautious progress on issues such as local currency trade, financial coordination, and institutional reform. Ana Garcia also highlights the limits of BRICS as a unified geopolitical actor and outlines key priorities for India, including strengthening financial mechanisms, advancing climate and health cooperation, and consolidating the expanded BRICS membership.

Vrinda Sahai, Ana Garcia

Podcast Episode

Deciphering the “Mother of All Trade Deals”: The India–EU FTA

In this episode of Interpreting India, Dinakar Peri is joined by Mohan Kumar, former Indian Ambassador to France and a veteran trade negotiator, to unpack the newly concluded India–EU Free Trade Agreement and why he describes it as the “mother of all trade deals” for India. Kumar explains why the agreement is strategically significant, why the timing matters, and what it signals about India’s trade posture, competitiveness, and broader alignment between trade, technology, and security.

Dinakar Peri, Mohan Kumar

Podcast Episode

AI Adoption Journey for Population Scale: The UCAF Framework

In this episode of Interpreting India, Nidhi Singh is joined by Shalini Kapoor, chief strategist for Data and AI at the EkStep Foundation, and Tanvi Lall, director for strategy at People+ai. They unpack why so many AI initiatives get stuck after impressive demos, and what it takes to move from pilots to real, sustained adoption. Drawing on research spanning 1,000+ use cases across 25 countries, the guests introduce the Use Case Adoption Framework (UCAF) and explain how India can translate AI ambition into population-scale impact—especially across public services, agriculture, health, and other high-priority sectors.

Nidhi Singh, Shalini Kapoor, Tanvi Lall