Digital Futures Lab

is an independent, interdisciplinary research studio that studies the complex interplay between technology and society in India and the Majority World.

Through evidence-based research, systematic foresight, and public engagement, we work to realise pathways toward equitable, safe and sustainable digital futures.

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Featured
The Global South Won't Just Be a Market for AI — It Wants to Set the Rules
Press Release
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Feb 2026

The Global South Won't Just Be a Market for AI — It Wants to Set the Rules

At the IndiaAI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, Digital Futures Lab and founding partners launched a coalition to ensure AI safety and governance reflect Global South realities — not just the priorities of a handful of powerful nations and companies.
Mapping India’s Data Centres: Aspirations, Realities and Futures
Report
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Feb 2026

Mapping India’s Data Centres: Aspirations, Realities and Futures

Data centres are proliferating across water-scarce, coal-dependent cities with little transparency and no national governance framework. DFL mapped the landscape of players, policies, and impacts to surface what the growth narrative leaves out.
India Has 121 Languages. Most Voice AI Only Serves a Handful.
Report
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Feb 2026

India Has 121 Languages. Most Voice AI Only Serves a Handful.

The languages most needed for digital inclusion in India are the least likely to attract private investment. DFL developed policy recommendations that give governments and institutions concrete tools to build an open, representative voice ecosystem.
Ethical AI Adoption in the Indian Judiciary: Strengthening Access to Justice
Project
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Jul 2025 - Feb 2026

Ethical AI Adoption in the Indian Judiciary: Strengthening Access to Justice

Can AI adoption in judicial processes in India advance public interest? Through this project, we develop AI use guidelines and ethical procurement processes to ensure that its integration aligns with natural justice principles and accountability.
Advancing Open Source AI in India: Recommendations for Governments and Technology Developers
Policy
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Feb 2026

Advancing Open Source AI in India: Recommendations for Governments and Technology Developers

Most AI reaching India originates abroad, limiting what can be adapted or governed. DFL unpacked what openness actually enables, built a practical tool to better implement open source AI, and developed guidance for navigating risks and benefits.
Banner illustration
Project
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Mar 2026

Putting Workers First: Anticipating the Impact of Generative AI on the Creative Industry in India

Co-created with India's creative workers, this foresight report by Digital Futures Lab confronts an urgent question: who benefits when AI enters the studio? Four scenarios. Real stakes. A narrow window to act.
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Latest
Launch of DFL's Capacity Building program for AI Leadership in the Public Sector at Pre-Summit
Update
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Dec 2025

Launch of DFL's Capacity Building program for AI Leadership in the Public Sector at Pre-Summit

We are partnering with CeRAI, IIT Madras to develop our new capacity-building program to train Indian government officials on building, procuring and scaling responsible AI systems. This is supported by IndiaAI and Google.
Governing AI in the Courtroom: A Practical Assessment Toolkit for Judicial Decision-Makers
Tool
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Mar 2026

Governing AI in the Courtroom: A Practical Assessment Toolkit for Judicial Decision-Makers

AI is entering India's courtrooms. Are judges and court staff equipped to choose the right tools? These assessments help courts decide - wisely.
From Principles to Practice: Responsible AI and Healthcare in India
Project
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Feb 2025 - Present

From Principles to Practice: Responsible AI and Healthcare in India

AI-enabled tools can transform overburdened healthcare systems, but come with significant risks. We’re developing a risk assessment and mitigation framework to ensure the safe, ethical, and responsible adoption of AI in Indian healthcare systems.
The Next Great Divergence: Why AI May Widen Inequality Between Countries
Essay
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Dec 2025

The Next Great Divergence: Why AI May Widen Inequality Between Countries

This UNDP report highlights the mounting pressures of inequity in Asia and the Pacific. DFL wrote the paper, Exploring the Potential of AI to Usher in a New Governance Paradigm in Asia and the Pacific, as part of this multinational effort.
Urvashi interviewed by Fondation Hirondelle | AI enables a more diversified news ecosystem
Media
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Dec 2025

Urvashi interviewed by Fondation Hirondelle | AI enables a more diversified news ecosystem

Urvashi was interviewed by Fondation Hirondelle for the latest issue of Mediation, their bi-annual publication. Fondation Hirondelle is a Swiss non-profit working to ensure that people facing crises have access to reliable, independent information.
Think Change Podcast: What trends will shape 2026?
Media
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Dec 2025

Think Change Podcast: What trends will shape 2026?

This episode unpacks how aid cuts, Al acceleration, geopolitical fragmentation and rising conflict are reshaping global politics, development and democracy and what these forces mean for multilateral cooperation and collective action in 2026.