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  • Optimizing Mobile App Performance for the Modern Digital Age

    Mobile App Performance

    In today’s fast-paced world, where mobile applications have become an integral part of daily life, optimizing mobile app performance is crucial as users demand quick, seamless interactions. App developers must stay ahead of performance issues that can significantly impact user satisfaction. This article delves into various innovative strategies to enhance mobile app performance, ensuring smooth user experiences and maintaining a competitive advantage.  Nagarajan Madhavan, an expert in mobile app development, provides a comprehensive guide on improving app performance, offering insights that can revolutionize how developers approach app optimization.

    Understanding Key Performance Metrics

    Several key metrics shape mobile app performance, directly influencing user satisfaction. These include crash rates, app start time, page load time, scroll performance, and app size. High crash rates frustrate users, with a 1% crash rate leading to a 26% drop in retention within 30 days. App start time is equally crucial, with every additional 100 milliseconds lowering conversion rates by 1.8%. Page load delays of even one second can reduce conversions by 7%, while smooth scrolling at 60 frames per second ensures engagement. Additionally, smaller app sizes boost adoption by avoiding install conversion drops.

    Strategic Approach to Performance Optimization

    To ensure optimal app performance, developers must employ a combination of offensive and defensive strategies. Offensive strategies target immediate performance improvements, while defensive strategies focus on preventing future performance regressions.

    Offensive Optimization Strategies

    Offensive optimization focuses on addressing critical performance issues directly. Tackling problems such as memory leaks, resource-intensive processes, and crash-causing bugs early in the development cycle helps prevent larger issues later. Developers should prioritize fixing these high-impact problems to improve app stability and user experience. By continuously monitoring crash rates and using performance-tracking tools, developers can identify and resolve key issues, leading to smoother app performance and reducing the likelihood of user abandonment due to crashes.

    Defensive Optimization Strategies

    Defensive strategies safeguard improvements made through offensive measures and prevent future regressions by focusing on continuous performance monitoring, setting performance budgets, and establishing real-time alert systems to identify and address issues before they impact the user experience. Real-time monitoring tools provide developers with insights into performance drops, enabling quick responses. By continuously testing performance and refining the app’s architecture, developers can mitigate risks and ensure the app remains optimized as new updates and features are introduced.

    Balancing Offensive and Defensive Measures

    For sustained performance improvement, it’s essential to balance offensive and defensive strategies. Developers should first build a robust defensive infrastructure, including enhanced monitoring capabilities and performance budgets. Once these safeguards are in place, they can focus on offensive improvements like reducing app launch time and increasing page load speeds. This balanced approach not only resolves current performance issues but also ensures that future updates and features do not harm user experience. Combining real-time monitoring with proactive optimization enables agile development that adapts to user feedback and evolving market trends.

    Continuous Monitoring for Long-Term Success

    As the mobile app ecosystem evolves, developers must commit to continuous optimization. Factors like user behavior, device capabilities, and network conditions affect app performance. Real-time monitoring and ongoing optimization help maintain peak performance. A balanced approach, combining offensive and defensive strategies, ensures long-term app success. By consistently refining performance, developers can deliver high-quality apps that enhance user experiences, boost engagement, and foster loyalty. Staying proactive in optimization allows apps to exceed user expectations and remain competitive in a rapidly changing market.

    In conclusion, Nagarajan Madhavan’s insights into mobile app performance optimization provide a roadmap for developers looking to elevate the quality of their apps. Through a combination of targeted offensive strategies and robust defensive measures, developers can maintain top-tier performance, ultimately leading to higher user retention and success in the app marketplace.

  • Advances in Conversational AI: Enhancing User Experience through Innovative Dialogue Systems

    Conversational AI

    In recent years, the field of conversational AI has seen remarkable advancements, leading to more human-like interactions between users and AI systems. At the forefront of these innovations is Devesh Mohan Pandey, whose research in dialogue management systems has contributed to significant breakthroughs in AI capabilities. This article explores the key innovations in conversational AI, focusing on state tracking, context management, and response generation, and their impact on improving user experience across various industries.

    The Core of Conversational AI: Dialogue Management Systems

    Dialogue management systems are essential to conversational AI, ensuring AI interacts coherently and contextually with users. Recent advancements in machine learning and natural language processing have significantly improved these systems, allowing AI to handle up to 87% of user queries without human assistance, up from 62%. These innovations, particularly in state tracking, context retention, and response generation, enhance AI’s efficiency and user-friendliness, making it a valuable tool across industries like customer service, healthcare, and finance.

    Precision in Multi-Domain Conversations through State Tracking

    A major breakthrough in dialogue management is the advancement of state tracking mechanisms, which keep conversations coherent, even in multi-domain interactions. Innovations like the Dynamic Fusion Network (DFN) have boosted accuracy to 92.7% in multi-domain dialogues, making AI more reliable in complex scenarios. This progress is crucial in customer service, where inquiries often span multiple topics. State tracking reduces conversation abandonment and speeds up task completion by maintaining context, leading to quicker query resolution and enhanced user satisfaction.

    Enhancing Natural Interactions through Advanced Context Management

    Context management has seen significant advancements, allowing AI to manage complex, multi-turn queries while maintaining relevance throughout extended conversations. This improvement is crucial for creating more human-like interactions, especially when conversations involve topic shifts or ambiguous references. Innovations like the Dynamic Context Integration Network (DCIN) have increased task completion rates by 18.5%, particularly in customer service. AI can now maintain context for up to 20 turns, compared to 5-7 previously. Additionally, context-aware models reduce the need for clarification, handling long-term context with 89% accuracy, making them ideal for healthcare and financial services applications.

    Revolutionizing Responses with Large Language Models

    Large language models have transformed response generation in conversational AI, delivering more coherent and contextually relevant replies that enhance the naturalness of interactions. Transformer-based models like GPT-4 have set a new benchmark, achieving human evaluation scores of 4.2 and 4.3 for naturalness and relevance. These models excel in handling complex, multi-intent queries without needing clarification, improving user experience and conversation efficiency. Additionally, style-aware response generation allows AI to adapt its communication based on user preferences, making interactions more personalized and engaging.

    Future Directions and Challenges

    Despite significant advancements in dialogue management systems, challenges remain. Long-term context retention, particularly in conversations exceeding 30 turns, continues to pose difficulties. However, ongoing research in hierarchical memory structures and selective forgetting mechanisms shows potential in addressing these issues. Multi-modal interaction, which integrates visual and auditory cues, still trails behind text-based systems in accuracy, but advancements in cross-modal attention mechanisms are helping close this gap. These developments aim to create more sophisticated, personalized, and ethically sound AI systems, improving user experiences and expanding AI applications across a wide range of industries.

    In conclusion, the innovations in dialogue management systems are shaping the future of conversational AI, making interactions more efficient, natural, and context-aware. With ongoing research addressing current challenges, the next generation of AI systems promises to be even more advanced, creating a future where human-AI interactions are seamless and intuitive. As Devesh Mohan Pandey continues to push the boundaries of what is possible, the impact of these advancements will undoubtedly revolutionize how we engage with AI systems in the years to come.

  • Panasonic and T-Hub Collaborate to Drive Adoption of Nessum High-Definition Power Line Communication Technology in India

    Panasonic and T-Hub Collaborate to Drive Adoption of Nessum High-Definition Power Line Communication Technology in IndiaIndia 01st October 2024: Panasonic, a global leader in innovative technologies, and T-Hub, the world’s largest innovation campus and India’s premier startup incubator, have formed a strategic partnership to accelerate the commercialization of Panasonic’s cutting-edge Nessum High Definition – Power Line Communication (HD-PLC) Technology in India. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in fostering innovation and business collaboration between India and Japan.

    Nessum HD-PLC Technology offers a cost-effective solution for data communication over existing wires, reducing the need for additional wiring when creating smart spaces. The technology has been successfully implemented in numerous commercial and residential projects across Japan and Europe.

    “We are excited to deepen our ties with India through our partnership with T-Hub,” said Kotaro Matsuo, Chief Engineer/Marketing Manager at Panasonic Holdings. “As India emerges as a global innovation hub, we aim to create opportunities that benefit both Japanese and Indian technology companies by leveraging Panasonic’s advanced Nessum Technology.”

    Panasonic will leverage T-Hub’s expertise to identify Indian startup ecosystem partners for the successful adoption and commercialization of Nessum Technology. T-Hub will select startups and partners based on their alignment with Panasonic’s strategic goals, market potential, and readiness to scale with Panasonic’s support.

    Sharing his views Manish Misra, Chief Innovation Officer, Panasonic Life Solutions India, said, “Panasonic is dedicated to open innovation, utilizing tech collaboration to address critical challenges for enterprises and end customers. Nessum HD-PLC enables cost-effective data transfer over existing wired cables, particularly beneficial in challenging environments such as concrete or metal structures, underground spaces, tunnels, smart cities, elevators, and robotic machines where distant connectivity is crucial. We are excited to introduce this technology in India for the first time and collaborate with talented Indian startups through our partnership with T-Hub to develop effective communication solutions for enterprises.”

    Technologies such as Nessum HD-PLC are set to empower startups by driving innovation across a range of sectors, including smart spaces, IoT, industrial automation, and connected devices. Mahankali Srinivas Rao (MSR), CEO of T-Hub, underscores this potential, stating, “At T-Hub, we are dedicated to nurturing innovation and empowering startups with the resources they need to scale globally. Our collaboration with Panasonic opens new opportunities for Indian startups, providing a unique platform to access the North American and Japanese markets. The Panasonic Innovation Challenge will foster cross-border collaboration, benefiting both ecosystems and driving technology-driven growth.”

    The Innovation Challenge  commences with a call for applications in September 2024, inviting startups from India and beyond to leverage Nessum HD-PLC Technology. The program will include roadshows in major cities like Bangalore, Mumbai, and Hyderabad, culminating in a Demo Day at T-Hub in December 2024, where selected startups will pitch their solutions for potential collaboration with Panasonic.


    Mansi Praharaj

  • Zerodha’s Strategy Amid Regulatory Changes and Market Dynamics

    Zerodha's Strategy Amid Regulatory Changes and Market Dynamics

    IANS

    Zerodha, a leading online brokerage firm, has made a significant decision in response to the revised exchange transaction charges (ETC) and securities transaction tax (STT). The company has chosen not to charge users after these changes came into effect, a move that is expected to impact 10% of its revenue. Despite the financial implications, Zerodha’s Co-founder and CEO, Nithin Kamath, confirmed that equity delivery would continue to be free at Zerodha, with no changes to their brokerage. This decision comes in response to SEBI’s “true-to-label” circular, which will eliminate rebates that currently contribute to 10% of Zerodha’s revenue.

    The changes in STT and transaction charges will result in a net increase in the cost of trades. For options, STT increases to 0.1% from 0.0625%, and transaction charge decreases to 0.035% from 0.0495%. This results in a net increase of 0.02303% or Rs 2,303 per crore of premium on the selling side on NSE and of 0.0205% or Rs 2,050 per crore on BSE. For futures, STT increases to 0.02% from 0.0125%, and transaction charge decreases to 0.00173% from 0.00183%. This results in a net increase of 0.00735% or Rs 735 per crore of futures turnover on the selling side.

    Zerodha

    Twitter

    The nature of risks is evolving faster than ever, especially when it comes to natural catastrophes (NatCats), the net-zero transition, and supply chain and cyber risks. Rather than stepping back and reducing their exposure, commercial carriers have a significant opportunity to step forward to address the growing protection gaps—or risk losing relevance in a changing world. Kamath revealed that 90% of their revenue from these rebates comes from options trading alone. With the new circular, brokers will no longer earn these rebates. This could force all brokers to adjust their pricing models in the coming months.

    In the context of the global financial landscape, the wealth management sector in the U.S. has seen significant changes. A study revealed that Americans need a six-figure salary to afford a typical home in nearly half of U.S. states. This is due to high mortgage rates, rising home prices, and low housing inventory. To afford a median-priced home of $402,343, Americans need an annual income of $110,871. This is a nearly 50% increase in just the last four years.

  • UPI Transactions Skyrocket, Marking Digital Payment Surge

    Unified Payments Interface (UPI)

    The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has seen a significant surge in its transaction value and volume in September. The data released by NPCI on Tuesday revealed that UPI transactions reached a remarkable value of Rs 20.64 lakh crore, marking a 31% year-on-year increase. This growth is a testament to the increasing adoption of digital payment methods in the country.

    The number of transactions also saw a substantial rise, with a total of 15.04 billion transactions recorded in September. This represents a 42% growth compared to the same period last year. The average daily transaction count stood at 501 million, up from 483 million in August. The average daily transaction amount also saw an increase, reaching Rs 68,800 crore from Rs 66,475 crore in August.

    The consistent growth in UPI transactions over the past five months, with the value of transactions remaining above Rs 20 lakh crore, indicates the robustness of the digital payment infrastructure in India. This trend is not only a reflection of the increasing comfort and trust of consumers in digital transactions but also the effectiveness of the government’s push towards a digital economy.

    Unified Payments Interface (UPI)

    In addition to UPI, other digital payment systems also witnessed significant growth in September. The Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS), a type of payment system that allows financial transactions at micro-ATMs through the business correspondent of any bank using the Aadhaar authentication, recorded 100 million transactions. The transaction amount stood at Rs 24,143 crore.

    The Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), a real-time interbank electronic funds transfer system in India, also saw a surge in its transactions. The total value of IMPS-based fund transfers stood at 5.65 lakh crore, marking an 11% YoY growth. The average daily transaction count was 14 million, with Rs 18,841 crore as the daily transaction amount.

    The National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC) FASTag system, which facilitates electronic toll collection at toll plazas, recorded 318 million transactions in September. The total amount collected through FASTag stood at Rs 5,620 crore, a 10% YoY growth. The average daily volumes were 11 million, with Rs 187 crore as the daily collection.

    These figures underscore the growing preference for digital transactions in the country. Sunil Rongala, Senior Vice President, Head – Strategy, Innovation, and Analytics at Worldline India, noted the significance of these statistics. He pointed out that while the value of transactions remained constant at Rs 20.64 lakh crore from July to September, the number of transactions jumped from 14.44 billion to 15.04 billion. This indicates the increasing use of UPI for micro transactions, further highlighting its role as an integral part of digital transactions in India.

    The growth in UPI transactions volume is primarily driven by person to merchant (P2M) transactions. This suggests that more and more businesses are adopting UPI as a preferred mode of payment, further fueling its growth.

    The surge in UPI transactions is reminiscent of similar trends observed in the past. For instance, in 2019, UPI transactions crossed the Rs 1 lakh crore mark for the first time, indicating a growing preference for this mode of payment. The current growth trend suggests that UPI is set to play an even more significant role in India’s journey towards becoming a digital economy.

  • Airtel prepays Rs 8,465 crore to clear liabilities for spectrum acquired in 2016

    Airtel logo

    Airtel prepays Rs 8,465 crore to clear liabilities for spectrum acquired in 2016Wikipedia Commons

    Leading telecom service provider Bharti Airtel on Monday said it has prepaid Rs 8,465 crore to the government to clear high-cost deferred liabilities for spectrum acquired in 2016.

    The telecom operator prepaid the amount to the Department of Telecom (DoT) with an interest rate of 9.3 per cent, it said in a statement.

    In June this year, Bharti Airtel prepaid Rs 7,904 crore to the DoT to clear high-cost deferred liabilities for spectrum acquired in 2012 and 2015. In a stock exchange filing, the company said that it fully prepaid all deferred liabilities for the years 2012 and 2015 which were at the highest interest cost of 9.75 per cent and 10 per cent, respectively.

    In January this year, Bharti Airtel prepaid Rs 8,325 crore to the government to clear part of its deferred liabilities for the spectrum it acquired in 2015.

    airtel

    Telecom operator prepaid the amount to the Department of Telecom (DoT) with an interest rate of 9.3 per centIANS

    Bharti Airtel has just launched India’s first network-based, AI-powered spam detection solution. The free-of-cost solution alerts customers in real time to all suspected spams. According to Gopal Vittal, the company’s Managing Director and CEO, 99.5 per cent of spam messages and 97 per cent of spam calls can be easily identified with the help of this AI tool.

    For April-June quarter, the company reported net profit (after exceptional items) at Rs 4,160 crore, up by 158 per cent (year-on-year), and revenue at Rs 38,506 crore which is up 2.8 per cent YoY. Its India business saw quarterly revenues of Rs 29,046 crore — up 10.1 per cent backed by strong and consistent performance across the portfolio, said the company.

    According to the company, revenue from digital TV remained stable with a 16.3 million customer base at the end of the quarter.

    (With inputs from IANS)

     

  • Telegram pledges to adopt a zero-tolerance policy

    Telegram

    Telegram pledges zero tolerance for deepfake pornographyIANS

    Telegram, the globally recognized messaging platform, has pledged to adopt a zero-tolerance policy. This decision was announced by South Korea’s media regulator, the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC), on September 30, 2024. The commitment comes in response to the growing concerns over deepfake content involving manipulated images of Korean women that have surfaced on Telegram in recent months.

    Deepfake technology, which uses artificial intelligence to create hyper-realistic but fake videos or images, has been increasingly misused to create explicit content, often targeting women. This has become a significant social issue in South Korea, prompting the KCSC to raise concerns with Telegram.

    In a press conference held in Seoul, KCSC Chairman Ryu Hee-lim stated, Telegram said they understood the situation in Korea where deepfake porn content has become a significant social issue. He further added that Telegram has vowed to take stern measures to combat the problem.

    The zero-tolerance policy is not limited to deepfake pornography. Telegram has also committed to actively removing content related to pornography, prostitution, drugs, and gambling, as requested by the KCSC. The KCSC holds exclusive authority to review and flag illegal content, and this collaboration with Telegram is expected to significantly enhance their efforts.

    To ensure effective implementation of these measures, Telegram has committed to working closely with Korean authorities, including the police. Regular working-level meetings will be held with the KCSC, and a new hotline will be established between Telegram and the KCSC to expedite responses to content violations. This hotline is expected to facilitate quicker responses, thereby ensuring that illegal content is removed more swiftly.

    Telegram Channel

    Zero-tolerance policy is not limited to deepfake pornographyIANS

    The KCSC anticipates that the recent agreement will lead to more efficient removal of illegal content. In fact, between September 3 and 25, even before the formal announcement of the zero-tolerance policy, Telegram had already removed 148 cases of sexual exploitation material from its platform at the KCSC’s request.

    This move by Telegram is not an isolated incident. The messaging platform’s co-founder, Pavel Durov, had earlier stated on his Telegram channel that the company could disclose users’ data upon reasonable requests from authorities. We’ve made it clear that the IP addresses and phone numbers of those who violate our rules can be disclosed to relevant authorities in response to valid legal requests, Durov said. This was part of the updated terms of service and privacy policy, aimed at deterring criminals from abusing Telegram.

    The commitment by Telegram to combat deepfake pornography and other illegal content marks a significant milestone in the fight against digital sex crimes. It also sets a precedent for other tech companies to follow suit. As deepfake technology continues to evolve, it is crucial for tech companies, regulators, and law enforcement agencies to collaborate and take proactive measures to prevent its misuse.

    The recent agreement between Telegram and the KCSC is a step in the right direction and serves as a model for other countries grappling with similar issues. This development underscores the importance of a collaborative approach in tackling the misuse of technology for illegal activities. It is a reminder that while technology can pose challenges, it can also be harnessed to safeguard the rights and dignity of individuals.

  • Samsung Galaxy S24 FE launched with AI features, triple cameras in India

    Samsung Galaxy S24 FE

    Samsung Galaxy S24 FESamsung

    Samsung has introduced the Galaxy S24 FE, expanding the Galaxy S24 series in India. This device is designed to offer premium mobile experiences to a wider range of users. The Galaxy S24 FE is powered by the AI-based ProVisual Engine and Galaxy AI’s Photo Assist features. 

    The Galaxy S24 FE is an ideal device for gaming on the go. It features a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, a long-lasting 4,700mAh battery, and a powerful Exynos 2400 series chipset. The device offers premium Galaxy AI tools and ecosystem connectivity to enhance communication, productivity, and creativity. All these features are housed in an iconic design and protected by robust Samsung Knox security.

    SeaYoung Lee, Corporate EVP and Head of the Smartphone Research and Development team at Samsung Electronics, stated, “Galaxy AI opens so many new experiences for users, helping them communicate, and be more creative and productive. Galaxy S24 FE makes the powerful performance and premium Galaxy AI capabilities of the S24 series available to even more people.”

    The Galaxy S24 FE’s camera setup features a 50MP wide lens and 8MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, both supported by optical image stabilization (OIS), plus a 12MP ultra-wide lens and a 10MP selfie camera. The camera system’s capabilities are further elevated by Samsung’s dynamic ProVisual Engine, an AI-driven camera engine that takes visual quality to incredible heights.

    The ProVisual Engine features vastly improved technology that leverages advanced AI algorithms to deliver breathtaking detail and remarkably subtle textures. It includes Nightography with AI image signal processing (ISP) to improve low light performance, enabling beautiful night portraits. It works with the wide camera’s 50MP Adaptive Pixel Sensor to enable optical-quality performance at zoom levels from 2x in addition to the optical 3x zoom. AI zoom also provides the enhanced image quality at distances between digital zoom lengths. The Object-Aware Engine recognizes scenes and optimizes colors in Super High Dynamic Range (HDR).

    The Exynos 2400 series chipset enables a superior gaming experience with cutting-edge features such as Ray Tracing. In the world, the Galaxy S24 FE utilizes several key features to stay ahead of the competition. A 1x larger vapor chamber improves cooling to maintain peak performance for longer durations.

    A bigger 4,700mAh battery allows for long, worry-free gaming sessions. A 7-inch adaptive Dynamic AMOLED 2X display — the largest display ever used in the FE series — with a up to 120Hz refresh rate provides a smooth and stunning viewing experience. Vision Booster optimizes color and contrast for clear and comfortable gaming even in sunlight.

    Galaxy AI

    The Galaxy S24 FE incorporates the same advanced AI experience as the Galaxy S24 series. Circle to Search with Google satisfies curiosity with unprecedented ease by offering instant search results with just a long press of the home button and circle. Interpreter instantly translates in-person conversations, lectures, or any other type of presentations, even when offline. Live Translate breaks down communication barriers on phone calls and is now being extended to a selection of popular third-party apps. Composer from Samsung Keyboard generates suggested text based on simple keywords for email and supported social media apps. Note Assist streamlines the note-taking process and automates formatting and translation. In Samsung Notes, you can get transcription, translation and summarizing of voice recordings directly. Texts in PDF files also can be translated and overlaid through PDF overlay translation.

    As a continuation of the S24 series tradition of sustainable design. It features a wide variety of recycled materials, including recycled plastics, aluminum, glass and rare earth elements in both internal and external components. It also features seven generations of OS upgrades and seven years of security updates, and comes in a packaging box made from 100% recycled paper material.

    The Galaxy S24 FE will be available for order starting October 3, in Blue, Graphite, Gray, Mint and Yellow colors. 

  • AI Set to Reshape India’s Job Market, Finds BSI Report

    AI

    9 in 10 Indian biz leaders expect job displacement from AIIANS

    Artificial Intelligence (AI) is on the brink of bringing about significant changes in the job market, according to a report by the British Standards Institute (BSI). The report, based on a survey of 932 business leaders across India, reveals that a staggering 94% of respondents expect AI to alter office jobs, with over 83% predicting that certain roles will be replaced. This expectation is not confined to India alone, but is a global trend that is reshaping the way businesses operate and the nature of jobs in various industries. The BSI report, published on September 30, 2024, highlights the widespread optimism among Indian business leaders about the positive impact of AI tools on productivity and recognition. A significant 86% of respondents believe that companies will be at a competitive disadvantage if they do not invest in AI. This reflects the growing recognition of AI as a critical tool for businesses to stay competitive in the rapidly evolving digital economy.

    Despite the potential job displacement, an overwhelming 98% of business leaders in India view AI as an opportunity rather than a risk. They expect AI to improve productivity and efficiency, with 65% anticipating its use for this purpose in the next five years. This optimistic outlook underscores the belief that AI, when harnessed effectively, can drive business growth and innovation. Theuns Kotze, Managing Director of BSI Group India, emphasizes that AI alone will not replace jobs. Instead, its combination with robotics or other technologies may lead to a significant reduction in reliance on people for repetitive, labor-intensive, and often risky tasks. He advocates for a balanced approach, suggesting that AI should be harnessed to enhance efficiency and productivity. At the same time, he underscores the importance of combining AI with human skills such as creativity, ingenuity, critical thinking, and empathy to strengthen organizational culture and foster innovation.

    AI is also expected to significantly impact manual roles, with 82% of business leaders anticipating some manual roles to be replaced, likely through the integration of AI with robotics. However, certain human-centric functions like HR may see less disruption or may adopt AI in a more supportive rather than replacement capacity. Only 33% of respondents expect a major impact on HR, compared to 67% for marketing, 65% for finance, and 57% for operations. The report also highlights the use of AI tools in the recruitment process. Even now, 83% of people in India say their organization is using AI tools to support the candidate recruitment process, and a higher proportion (89%) are aware of their business using AI to support any aspect of performance management.

    Artificial intelligence (AI)

    BSI report reveals 94% of Indian business leaders expect AI to significantly alter office jobsIANS

    The findings of the BSI report echo similar trends observed globally. For instance, a survey conducted by the McKinsey Global Institute found that about 60% of all jobs could see more than 30% of their key tasks automated, affecting 400 million to 800 million jobs worldwide by 2030. However, the report also emphasized that new jobs would be created as a result of this shift, and that the challenge lies in managing the transition. The advent of AI is set to bring about significant changes in the job market. While it may lead to job displacement in certain roles, it also presents opportunities for increased productivity, efficiency, and innovation. The challenge for businesses and policymakers lies in effectively managing this transition, ensuring that workers are equipped with the necessary skills to thrive in the AI-driven economy, and that the benefits of AI are equitably distributed. The future of work is here, and it is intertwined with the future of AI.

  • Flipkart’s Big Billion Days 2024: A Festive Season Game-Changer

    Flipkart Big Billion Days 2024

    IANS

    Flipkart has once again set the stage for the country’s festive season with the 11th edition of its highly anticipated The Big Billion Days (TBBD) 2024. The event, which kicked off on September 27, saw an impressive 33+ crore user visits during the early access period and the first day, reflecting the festive enthusiasm of shoppers across the nation. The early trends from TBBD’24 indicate a buoyant customer sentiment, with categories such as Mobiles, Electronics, Large Appliances, Fashion, Beauty, and Home products witnessing the highest demand.

    The shopping festival saw growing demand from not only the top metro cities like New Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru but also from regions such as Medinipur, Hisar, Berhampore, Bankura, and Agartala. The event also saw a surge in demand for lifestyle upgrade products such as Ethnic Wear, Western Wear, Sports Footwear, Casual Footwear, and Formal Footwear. This trend is reminiscent of the 2022 festive season, where traditional flavors made a strong comeback, and the demand for ethnic wear saw a significant rise.

    Flipkart’s innovative on-app features such as Brand Mall, FlipInTrends, and Spoyl played a crucial role in driving higher engagement. FlipInTrends, in particular, saw a 10X surge, reflecting the interest in curated and trending products. The favorites amongst the Gen Z audience included Baggy Bottoms and Jeans, Block print Kurtas, Demure Dresses, Retro Runners, Utility Cargos, Multi Pocketed Shirts, Co-ord sets, and Japanese style t-shirts.

    Shopsy, Flipkart’s hypervalue platform, experienced a 70% increase in customer visits and a 2.8X increase in transactions compared to the pre-festive season. Popular categories like Lifestyle, Apparel, Home & Kitchen grew by 2X, and beauty personal care saw 3X growth. TBBD 2024 also marked new milestones for tech-led innovations. Video Commerce and Live Commerce recorded an all-time highest viewership for non-mobile streams with a 1.8X spike in watch time compared to the pre-festive period. Products purchased during Live Commerce streams witnessed a 25X spike compared to the pre-TBBD period.

    Flipkart

    IANS

    Cleartrip, a travel booking platform, registered a 2.5X increase in overall users on the platform compared to the pre-festive season. Air and Hotel bookings registered a 3X and 4X increase with popular destinations being Goa, Amritsar, Nainital, Varanasi, and Mussoorie. This surge in travel bookings is indicative of the pent-up demand for travel and leisure activities, which had been suppressed due to the pandemic.

    Flipkart’s newly launched service, Flipkart Minutes, saw an increasing demand for electronics in cities like Mumbai and Delhi. In the first 12 hours of TBBD, the top-selling electronics on Flipkart Minutes were laptops, computers, tablets, and desktop accessories. The event also saw a surge in the use of affordable payment solutions. Flipkart Gift Cards witnessed a 5X surge in sales on the early access day of the Big Billion Days, compared to non-sale days. The co-branded Flipkart Axis Bank credit card witnessed a spike of 20X in overall spends and 8X transactions when compared to the non-sale days.

    Flipkart’s transacting sellers saw a substantial increase in their business for the number of orders placed during Early Access and Day 1 of the Big Billion Days. Over 75% of sellers on the marketplace experienced a multi-fold growth in the orders placed, compared to the pre-festive period. Flipkart Wholesale witnessed 2X growth during Early Access of Big Billion Days, led by 3X growth across FMCG categories.

    Harsh Chaudhary, Vice President – Growth, Flipkart, said, Every year, the festive season in India kicks off with The Big Billion Days, which brings an entire ecosystem together to celebrate. This event is more than just a shopping festival; it is an opportunity that fosters growth, innovation, and collaboration at a national scale, while positively impacting the lives of diverse communities. Flipkart has laid the foundation for India’s digitisation journey, with The Big Billion Days being a key enabler.

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