ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND SOCIAL EXCLUSION: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR MARGINALISED COMMUNITIES IN INDIA

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as one of the most transformative technologies of the twenty-first century, reshaping economies, governance, education, healthcare, employment, and public service delivery. As India accelerates its digital transformation through initiatives such as Digital India, AI for All, and the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence, the adoption of AI-driven systems has created unprecedented opportunities for economic growth, innovation, and improved public service delivery. However, alongside these advancements, AI has also generated significant concerns regarding social exclusion, digital inequality, algorithmic bias, unequal access to technology, and the widening socio-economic divide among marginalised communities. The unequal distribution of digital infrastructure, educational opportunities, technological literacy, and financial resources often prevents vulnerable populations—including Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs), women, persons with disabilities, migrant workers, rural households, and economically weaker sections—from fully benefiting from AI-enabled development. Artificial Intelligence has the potential to both reduce and reinforce existing inequalities. While AI applications in healthcare, agriculture, education, financial inclusion, governance, and employment can enhance social welfare and expand opportunities for disadvantaged populations, algorithmic discrimination, automated decision-making, digital exclusion, surveillance, and labour market displacement may intensify existing forms of social and economic marginalisation. The benefits of AI are therefore unevenly distributed, making inclusive and ethical AI governance a critical policy priority for developing economies such as India. This study examines the relationship between Artificial Intelligence and social exclusion by analysing the socio-economic, technological, institutional, and policy dimensions affecting marginalised communities in India. It investigates how disparities in digital access, AI literacy, employment opportunities, access to public services, and technological infrastructure influence the inclusion or exclusion of vulnerable populations in the emerging AI-driven economy. The study further evaluates the opportunities created by AI in promoting financial inclusion, digital governance, healthcare accessibility, skill development, entrepreneurship, and livelihood enhancement while identifying the structural barriers that limit equitable participation. The findings are expected to contribute to the growing literature on digital inequality, inclusive technological development, and AI governance by providing evidence-based recommendations for promoting equitable access to Artificial Intelligence. The study emphasises the need for inclusive public policies, ethical AI frameworks, digital capacity building, algorithmic transparency, and institutional interventions that ensure technological progress contributes to social justice, inclusive development, and sustainable economic growth rather than reinforcing existing inequalities.

Keywords

artificial intelligence, social exclusion, digital divide, marginalised communities, inclusive development, digital inclusion, algorithmic bias, india, social justice, AI governance.

References

Brynjolfsson, E., & McAfee, A. (2014). The second machine age: Work, progress, and prosperity in a time of brilliant technologies. W. W. Norton & Company.

Davis, F. D. (1989). Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology. MIS Quarterly, 13(3), 319–340. https://doi.org/10.2307/249008

Frey, C. B., & Osborne, M. A. (2017). The future of employment: How susceptible are jobs to computerisation? Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 114, 254–280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2016.08.019

International Labour Organisation. (2023). Generative AI and jobs: A global analysis of potential effects on job quantity and quality. Geneva: ILO.

NITI Aayog. (2018). National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence: AI for All. Government of India.

Noble, S. U. (2018). Algorithms of oppression: How search engines reinforce racism. New York University Press.

OECD. (2019). OECD Principles on Artificial Intelligence. Paris: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

O’Neil, C. (2016). Weapons of math destruction: How big data increases inequality and threatens democracy. Crown Publishing Group.

UNESCO. (2021). Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. Paris: UNESCO.

United Nations Development Programme. (2022). Human Development Report 2021/2022: Uncertain times, unsettled lives. New York: UNDP.

World Bank. (2021). World Development Report 2021: Data for better lives. Washington, DC: World Bank.

World Economic Forum. (2023). The Future of Jobs Report 2023. Geneva: World Economic Forum.

To cite this article

Aswathi, T., U. (2026). Artificial Intelligence and Social Exclusion: Challenges and Opportunities for Marginalised Communities in India. Sparkling International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research Studies, 9(2), 79-95.