Into the AI Horizon: Highlights from the Global AI Conclave

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As we step into the future, AI leaves an enduring mark across diverse industries, reshaping healthcare, businesses, education, and beyond, all while delivering personalised experiences.

On December 16, 2023, in Bengaluru, Palo Alto Networks, CNBC-TV18, and Moneycontrol organised a Global AI Conclave. This event, in collaboration with Google as an associate partner & Townhall as a technology partner, was a compelling testament to the transformative impact of AI. The core vision of the Conclave was to establish a global platform that nurtured collaboration, facilitated the exchange of knowledge, and promoted the responsible exploration of AI. It featured esteemed speakers, including luminaries, ministers, and various experts. They shared impactful insights, showcased use cases, discussed policies, and collectively contributed to shaping the future of AI. Notably, the speakers hailed not only from the tech realm but also represented various industries and government officials. Their discussions spanned the myriad benefits of AI, offering front-row perspectives on cybersecurity for individuals, nations, and customers. This event featured luminaries such as Rajeev Chandrasekhar (Minister of State Electronics and Information Technology) and Priyank Kharge, (Minister, IT, BT, Rural Development & Panchayat Raj, Govt of Karnataka).

It also included renowned figures like Dr. Andrew NG ( AI pioneer), Andrew Feldman (Cerebras CEO), Google’s Pandu Nayak, Microsoft’s Mary Snapp, IBM’s Sriram Raghavan, Chris Miller (Chip War author), SAP Labs Sindhu Gangadharan, Peak XV’s Shailendra Singh, Accel’s Prashanth Prakash, Zoho’s Sridhar Vembu, iSPIRT’s Sharad Sharma, Karya.ai’s Manu Chopra, and Professor Ashok Jhunjhunwala, among many others.

At the Conclave, Dr.Andrew Ng, AI pioneer, Founder of DeepLearning.ai, and Co-founder of Coursera spoke on the topic ‘AI Unleashed: View from Cerebral Valley.’ He stated that India has a lot of the infrastructure, talent, and know-how to have as good a shot as almost anyone at being one of the leaders in the future in generative AI. He also stated that when they launched Generative AI for Coursera, the fastest enrollment was in the United States and the second most was in India. India has the highest AI skill penetration in the world, even more than the US.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar, India’s Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, spoke on the topic, ‘Keynote and FS: AI innovation and regulation: A Fine Balance.’ He highlighted the primary challenge in AI - the scarcity of skilled talent. While acknowledging that infrastructure-related issues will swiftly be addressed, he emphasised the need to focus on nurturing talent through academic institutions. Describing AI as the paramount invention of our era, he advocated for a global regulatory framework that guides AI without stigmatising it. Chandrasekhar affirmed the Indian government’s commitment to positioning India as a forerunner in Global AI, outlining a formula for a successful innovation ecosystem in AI.

Swapna Bapat, Vice President, Product Management - Network Security, Palo Alto Networks gave important insights on the topic, ‘FS: Navigating cybersecurity in the AI Era.’

“AI has been used for a while now. Tech like image recognition, for instance, there needs to be an ability to recognise the text and prevent it from being leaked. We’re doing that”, she said.

In the topic (FS: AI and the future of search) covered by Google’s Vice President of Search, Pandu Nayak said users’ behaviour has changed how they interact with the internet, particularly when searching online- through text, voice, and image. Highlighting India’s unique challenges, Nayak touched on language diversity, stating, “We’ve been trying to improve the search experience for our Hindi users and our local language users.” He envisions AI contributing to seamless, natural experiences integrated into daily life.

Chris Miller, Author - Chip War & Associate Professor - The Fletcher School at Tufts University spoke majorly on ‘FS: AI and Chips in geopolitical cocktail.’ He stated that for a big chip design or fabless firm in India, you need two things: a capital market and a VC ecosystem willing to take the bet and a large user base. He also stated, “I think it’s very understandable to focus on chip design as it has a large value addition. But if you want to give a lot of jobs to low-paid workers, then chip packaging seems a good way to go.”

In retrospect, the conclave boasted a diverse array of speakers delving into various facets of AI, contributing to its resounding success. The turnout surpassed expectations, making it an unforgettable experience. As we reflect on this premier Global AI Conclave, attendees stepped into a realm of limitless possibilities, engaging in thought-provoking discussions led by esteemed experts. This extraordinary opportunity not only allowed participants to witness the shaping of AI’s future but also encouraged active participation and networking with some of the brightest minds in the AI realm. Although this event has concluded, anticipate more such enriching experiences in the future as we continue to explore and unfold the realms of AI innovation.