UPSC Prelims Practice Set: Artificial Intelligence, Nobel Prizes & Governance (2025 Context)
(By Suryavanshi IAS)
Q1. Nobel Prize 2024 and Artificial Intelligence
Which of the following correctly pairs the 2024 Nobel Laureates with their contributions?
| Laureate | Contribution |
|---|
| 1. Geoffrey Hinton | Neural Networks and Machine Learning |
| 2. Demis Hassabis | Protein Structure Prediction using AI |
| 3. John Jumper | AlphaFold Development |
| 4. David Baker | Computational Protein Design |
Select the correct answer:
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1, 2 and 3 only
C. 1, 2, 3 and 4
D. 2, 3 and 4 only
✅ Answer: C. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Explanation:
-
Physics Nobel (2024): Geoffrey Hinton and John Hopfield → neural networks.
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Chemistry Nobel (2024): Demis Hassabis, John Jumper (DeepMind), and David Baker → protein structure prediction via AlphaFold and computational design.
Q2. DeepMind’s AlphaFold system is primarily associated with:
A. Generating natural language text from prompts.
B. Predicting the 3D structure of proteins using AI.
C. Simulating weather and climate patterns.
D. Detecting misinformation using large datasets.
✅ Answer: B.
Explanation:
AlphaFold 2 (by Google DeepMind) predicts 3D protein structures from amino acid sequences using neural networks — a major breakthrough in computational biology.
**Q3. The term “Compute Commons” in AI policy discussions refers to:
A. A centralized government-owned data repository.
B. A shared pool of computing resources for public AI research.
C. A public-private partnership for chip manufacturing.
D. A blockchain-based computing network.
✅ Answer: B.
Explanation:
A Compute Commons means publicly accessible supercomputing or cloud resources that allow universities, startups, and nonprofits to conduct frontier AI research without relying on private firms.
**Q4. “Public funding must produce public returns — in code, data, and model weights.”
This statement supports which principle of AI governance?**
A. Digital Sovereignty
B. Ethical AI
C. Open Science and Research Transparency
D. Responsible Innovation
✅ Answer: C. Open Science and Research Transparency
Explanation:
The statement advocates open access to AI research outputs — such as datasets, model weights, and benchmarks — especially when the work is publicly funded.
Q5.
Which of the following best describes “responsible release” of AI models, as discussed in global AI policy frameworks?
A. Immediate open-source release of all models for innovation.
B. Gradual or selective release of AI systems to manage risk and safety.
C. Exclusive corporate control of model weights and data.
D. Restricting all AI models to military use only.
✅ Answer: B.
Explanation:
“Responsible release” refers to staged disclosure of AI models — balancing safety with openness — to avoid misuse while enabling public benefit.
Q6.
Which of the following countries or regions has officially launched public compute infrastructure for AI research?
-
United States
-
European Union
-
Japan
-
India
Select the correct answer:
A. 1, 2 and 3 only
B. 1 and 4 only
C. 2 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
✅ Answer: A. 1, 2 and 3 only
Explanation:
-
U.S.: National AI Research Resource (NAIRR).
-
EU: European AI Research Cloud / GAIA-X.
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Japan: AI Bridging Cloud Infrastructure (ABCI).
-
India’s AI Compute Infrastructure is announced under “IndiaAI Mission (2025)”, but still in early development.
Q7. IndiaAI Mission (2025) aims to:
A. Ban the use of generative AI tools for public use.
B. Establish an integrated ecosystem for AI innovation, compute infrastructure, and governance.
C. Replace foreign AI models with domestic alternatives.
D. Develop a blockchain-based toll payment system for highways.
✅ Answer: B.
Explanation:
The IndiaAI Mission 2025, under the Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY), focuses on:
-
Building AI compute infrastructure (GPU clusters)
-
Supporting datasets and startups
-
Creating a National AI Portal
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Ensuring ethical and responsible AI governance.
Q8.
The National Supercomputing Mission (NSM) and the proposed Compute Commons concept share which of the following objectives?
A. Making India self-reliant in semiconductor design.
B. Providing public access to high-performance computing for research.
C. Regulating private AI labs.
D. Deploying AI models for defense applications.
✅ Answer: B.
Explanation:
Both aim to democratize computing power for research and innovation.
While NSM focuses on general supercomputing, Compute Commons extends that principle to AI-specific compute access.
Q9.
Which of the following best explains why recent Nobel laureates in AI are employed by corporations like Google DeepMind or OpenAI rather than universities?
A. Academic research has lost its global credibility.
B. Corporate labs now control data, compute, and infrastructure needed for frontier research.
C. Universities are prohibited from conducting AI research.
D. Nobel rules require corporate affiliation for eligibility.
✅ Answer: B.
Explanation:
Cutting-edge AI models need massive compute, datasets, and engineering teams — resources largely available only in corporate ecosystems, shifting the center of innovation away from universities.
Q10.
Which of the following measures can promote equitable and transparent AI research according to recent global policy recommendations?
-
Open access to model weights and datasets from publicly funded projects.
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Mandatory compute-cost disclosures in AI research papers.
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Public procurement clauses ensuring open benchmarks and deliverables.
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Allowing corporations to patent all AI-generated data for safety reasons.
Select the correct answer:
A. 1, 2 and 3 only
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 2, 3 and 4 only
D. 1, 3 and 4 only
✅ Answer: A. 1, 2 and 3 only
Explanation:
The first three measures foster transparency and public accountability in AI research.
Patenting all AI data (statement 4) would restrict open science and is inconsistent with responsible governance.
🧾 Prelims Quick Revision Chart
| Theme | Key Concept / Initiative | UPSC Link |
|---|
| 2024 Nobel Prizes | Hinton, Hopfield → Neural Networks; Hassabis, Jumper → AlphaFold | S&T Achievements |
| DeepMind | AI Lab by Google; developed AlphaFold, Gemini | AI Innovations |
| Compute Commons | Publicly funded shared AI compute clusters | Governance & Tech |
| IndiaAI Mission 2025 | AI innovation, datasets, ethics, and compute infra | National Policy |
| Responsible Release | Controlled openness of AI models | AI Ethics |
| NAIRR (USA) | National AI Research Resource | Global AI Infrastructure |
| NSM (India) | National Supercomputing Mission | Public Compute Access |
| Open Science | Releasing model code, weights, data | Research Ethics |
| TPUs | Tensor Processing Units (Google) | Computing Hardware |
| Public–Private Divide | Public ideas on private infrastructure | Policy & Governance |
💬 Bonus UPSC Mains Practice Questions
Q1.
“The 2024 Nobel Prizes in AI reveal how public science increasingly relies on private infrastructure.”
Discuss the implications for research equity and governance.
(GS Paper 3 – Science & Technology)
Q2.
Critically analyse the concept of “Compute Commons” as a public policy response to concentration of AI resources.
(GS Paper 3 – Infrastructure & Innovation)
Q3.
How does India’s AI Mission 2025 align with the principles of open science, data governance, and digital sovereignty?
(GS Paper 2 – Policy & Governance)
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