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By:

Prasad Dixit

11 October 2024 at 1:09:23 am

The Human Advantage in an Artificial Age

As artificial intelligence grows smarter and more efficient, the real battle may not be about machines surpassing humanity but about whether humans squander the qualities that still set them apart. With the recent news of a Chinese robot beating the human record in a half- marathon, there is renewed debate on how AI could outsmart human beings. Many experts see it as yet another proof of impending disaster as AI takes over most of the jobs in the years to come. This is not the first time when...

The Human Advantage in an Artificial Age

As artificial intelligence grows smarter and more efficient, the real battle may not be about machines surpassing humanity but about whether humans squander the qualities that still set them apart. With the recent news of a Chinese robot beating the human record in a half- marathon, there is renewed debate on how AI could outsmart human beings. Many experts see it as yet another proof of impending disaster as AI takes over most of the jobs in the years to come. This is not the first time when human civilization is facing a technological revolution that has the potential to impact society and economy in a profound manner. There is, however, a crucial difference with AI driven revolution that is often missed out. The first industrial revolution happened because steam engines were invented and it led to mechanization of production. It was followed by discovery of electrical energy and technologies to harness it for mass production. Next wave of evolution was led by computerization and automation in practically all the fields covering both offices and industrial shop floors through mainframes, personal computers, and programmable logic controllers. While all these leaps in technologies are very different in terms of the specific underlying inventions, they all have one thing in common. They were all invented to do things that were humanly impossible to do. One steam engine or electric motor could do the work that perhaps hundreds of humans would never be able to accomplish even with their collective muscle power. Automation of the manufacturing assembly line would deliver speed and accuracy that human beings would never be able to achieve. Beyond Human Technological advances in Telecommunication, for that matter, have simply expanded the range of 'hearing' and 'seeing' far beyond what human vocal chords, ears, and eyes could manage to do on their own. Computers, at its core, are essentially doing the math and calculations at a speed and accuracy that the human brain can never achieve. To add to that, machines using all these innovations in technology would work tirelessly without any fatigue for a duration that human beings would never be able to match. Although AI is yet another highly potent technological innovation, it is not as straightforward as the previous ones. It can absorb and synthesize huge amounts of data that the human brain perhaps cannot do. Ability of AI to answer any question reasonably well using all the global knowledge made available to it, summarize enormous amount of data and text quickly, quickly draw a complex picture based on instructions given verbally, predict a trend, recognize and highlight a specific face in a fraction of a second from millions of faces, write code based on simple English instructions, are all examples where the speed and accuracy of underlying computation is delivering what human being cannot match. However, there are several areas where human beings are trying to improve AI so that it can, some day, match or exceed capability that human beings themselves already have. Examples of this include the ability of AI to completely replace a human driver safely in all situations, understand full context or an intent behind a statement, carry out complex and well-coordinated mechanical activity in response to various unpredictable situations, react appropriately by correctly assessing the emotions at play, integrate generated code appropriately in the existing larger systems landscape, and so on. In such cases, AI is not exhibiting any capability that is humanly impossible to match. On the contrary, AI is trying to catch up with what humans can do easily. In other words, in these areas, AI is trying to become what humans already are. This very aspect separates AI driven technology revolution from all the previous ones. Direct Competition It is often said that AI and humans will co-exist in the future, and people will need to change their ways of working. It is obvious that AI is also going to directly compete with humans in many sectors. Equipment with an embedded chip on-board do compete with humans even today. A case in point is household equipment such as ‘intelligent’ washing machines and dish-washers where robots to do vacuum cleaning and floor mopping do compete with humans offering these services. A human household help can perform these activities far better than what a machine can do. However, given an affordable choice, an increasing number of households prefer machines over human maid services for a reason. Human household help may not always be punctual, sincere, honest, and reliable. But machines are. Uncontrolled emotions, anger, frustration, laziness, indiscipline, absenteeism do affect humans - but not AI driven machines (at least till the time AI itself acquires emotions of its own, and becomes self-aware some day). This aspect of comparison between AI and humans is likely to become far more prominent and consequential as AI driven machines and robots become more and more intelligent and thereby start competing far more effectively with human capability in many spheres. Competition is said to bring about improvement. Just as AI improves itself through continuous learning to mimic human behaviour and actions, human workforce also needs to improve itself by avoiding behavioural issues and inefficiencies referred to above. Otherwise, humans would lose the natural advantage that they still enjoy over AI, and which is likely to continue even in the foreseeable future. Employers or consumers in the labour-intensive service sector will accept AI driven machines and robots with all its known limitations if it turns out to be a better net-net deal in comparison to services offered by humans. This specific aspect has tremendous significance for India. Many Countries from the developed world do not have a young population with reasonably good IQ in required numbers. India, on the other hand, has it in abundance. One could compare it with abundant availability of Thorium or Sunlight in India as compared to the Western world. Consequently, unlike many Countries in the world that have a Uranium centric approach towards nuclear energy, India's approach needs to be centered around Thorium. India's strategy related to renewable, non-conventional, green energy needs to be based on solar power. Indian Context Strategies for adopting AI in the Indian context need to be similarly tailored for the Indian context. India needs to adopt AI in the areas where it clearly has an advantage over humans in terms of speed, throughput, ease of use, accuracy, and efficiency. However, the use of AI needs to be judiciously controlled in areas where AI is trying to catch up with the capabilities of the human mind and body. Several labour-intensive services such as drivers, caregivers for the elderly people, parcel delivery, security guards, maintenance and repair of various equipment, are all examples in that category. Educational policies and overall work culture in the Country needs to appreciate this reality. Just as AI experts are trying hard to 'teach' AI algorithms and improve them through supervised learning, another set of experts need to sensitize and teach humans on how to understand, appreciate, preserve, and further hone the significant natural advantage that they already have over AI. Despite all the technological breakthroughs in AI, in many areas, still, it is a battle that humans will lose only if they choose to. (The writer works in the Information Technology sector. Views personal.)

Strategic Cooperation in an Uncertain World

The Security and Defence Partnership between Canada and the EU is the most comprehensive pact the EU has ever signed with a non-member, marking a major shift in transatlantic cooperation.

On 23 June 2025, Canada and the EU signed a landmark Security and Defence Partnership in Brussels, marking a major step in their ties. Announced at the 20th EU-Canada Summit, the deal, alongside pledges on trade, digital policy, and climate action, reflects a strategic shift amid changing global dynamics.


Canada and the EU formalised ties in 1959 with an agreement on peaceful atomic energy use. Since then, the partnership has grown to cover trade, security, and shared values of democracy and human rights. The cornerstone of economic ties is the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), signed in 2016 and provisionally applied since 2017. CETA eliminated 98 per cent of tariffs, boosting trade by 71 per cent and adding €3.2 billion to the EU’s GDP and €1.3 billion to Canada’s annually.


Politically, the Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA), also signed in 2016, fostered dialogue on climate, security, and global governance. The EU is Canada’s second-largest trading partner; Canada is the EU’s 12th-largest export market. Cooperation also spans research, innovation, and joint support for Ukraine, with both being co-founders of the G7 Donor Coordination Platform.


But the global landscape has shifted. Rising tensions—Russia’s war in Ukraine, NATO uncertainty under Trump, and growing protectionism—have pushed both to reassess priorities. The latest pact reflects efforts to diversify partnerships and reduce reliance on traditional allies, especially the United States.


Key Components

The Brussels summit’s highlight was the Security and Defence Partnership, deemed the EU’s “most comprehensive” deal with a third country by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. It covers crisis management, maritime security, cybersecurity, counter-terrorism, and support for Ukraine. It also allows Canada to join the EU’s €150 billion SAFE programme under ReArm Europe/Readiness 2030, enabling joint arms procurement and granting Canadian firms access to a €1.25 trillion market.


Beyond defence, leaders agreed to launch talks on a digital trade agreement to align standards, enhance cybersecurity, and collaborate on AI and quantum tech. They also committed to strengthening supply chains for critical raw materials and boosting industrial cooperation in clean technology. These initiatives build on CETA’s success while tackling digital and energy security.


The partnership also deepens climate cooperation via the EU-Canada Green Alliance and support for Ukraine’s recovery, including Canadian experts at the Ukraine Donor Platform. Together, these steps reflect a unified strategy linking security, economic resilience, and climate action.


The deal’s timing is crucial. Under President Trump, the US adopted protectionism—imposing 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods and 10 per cent on energy—while questioning NATO commitments. His threats to “annex” Canada and calls for allies to raise defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP have strained ties. With 75 per cent of its defence linked to the US, Canada must diversify partnerships.


For the EU, the pact aids efforts to strengthen defence amid Russia’s war in Ukraine and doubts over US reliability. The €800 billion ReArm Europe plan signals Europe’s push for strategic autonomy. Canada’s joining SAFE boosts transatlantic security and economic opportunities.


The partnership also responds to global challenges. China’s rise, fragile supply chains, and the race for AI and critical minerals demand closer cooperation. Shared values and economic synergy make deeper Canada-EU ties logical.


Geopolitical consequences

The Canada-EU partnership could reshape global alliances and trade. It strengthens the transatlantic framework beyond US-led structures, integrating Canada into Europe’s defence architecture to complement NATO and offer an alternative security network.


It may also influence global trade. A digital trade agreement could set data and AI standards, shaping norms. For India, negotiating an FTA with the EU and CEPA with Canada could ease trilateral cooperation in tech and critical minerals. However, rising US-EU tensions risk trade disruptions, as diverted Canadian steel and aluminium might trigger EU safeguards.


The pact also backs multilateral action on climate and Ukraine, increasing pressure on Russia through sanctions and aiding reconstruction.


Challenges remain: full CETA ratification is pending in 10 EU states; Canadian domestic resistance over defence spending may stall progress; and worsening US-Canada ties could invite economic retaliation, affecting Canada’s EU commitments.


Geopolitically, India benefits from a stable transatlantic axis. A stronger Canada-EU link could balance China’s influence and bolster multilateral bodies like the G7, where India is a regular guest. Yet India must maintain strategic autonomy while managing ties with the US, EU, and Canada and expanding its role in the Global South.


The Canada-EU Strategic Partnership of June 2025 marks a bold step toward a stronger transatlantic alliance. By deepening ties in security, trade, and climate, both sides are responding to global volatility. For India, it underscores the need for diversified partnerships and active global engagement. Amid rising protectionism, rivalries, and climate threats, the pact offers a model for broader cooperation—if it overcomes internal and external hurdles.


(The writer is a foreign affairs expert. Views personal.)

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