2016 was a transformative year, marked by the e-commerce sector’s challenges following the Indian government’s Press Note 3. This led to innovative business models and growth in related industries like logistics and warehousing. The year also saw Aadhaar enrolment surpass 1 billion, laying the foundation for India’s digital transformation. The introduction of India Stack, particularly the Unified Payment Interface (UPI), revolutionized digital payments. However, the focus shifted towards including the larger, underserved population in the digital economy, highlighting the need for a balanced policy framework that respects privacy while leveraging data-driven decision-making.

As cognitive machines begin to take over human decision-making functions, there is an urgent need to redesign education to promote creative thought and problem-solving. Without these changes, the next generation may be ill-equipped to stay ahead of the machines, risking being overwhelmed by technological advancements.

CRISPR-Cas9 is a gene-editing breakthrough that promises cures for genetic diseases but raises ethical concerns about creating “designer babies” and potential misuse. While some advocate for a moratorium on germ-line modifications, others argue for its therapeutic potential, especially in eradicating devastating genetic disorders like Tay-Sachs.

Privacy is an aberration from the mutual surveillance (coveillance) society that we have always been a part of. With greater tensions being felt between new technologies and the need for greater privacy the solution is to embrace covaillance so that we can reduce the information asymmetry between the watcher and the watched.

Europe supplanted Asian dominance in the 1700s, thanks to the European discovery of ignorance and its subsequent pursuit of knowledge. There are parallels between this and today’s technological revolution, where virtual networks and global corporations have created a new form of influence, that are a modern form of colonization.

We should regulate autonomous weapons like we govern nuclear non-proliferation and climate change - through international consensus and not national policy. If we build machine intelligence that can decide who to kill this technology we will not be able to control whose hands this gets into.

Since the 2008 financial crisis, increased regulatory measures have led to higher compliance costs for financial institutions. Many banks’ legacy systems are struggling with these demands. Emerging RegTech start-ups are addressing this by using modern cloud-based technologies to simplify compliance. This field promises to transform regulation through efficient data processing, real-time API-driven compliance, and a shift from prescriptive legislation to principle-based algorithms.

Wearable devices are increasingly common, tracking various physical activities and even finding their way into legal evidence. The future of medicine may lie in this quantified personal measurement, allowing for customized treatment tailored to individual patients. However, to reach this future, changes to regulatory frameworks and a rethinking of privacy notions are needed to allow for more patient-centric medical treatment and algorithmic diagnosis.

The Delhi high court’s decision allowing photocopying of textbooks for educational purposes has been praised for its modern interpretation of copyright law. The ruling emphasizes the need to adapt copyright law to contemporary realities, including the rise of digital content and remix culture, where traditional copyright may hinder creativity.

India has the potential to use data innovatively for enhancing healthcare outcomes. However, it’s crucial to balance patient privacy with public good, defining clear grounds for data access and stringent punishments for misuse. The draft EHR legislation suggests patients “own” their medical data, but a nuanced approach focusing on access and control is needed. India has a unique opportunity to leverage technology for healthcare, but must strike the right balance between personal privacy and public good.