General Studies 2024 GS Paper IV 20 marks 250 words Compulsory Discuss

Q7

There is a technological company named ABC Incorporated which is the second largest worldwide, situated in the Third World. You are the Chief Executive Officer and the majority shareholder of this company. The fast technological improvements have raised worries among environmental activists, regulatory authorities, and the general public over the sustainability of this scenario. You confront substantial issues about the business's environmental footprint. In 2023, your organization had a significant increase of 48% in greenhouse gas emissions compared to the levels recorded in 2019. The significant rise in energy consumption is mainly due to the surging energy requirements of your data centers, fuelled by the exponential expansion of Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI-powered services need much more computational resources and electrical energy compared to conventional online activities, notwithstanding their notable gains. The technology's proliferation has led to a growing concern over the environmental repercussions, resulting in an increase in warnings. AI models, especially those used in extensive machine learning and data processing, exhibit much greater energy consumption than conventional computer tasks, with an exponential increase. Although there is already a commitment and goal to achieve net zero emissions by 2030, the challenge of lowering emissions seems overwhelming as the integration of AI continues to increase. To achieve this goal, substantial investments in renewable energy use would be necessary. The difficulty is exacerbated by the competitive environment of the technology sector, where rapid innovation is essential for preserving market standing and shareholders' worth. To achieve a balance between innovation, profitability and sustainability, a strategic move is necessary that is in line with both, business objectives and ethical obligations. (a) What is your immediate response to the challenges posed in the above case? (b) Discuss the ethical issues involved in the above case. (c) Your company has been identified to be penalized by technological giants. What logical and ethical arguments will you put forth to convince about its necessity? (d) Being a conscience being, what measures would you adopt to maintain balance between AI innovation and environmental footprint?

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

एबीसी इन्कॉर्पोरेटेड नाम की एक तकनीकी कंपनी है जो तीसरी दुनिया में स्थित, संसार की दूसरी सबसे बड़ी कंपनी है। आप इस कंपनी के मुख्य कार्यकारी अधिकारी और बहुसंख्यक शेयरधारक हैं। तेजी से हो रहे तकनीकी सुधारों ने इस परिदृश्य की स्थिरता पर पर्यावरण कार्यकर्ताओं, नियामक प्राधिकरणों और आमजन के बीच चिंता बढ़ा दी है। आप व्यवसाय के पर्यावरणीय पदचिह्न के बारे में महत्वपूर्ण मुद्दों का सामना करते हैं। 2023 में, आपके संगठन में 2019 में दर्ज स्तरों की तुलना में ग्रीनहाउस गैस उत्सर्जन में 48% की उल्लेखनीय वृद्धि हुई है। ऊर्जा खपत में उल्लेखनीय वृद्धि मुख्य रूप से आपके डेटा केंद्रों की बढ़ती ऊर्जा आवश्यकता के कारण है जो कृत्रिम बुद्धिमत्ता (AI) के तेज विस्तार से प्रेरित है। AI-संचालित सेवाओं को उनके उल्लेखनीय लाभ के बावजूद पारंपरिक ऑनलाइन गतिविधियों की तुलना में बहुत अधिक संगणनात्मक संसाधनों और विद्युत ऊर्जा की आवश्यकता होती है। प्रौद्योगिकी के प्रसार से पर्यावरणीय प्रभावों पर चिंता बढ़ गई है, इसके फलस्वरूप चेतावनियाँ भी बढ़ गई हैं। AI मॉडल, विशेष रूप से व्यापक मशीन लर्निंग और डेटा प्रोसेसिंग के उपयोग किए जाने वाले, पारंपरिक कम्प्यूटर कार्यों की तुलना में बहुत अधिक ऊर्जा खपत करते हैं, जिसमें अत्यधिक तेजी से वृद्धि होती है। यद्यपि, 2030 तक नेट जीरो उत्सर्जन हासिल करने की प्रतिबद्धता और लक्ष्य पहले से ही हैं, उत्सर्जन कम करने की चुनौती भारी लगती है क्योंकि AI का एकीकरण जारी है। इस लक्ष्य को प्राप्त करने के लिए, नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा के उपयोग में पर्याप्त निवेश आवश्यक होगा। प्रौद्योगिकी क्षेत्र के प्रतिस्पर्धी माहौल से कठिनाई और बढ़ गई है, जहाँ बाजार की स्थिति और शेयरधारक के मूल्य को बनाए रखने के लिए तेजी से नवाचार आवश्यक है। नवाचार, लाभप्रदता और धारणीयता के बीच संतुलन हासिल करने के लिए, एक रणनीतिक कदम आवश्यक है जो व्यावसायिक उद्देश्यों और नैतिक दायित्वों, दोनों के अनुरूप हो। (a) उपर्युक्त मामले में उत्पन्न चुनौतियों पर आपकी तत्काल प्रतिक्रिया क्या है? (b) उपर्युक्त मामले में शामिल नैतिक मुद्दों पर चर्चा कीजिए। (c) आपकी कंपनी को तकनीकी दिग्गजों द्वारा दंडित किए जाने के लिए चिह्नित किया गया है। इसकी आवश्यकता को समझाने के लिए आप क्या तार्किक और नैतिक तर्क देंगे? (d) एक विवेकशील व्यक्ति होने के नाते, आप AI नवाचार और पर्यावरणीय पदचिह्न के बीच संतुलन बनाए रखने के लिए क्या उपाय अपनाएँगे?

Evaluate your answer to this question → See all 2024 General Studies questions

Directive word: Discuss

This question asks you to discuss. The directive word signals the depth of analysis expected, the structure of your answer, and the weight of evidence you must bring.

See our UPSC directive words guide for a full breakdown of how to respond to each command word.

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

The directive 'discuss' requires examining multiple perspectives with balanced reasoning. Allocate ~25% words to (a) immediate response, ~25% to (b) ethical issues, ~25% to (c) arguments against penalties, and ~25% to (d) conscience-based measures. Structure: brief situational intro → systematic treatment of all four sub-parts → integrated conclusion emphasizing sustainable innovation.

Key points expected

  • (a) Immediate response: Crisis communication, transparent disclosure of emissions data, formation of rapid response task force, and interim mitigation measures like efficiency optimization in data centers
  • (b) Ethical issues: Inter-generational equity (future generations bearing climate costs), corporate social responsibility vs shareholder primacy, technological determinism vs environmental stewardship, and distributive justice (Third World location implications)
  • (c) Arguments against penalties: Reference to 'polluter pays principle' fairness, India's National Green Tribunal precedents on proportional liability, commitment to net-zero 2030 as good faith effort, and distinction between growth-phase emissions and negligent pollution
  • (d) Conscience-based measures: Adoption of green AI/energy-efficient algorithms, investment in Indian renewable energy grid (solar parks like Bhadla), circular economy principles for hardware, and ethical AI governance framework inspired by UNESCO AI Ethics Recommendation

Evaluation rubric

DimensionWeightMax marksExcellentAveragePoor
Demand-directive understanding20%4Demonstrates nuanced grasp of 'discuss' by presenting balanced arguments across all four sub-parts; for (a) offers actionable CEO response, for (b) applies ethical frameworks (utilitarian, deontological, virtue ethics), for (c) distinguishes legal from ethical liability, for (d) integrates personal conscience with institutional mechanismsAddresses all sub-parts but treats them descriptively rather than analytically; mixes up immediate response with long-term measures; conflates ethical issues with legal complianceMisses sub-parts or misinterprets directives; treats case study as essay on general AI topic; fails to adopt CEO perspective; ignores 'conscience being' requirement in (d)
Content depth & accuracy20%4Accurately cites 48% emissions rise and net-zero 2030 commitment; references specific AI energy intensity data (e.g., GPT-4 training emissions ~500 metric tons CO2); applies relevant ethical theories (Rawlsian justice, Hans Jonas' responsibility ethics); mentions India's PAT scheme for energy efficiencyGeneric discussion of AI and environment without specific data points; mentions ethics without naming frameworks; vague reference to renewable energy without Indian contextFactually incorrect statements about AI emissions; confuses greenhouse gases with other pollutants; irrelevant content on AI ethics (bias, privacy) ignoring environmental focus
Structure & flow20%4Clear four-part structure with visible sub-headings or paragraph transitions; logical progression from crisis response → ethical analysis → defensive arguments → proactive conscience measures; integrated conclusion synthesizing business-ethics balanceAll parts present but unevenly developed; abrupt transitions between sub-parts; conclusion merely summarizes without synthesis; word count skewed toward one sub-partDisorganized narrative without part demarcation; rambling structure; missing conclusion; exceeds word limit significantly or falls substantially short
Examples / case-law / data20%4Cites Microsoft's carbon negative commitment, Google's 24/7 carbon-free energy goal, or India's Data Centre Policy 2020; references Supreme Court's approach in M.C. Mehta cases on corporate environmental liability; mentions specific Indian renewable projects (National Green Hydrogen Mission)Generic examples like 'some companies are going green'; no specific case law or Indian policy references; mentions international agreements (Paris Agreement) without application to caseNo examples or data; irrelevant examples from unrelated sectors; fabricated statistics; examples contradict the case context (e.g., citing emission reductions when case states 48% increase)
Conclusion & analytical edge20%4Synthesizes four sub-parts into coherent 'responsible innovation' framework; offers original insight on decoupling AI growth from emissions through Jevons paradox awareness; proposes measurable KPIs for conscience-based governance; acknowledges tension between Third World development needs and global climate responsibilitiesStandard conclusion on 'balancing profit and planet'; no original insight; restates points without synthesis; ignores Third World context implicationsNo conclusion; abrupt ending; contradictory final position; moralistic preaching without analytical foundation; ignores the 'majority shareholder' conflict of interest dimension

Practice this exact question

Write your answer, then get a detailed evaluation from our AI trained on UPSC's answer-writing standards. Free first evaluation — no signup needed to start.

Evaluate my answer →

More from General Studies 2024 GS Paper IV