Can use AI to identify anti-dumping duty, FTA preparations: Nasscom tells government

The apex software and services industry lobby Nasscom has suggested the commerce and industry ministry that Artificial Intelligence can be used to identify potential cases of dumping and circumvention of antidumping duty by analysing export-import data and mapping it with origin and destination countries.

The National Association of Software and Services Companies said AI can be used during preparation of free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations and to quickly review patent applications and search for prior inventions.

“There is a feeling in the government to use futuristic technologies and how they can be used in official work, data analysis and capturing trends,” said an official.


The software industry body has also suggested that a central repository of all inventions, such as the nature of patent held by a country or company, the duration for which they hold the patent as well as the intellectual property rights that apply on those products, can be created.

“If an importer knows that a certain product with such IPR can cost this amount or they have certain alternatives, they will have options. We can also use AI to predict which products will see enhanced demand with changing seasons and therefore price fluctuation and mitigation can be easier,” an industry executive said.

Such a tool, the executive said, could be built on a 'DPI (digital public infrastructure) model' by the government with inputs from Nasscom.

The International Chamber of Commerce Brazil and UNCTAD have introduced Cognitive Trade Advisor, an AI-powered application designed to enhance trade negotiations, that uses an understanding of natural language to provide solutions that can improve how delegates prepare and negotiate.

The government can also use AI to identify potential cases of dumping and cases of circumvention of antidumping duty by analysis of large volumes of import-export data and mapping it with origin and destination countries, according to Nasscom.

This would lead to improved enforcement of trade remedies and ultimately better realization of the impact of trade remedies.

For patent processes, it has suggested that AI can quickly review applications and search for prior inventions. This would require structured and high-value data, which the AI can sift through to accelerate the process of identifying ‘prior art.’