Rahul Matthan
@rahulmatthan.com
I am somewhat reassured by the fact that, as good as AI systems are at predicting the world, they suck at manipulating it. Until, that is, they get us humans to serve as their hands and legs.
My latest Ex Machina post.
exmachina.in/05/11/2025/s...
My latest Ex Machina post.
exmachina.in/05/11/2025/s...
November 6, 2025 at 5:59 AM
I am somewhat reassured by the fact that, as good as AI systems are at predicting the world, they suck at manipulating it. Until, that is, they get us humans to serve as their hands and legs.
My latest Ex Machina post.
exmachina.in/05/11/2025/s...
My latest Ex Machina post.
exmachina.in/05/11/2025/s...
If open-weight models are going to be kept behind the current state of the art, what will this mean for Indian AI developers who have traditionally preferred open-weight models for the flexibility they offer?
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/29/10/2025/s...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/29/10/2025/s...
October 31, 2025 at 12:47 PM
If open-weight models are going to be kept behind the current state of the art, what will this mean for Indian AI developers who have traditionally preferred open-weight models for the flexibility they offer?
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/29/10/2025/s...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/29/10/2025/s...
Yesterday, the Government of India opened a consultation on new regulations to label synthetically generated content. This might sound like a solution, but we would be far better off finding a way to identify what is true.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/23/10/2025/l...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/23/10/2025/l...
October 23, 2025 at 8:23 AM
Yesterday, the Government of India opened a consultation on new regulations to label synthetically generated content. This might sound like a solution, but we would be far better off finding a way to identify what is true.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/23/10/2025/l...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/23/10/2025/l...
We worry about what will happen to us when AI has all the answers. But we don't really need to think about this till it can ask the right questions.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/01/10/2025/c...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/01/10/2025/c...
October 2, 2025 at 11:30 AM
We worry about what will happen to us when AI has all the answers. But we don't really need to think about this till it can ask the right questions.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/01/10/2025/c...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/01/10/2025/c...
All our actions today, are shaped by invisible digital nudges. This is cybernetics made manifest, and we are realising how important it is that those in charge are working in the interests of society at large.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/17/09/2025/r...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/17/09/2025/r...
September 21, 2025 at 8:15 AM
All our actions today, are shaped by invisible digital nudges. This is cybernetics made manifest, and we are realising how important it is that those in charge are working in the interests of society at large.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/17/09/2025/r...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/17/09/2025/r...
If India wants to be a significant player in the AI space it will need to actively encourage investments into the space. We’ve done this before and all we need to do is apply the same playbook.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/10/09/2025/a...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/10/09/2025/a...
September 12, 2025 at 10:33 AM
If India wants to be a significant player in the AI space it will need to actively encourage investments into the space. We’ve done this before and all we need to do is apply the same playbook.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/10/09/2025/a...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/10/09/2025/a...
The government of India has prohibited real money games, citing the social harms they cause. But banning activities rarely serves the intended purpose.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/27/08/2025/n...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/27/08/2025/n...
August 29, 2025 at 3:21 AM
The government of India has prohibited real money games, citing the social harms they cause. But banning activities rarely serves the intended purpose.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/27/08/2025/n...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/27/08/2025/n...
The report of the RBI's FREE-AI committee (of which I was a part) proposes a regulatory framework for AI that both enables innovation and mitigates risk.
My latest Ex Machina column.
exmachina.in/20/08/2025/f...
My latest Ex Machina column.
exmachina.in/20/08/2025/f...
August 23, 2025 at 5:57 AM
The report of the RBI's FREE-AI committee (of which I was a part) proposes a regulatory framework for AI that both enables innovation and mitigates risk.
My latest Ex Machina column.
exmachina.in/20/08/2025/f...
My latest Ex Machina column.
exmachina.in/20/08/2025/f...
When the first Aadhaar number was issued, we were warned that this would not end well. 15 years later, not only has the dystopia we were promised not arrived, the world has come to appreciate the need for digital identity.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/06/08/2025/f...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/06/08/2025/f...
August 7, 2025 at 10:47 AM
When the first Aadhaar number was issued, we were warned that this would not end well. 15 years later, not only has the dystopia we were promised not arrived, the world has come to appreciate the need for digital identity.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/06/08/2025/f...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/06/08/2025/f...
While we need to prevent fraud, the DoT's proposed mobile number validation platform risks centralising data and is an overreach of its authority. We need stronger SIM rules and fraud reporting—not more surveillance.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/30/07/2025/m...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/30/07/2025/m...
July 31, 2025 at 7:52 AM
While we need to prevent fraud, the DoT's proposed mobile number validation platform risks centralising data and is an overreach of its authority. We need stronger SIM rules and fraud reporting—not more surveillance.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/30/07/2025/m...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/30/07/2025/m...
Copyright is supposed to help writers monetise their creations. Except that throughout its long history, very few have made a living from it. Writers write for their readers. Being read is all they really care about.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/23/07/2025/w...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/23/07/2025/w...
July 23, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Copyright is supposed to help writers monetise their creations. Except that throughout its long history, very few have made a living from it. Writers write for their readers. Being read is all they really care about.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/23/07/2025/w...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/23/07/2025/w...
Ever since the Industrial Revolution, laws have always evolved in response to technological change. We are standing on the threshold of a similar technological shift, and our legal system is likely to change yet again.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/16/07/2025/l...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/16/07/2025/l...
July 16, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Ever since the Industrial Revolution, laws have always evolved in response to technological change. We are standing on the threshold of a similar technological shift, and our legal system is likely to change yet again.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/16/07/2025/l...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/16/07/2025/l...
Gene editing offers up solutions for rare diseases. And India’s remarkable genetic diversity means that we can play an active role.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/09/07/2025/r...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/09/07/2025/r...
July 11, 2025 at 4:33 AM
Gene editing offers up solutions for rare diseases. And India’s remarkable genetic diversity means that we can play an active role.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/09/07/2025/r...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/09/07/2025/r...
The open source sustainability crisis is the classic tragedy of the commons. Since India's DPI globalisation is build on open source DPGs it runs the risk of facing the same challenges. But there may be a way out.
My latest Ex Machina article
exmachina.in/02/07/2025/t...
My latest Ex Machina article
exmachina.in/02/07/2025/t...
July 3, 2025 at 9:04 AM
The open source sustainability crisis is the classic tragedy of the commons. Since India's DPI globalisation is build on open source DPGs it runs the risk of facing the same challenges. But there may be a way out.
My latest Ex Machina article
exmachina.in/02/07/2025/t...
My latest Ex Machina article
exmachina.in/02/07/2025/t...
We devised a tokenised solution for age verification to address the data protection requirements of processing children's personal data. This solution could just as easily be used for age-appropriate content moderation.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/25/06/2025/m...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/25/06/2025/m...
June 28, 2025 at 1:19 PM
We devised a tokenised solution for age verification to address the data protection requirements of processing children's personal data. This solution could just as easily be used for age-appropriate content moderation.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/25/06/2025/m...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/25/06/2025/m...
If AI is being fed copyright-protected content in order to build the models that are being offered, there is a presumption that they are "copying" without permission. But are they "copying" or "learning"?
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/18/06/2025/l...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/18/06/2025/l...
June 19, 2025 at 12:19 PM
If AI is being fed copyright-protected content in order to build the models that are being offered, there is a presumption that they are "copying" without permission. But are they "copying" or "learning"?
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/18/06/2025/l...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/18/06/2025/l...
Our addressing system is broken and while GPS gets is to vicinity of where we need to be no trip is complete without making a phone call to navigate the last mile. We need a better system. And we might just have got one.
exmachina.in/11/06/2025/a...
exmachina.in/11/06/2025/a...
June 12, 2025 at 4:58 AM
Our addressing system is broken and while GPS gets is to vicinity of where we need to be no trip is complete without making a phone call to navigate the last mile. We need a better system. And we might just have got one.
exmachina.in/11/06/2025/a...
exmachina.in/11/06/2025/a...
A forgery is better if it is supported by a well-crafted narrative. Today, modern technology has made it possible for us to do this on an industrial scale.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/28/05/2025/f...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/28/05/2025/f...
May 29, 2025 at 10:56 AM
A forgery is better if it is supported by a well-crafted narrative. Today, modern technology has made it possible for us to do this on an industrial scale.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/28/05/2025/f...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/28/05/2025/f...
The data protection principles we use today were first conceptualised in the 1970’s. Are they still relevant in this age of AI and big data?
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/21/05/2025/b...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/21/05/2025/b...
May 22, 2025 at 3:21 AM
The data protection principles we use today were first conceptualised in the 1970’s. Are they still relevant in this age of AI and big data?
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/21/05/2025/b...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/21/05/2025/b...
Maybe we have been going about data portability all wrong. What if, instead of building system-to-system integrations, our data transfer frameworks could be based on self-custodial verifiable credentials?
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/14/05/2025/v...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/14/05/2025/v...
May 16, 2025 at 3:57 AM
Maybe we have been going about data portability all wrong. What if, instead of building system-to-system integrations, our data transfer frameworks could be based on self-custodial verifiable credentials?
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/14/05/2025/v...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/14/05/2025/v...
The scientific world is all abuzz with de-extinction technology that we could use to genetically reintroduce lost traits into existing bloodlines. But before we do, we should carefully consider the consequences.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/07/05/2025/d...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/07/05/2025/d...
May 10, 2025 at 7:12 AM
The scientific world is all abuzz with de-extinction technology that we could use to genetically reintroduce lost traits into existing bloodlines. But before we do, we should carefully consider the consequences.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/07/05/2025/d...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/07/05/2025/d...
We evolved various heuristics to make sense of the large volume of information the world throws at us. However, when they fell short of our expectations, we called them biases and tried to eliminate them.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/30/04/2025/b...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/30/04/2025/b...
April 30, 2025 at 1:51 PM
We evolved various heuristics to make sense of the large volume of information the world throws at us. However, when they fell short of our expectations, we called them biases and tried to eliminate them.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/30/04/2025/b...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/30/04/2025/b...
We need to find new sources of efficient power. While nuclear might be a solution, it will take too long to address our data centre needs. We need alternatives, and enhanced geothermal might just be it.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/23/04/2025/e...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/23/04/2025/e...
April 26, 2025 at 5:41 AM
We need to find new sources of efficient power. While nuclear might be a solution, it will take too long to address our data centre needs. We need alternatives, and enhanced geothermal might just be it.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/23/04/2025/e...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/23/04/2025/e...
We can never know for sure where the future will take us. But I can speculate.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/09/04/2025/p...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/09/04/2025/p...
April 10, 2025 at 9:17 AM
We can never know for sure where the future will take us. But I can speculate.
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/09/04/2025/p...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/09/04/2025/p...
With the climate consensus swiftly unravelling, we need to think differently about how we achieve sustainable development. Could we introduce DPI thinking into the discussions at COP30?
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/02/04/2025/d...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/02/04/2025/d...
April 3, 2025 at 12:50 PM
With the climate consensus swiftly unravelling, we need to think differently about how we achieve sustainable development. Could we introduce DPI thinking into the discussions at COP30?
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/02/04/2025/d...
My latest Ex Machina article.
exmachina.in/02/04/2025/d...