When AI Raises the Average, Who Protects the Breakthrough?
Artificial intelligence is superb at optimisation. But transformation still comes from the deviations leaders choose to back.
Technology Articles
0 matches found
Revolution Inside AI
As the world fixates on large language models, a quieter shift toward world models, scientific AI and safety is reshaping global power
Who Will Win the MAGA Crown?
Three competing visions inside the MAGA movement—over AI, immigration and national sovereignty—may determine America’s technological doctrine for the next decade
The Crow Syndrome of AI
When machines, like humans, fail to see difference—and turn bias into code
Are LLMs Just Clever Parrots?
Inside the growing chorus of doubt from AI’s own pioneers
What Appears to Be AI Is Not
Beneath the chatter about chatbots, a deeper contest is unfolding—between nations, companies, and scientists racing to build the AI that will control life itself
The Tariff Trap: Why Economic Weapons Misfire in the Age of Silicon
Tariffs were designed for a world of steel and sugar. They’re hopelessly out of sync with the quantum-entangled world of semiconductors
The Rage of Parents
Around the world, families are fighting back against AI harms. Why is India still silent?
Book Extract: From customer journeys to integrated experiences
A brand’s attempt at relevance and how AI worked for it. An extract from Sangeet Paul Choudary’s new book, “Reshuffle”
Power shifts and algorithms
Sangeet Paul Choudary in conversation with Shrinath V on how AI is changing business strategy. Part one of the two-part podcast: “The Next Game: Competing When AI Changes the Rules.”
Where to Play and How to Win in the AI Era
Sangeet Paul Choudary, author of ‘Reshuffle’, in conversation with Shrinath V. The final in a 2-part podcast: ‘The Next Game: Competing When AI Changes the Rules’
The Real Shifts Happening with AI
Notes from 'Reshuffle: Who Wins when AI Restacks the Knowledge Economy’, Sangeet Paul Choudary's new book
Inside India’s Real-Money Gaming Ban: Design, Addiction, & the Business of Play
What India’s ban on real-money gaming reveals about design, addiction, and opinion
Oppenheimer’s Lesson for the Age of AI
As with the atomic bomb, a new technology threatens humanity. Will we look up this time—or repeat history’s worst mistake?
The Love of One’s Tongue in the Age of AI
AI can speak in dozens of tongues — but often thinks in just one. Why India must lead in building systems fluent in its own realities
The Ubuntu of AI: South Africa's Moral Imagination
What does artificial intelligence look like when viewed through the lens of justice, solidarity, and Ubuntu?
Not the Pilot’s Fault: Inside the First 61 Seconds of AI171
A small turbine and a flicker of light tell a different story.
AI171: Human Error, Design Flaw, or Something Else?
The mystery lives on. But now we have facts
India’s AI Gambit
What will it take for India to lead, not just react, in the age of AI? An exclusive Founding Fuel - NatStrat Live session
Part 3: Unraveling AI 171: The Search for What Really Went Wrong
The mystery is not just about what happened—but why? And how can it be prevented in the future? The third and concluding part of a three part series
Part 2: How Experts Are Reconstructing the AI 171 Tragedy
Why the media frenzy around the air crash is starting to look like six blind men and the elephant. The second in a three part series
AI 171: The Investigation That Could Redefine Aviation Safety: Part 1
A modern Boeing Dreamliner fell from the sky seconds after takeoff—now, the race is on to uncover whether this was a tragic outlier or a signal that something deeper is broken. The first in a three part series
When AI Cheats Its Creators
Deception is no longer a human trait. AI has learned it too
Nuance is the new differentiator
When every team has access to the same AI tools, your advantage will be in knowing what wasn’t said
From Bazaar to Breakthrough
The next phase of global innovation may emerge not from invention, but from how India adapts and stretches existing tools.
The Magic of Korean AI
While the world fixates on AI breakthroughs in the US and China, South Korea is crafting a distinctive and balanced model—powered by innovation and governed by foresight
Work from Anywhere: A Talent Strategy India Can’t Afford to Ignore
Work-from-anywhere isn’t just a perk—it’s a competitive edge. It’s time India paid serious attention
AI in Schools: Not a Generational Divide, but a Dialogue Waiting to Happen
Two years since ChatGPT entered classrooms, students and teachers are already using AI in everyday learning. Official policies may be slow to catch up, but a quiet reckoning is underway—through whispers, workarounds, and growing calls for clarity
India’s AI Gambit: Exploring Our Strategic Options
How India can shape, not just follow, the global rules of AI governance
Beyond AI: A new dawn
Most AI today works within the boundaries set by human designers. New tools like Google's AutoML-Zero challenge that boundary
AI in Health and Biology: The Good, Bad and Ugly
AI can detect disease and find medicines which no doctor can. It can also develop biological weapons which do not exist on the earth
The Billion-User Bet
Nandan Nilekani’s key to unlock the Indian market opportunity and galvanise growth: reforms in the four key areas of technology, capital, entrepreneurship and formalization
AMA: How to make AI work for you?
Tanuj Bhojwani and Anmol Shrivastava answer questions on how to make AI a part of your lives
Embracing AI without losing ourselves
As the machines are advancing relentlessly, do we let AI think for us, or do we stay actively human?
At the top and bottom of the AI debate
Along the march of AI, two issues need attention: one is of regulation. The other, equally critical, is ensuring that the poor can access and learn the best and latest tech
FF Life: Getting Hands-On with AI
Five curated stories on how and why to begin experimenting with AI
AI natives are here. Are you keeping up?
Are you adapting, exploring, or waiting for change to push you forward?
AI in Academia: The Grind, the Gain, and the Great Recalibration
Rather than fighting the use of AI in the classroom, it’s time to reimagine the real goals of learning and teaching
AI’s Best-Kept Secret: It’s Not the Tools, It’s You
In a world brimming with AI possibilities, it’s easy to get lost in the hype. But the magic is not in the perfect tools, it’s in using them thoughtfully. Whether you’re a beginner or already well-versed, the key is to start simple and experiment boldly. Like learning to ride a bike, the more you engage, the more natural it will feel. Here’s how I am learning
The Global Politics of AI
The big powers are escalating the AI race, but some scientists fear that the technology will spin out of human control
AMA on EVs with Hormazd Sorabjee and Pranav S: 22 Takeaways
Whom is an EV best for? What is the viable life of an EV? Do they have resale value? These and more questions answered
What they don’t tell you about EVs in India
A guide to owning electric cars and scooters—from ease of use, to running costs, charging networks, reliability, and more
The Age of Information
Insights from Yuval Noah Harari’s book ‘Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI’
Fintech Special Report Part 1: Indian fintech at a crossroad
The outlook for fintech companies has shifted from unchecked optimism to uncertainty. The rose-tinted glasses are off and some of the well-funded companies are pivoting. Their future will depend on their ability to look beyond technology as the panacea. Part 1 of a 4-part series
Fintech Special Report Part 2: From competition to collaboration
The ground reality has changed. Fintechs are realising that partnerships and ecosystem thinking are key to winning the market, not competing with the incumbents. Part 2 of a 4-part series
Fintech Special Report Part 3: The limits of algos
Fintechs bet on data and algos to know the credit-worthiness of the underserved. However, there's a gap in what the data can reveal because of consumer behaviour. Part 3 of a 4-part series
Fintech Special Report Part 4: A fine balance
Fintech must contend with inherent conflicts with what the regulators want. Fintech’s push for rapid scaling needs to balance with the regulators’ push for financial stability and consumer protection. Part 4 in this 4-part series
Life and the universe
The James Webb Space Telescope and how it’s going to change our lives
The IPO boom in internet stocks: How to separate the good from the bad
A conversation with Haresh Chawla, partner at True North, and Saurabh Mukherjea, founder, Marcellus Investment Managers
Facebook’s new avatar in 10 images
Renaming Facebook as Meta indicates a big bet on the metaverse, as well as an “escape hatch” from the issues and scrutiny Facebook has been facing. The entire industry is at the beginning of a big wave and Mark Zuckerberg has been building capacity for some years now. However, the key to Meta’s success will depend on whether and how fast customers adopt it to work, learn, play, build and live.
The Art of Inversion
The Account Aggregator framework is aimed at giving control of data back to users; but the road will be rough and full of resistance
The human intelligence behind intelligent machines
A conversation with Prof. Sanghamitra Bandyopadhyay, director of ISI, about discovering patterns, learning from data, collaboration across disciplines, and how to get girls to take the STEM path (it starts at the primary education level, she says)
State Vs Big Tech: Splinternet and the geopolitics of tech regulation
While China, Europe and the US have their own reasons for regulation, the global trend is also defined by tech nationalism, a desire to protect homegrown tech companies, and competition between the three regions. Part 4 of this 4-part series explores this ‘technomic war’ and what the implications are for India
Behind Infosys’ struggles to deliver the income tax project
Why did the IT major mess up the high-profile government project? No one quite knows the answer. The clues, however, lie in the inherent difficulties in executing tech projects for the government
State Vs Big Tech: Taming the American giants
Under the Biden administration, there’s an urgency building up for regulation. There’s bipartisan support, though there are dissenting voices too. And ironically, Big Tech itself is lobbying for federal rules. Part 3 of this 4-part series decodes the US ecosystem
State Vs Big Tech: The Brussels Effect
The EU's two-pronged approach to tech regulation is focused on protecting individual privacy and checking cartelization by Big Tech. Europe's GDPR is considered the gold standard in extensive tech regulation. However, there are unintended consequences and new challenges
State Vs Big Tech: The three drivers of Chinese techlash
China has taken a U-turn from boosting its tech firms as ‘national champions’. In part 1 of this 4-part series on the global moves to rein in Big Tech, we explore the political, economic and social motivations of the Chinese state in clipping the wings of its consumer-tech giants
Could NFTs redefine equal opportunity in a digital art world?
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) can democratize access, amplify an artist’s, especially a woman’s, voice and choice, and promote allyship
For ease of doing science, India must foster ease of collaborations
India needs to build a portfolio of research projects—both applied and fundamental research—that are a collaboration between universities, labs and industry. Policy makers are starting to realise the importance of enabling this
How tech firms are eating media
This Week in Disruptive Tech | January 27, 2021: The media business; Sangeet Paul Choudary on empowering workers; Will Clubhouse click in India
The hidden fault lines behind Jack Ma’s fall
The regulatory pushback was long in the making. And it has as much to do with Alibaba's dominance, a wariness of big businesses, and deeper socio-cultural issues
All Things Digital: Trendspotting 2021 with Nandan Nilekani & Haresh Chawla
This is a decisive moment in India’s digitisation. The digital rails were put in place over the past decade and 2020 saw a dramatic acceleration of trends that were already happening. Nandan Nilekani and Haresh Chawla discuss the many ways India could ride this train
Trendspotting 2021: Inside India’s Great Digital Reset
A new set of winners and losers are poised to emerge from the ashes of the pandemic. And a wall of foreign capital is pouring in to fund a slew of digital startups. A peek into what 2021 portends
The age of disruptive imitation
This Week in Disruptive Tech | December 3, 2020: A roundup of news and perspectives on how technology is shaping the future, here in India and across the world
AlphaFold; Bitcoins; and the Chinese lunar mission
This Week in Disruptive Tech | December 3, 2020: A roundup of news and perspectives on how technology is shaping the future, here in India and across the world
The Oxford vaccine & potato chips; edtech & WhiteHat Jr; Windows 1
This Week in Disruptive Tech | November 25, 2020: A roundup of news and perspectives on how technology is shaping the future, here in India and across the world
How to protect data
This Week in Disruptive Tech | November 19, 2020: A roundup of news and perspectives on how technology is shaping the future, here in India and across the world
A primer on data breaches
Data breaches are inevitable. Here’s what you can do to minimise damage
Behind the data breach at BigBasket
Interesting fact #1: BigBasket is not alone, there have been a spate of data breaches at other digital entities in recent months. Interesting fact #2: One name, Cyble Inc, comes up every time—they're the ones that have revealed the breach every time. What's going on? And what can those in the digital economy do about it?
How UPI scaled up; What's behind Apple's Mac chips: Climate change and music
This Week in Disruptive Tech | November 4, 2020: A roundup of news and perspectives on how technology is shaping the future, here in India and across the world
Why ecommerce firms are hungry for brick-and-mortar
This Week in Disruptive Tech | October 28, 2020: A roundup of news and perspectives on how technology is shaping the future, here in India and across the world
Ecommerce in festive season; China’s tech war; Investing in disruptive tech
This Week in Disruptive Tech | October 21, 2020: A roundup of news and perspectives on how technology is shaping the future, here in India and across the world
Should the world be worried about Chinese tech?
China's growing tech prowess, access to Big Data, and its expanding digital footprint gives it a strategic advantage—in espionage and surveillance, in global finance, and global trade. All of which will play a decisive role in determining China’s role in international politics and business. Read part 2 of this two-part article
The US-China war for tech supremacy is splitting the world in two
It’s important for India to understand the Sino-US ‘techonomic’ rivalry in emerging technologies like AI, 5G, and IoT, and China’s efforts to carve out a sphere of influence. So that it can tweak its own relationship with China. Read part one of this two-part essay
IBM spins off tech services; UK probes Cambridge Analytica; Big Tech & AI
This Week in Disruptive Tech | October 14, 2020: A roundup of news and perspectives on how technology is shaping the future, here in India and across the world
App store wars; Virtual commute; Digital tracing apps—too little, too late?
This Week in Disruptive Tech | October 8, 2020: A roundup of news and perspectives on how technology is shaping the future, here in India and across the world
Google tax; An air quality solution; How to think about AI
This Week in Disruptive Tech | October 1, 2020: A roundup of news and perspectives on how technology is shaping the future, here in India and across the world
Removing the impedance for a vibrant electronics industry in India
To become 'atmanirbhar' and globally competitive in electronics, it is imperative that India nurtures a domestic electronics industry. While government policies are becoming conducive, there are fundamental capability issues that need to be resolved
Google Vs Paytm: How to make your battle the world’s battle
This Week in Disruptive Tech | September 23, 2020: A roundup of news and perspectives on how technology is shaping the future, here in India and across the world
Fantasy sports & future of sports; Facebook & hate speech; Contact tracing
This Week in Disruptive Tech | September 16, 2020: A roundup of news and perspectives on how technology is shaping the future, here in India and across the world
PUBG, a twist in the tale; Facebook nudge; Predictive algorithms
This Week in Disruptive Tech | September 9, 2020: A roundup of news and perspectives on how technology is shaping the future, here in India and across the world
A chip in the head
Elon Musk’s company Neuralink demoed a chip-sized brain implant that could help humans do much more. Here’s why I want one
Building a career in frontier science
In Episode 6 of TAMG, tech entrepreneur Amrita Chowdhury and her son Shoumik, a student and researcher in quantum computing, talk about the opportunities around cutting-edge tech, and how to spark and consolidate interest in these areas among the young
The race to build a ‘desi’ Super App
Last week, the Tatas announced their plans to launch a Super App. A whole bunch of global tech giants like Google, WhatsApp and Amazon and a behemoth like Reliance Jio are preparing to jump into the fray in India. And cement their dominance of a trillion dollar digital economy
Luminar IPO & Spacs, Tatas super app, and GM mosquitoes
This Week in Disruptive Tech | August 26, 2020: A roundup of news and perspectives on how technology is shaping the future, here in India and across the world
Apple Vs Fortnite: It’s not just about the money
This Week in Disruptive Tech | August 20, 2020: A roundup of news and perspectives on how technology is shaping the future, here in India and across the world
A brief history of the internet in India
It’s the 25th anniversary of Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL) launching the first publicly available internet service in India. Charles Assisi recounts his early experience with the technology that killed distance and democratised knowledge
Indian motorcycle industry: A role model for Atmanirbhar Bharat?
The troika of Hero MotoCorp, Bajaj Auto and TVS Motor have built an unassailable position in India. What will it take to win other markets, especially Southeast Asia?
The gig economy is evolving
This Week in Disruptive Tech | August 12, 2020: A roundup of news and perspectives on how technology is shaping the future, here in India and across the world
The political games: IBM, Coke & Tiktok
This Week in Disruptive Tech | August 05, 2020: A roundup of news and perspectives on how technology is shaping the future, here in India and across the world
Sandith Thandasherry and what it takes to run a boat on solar power
This Week in Disruptive Tech | July 29, 2020: A roundup of news and perspectives on how technology is shaping the future, here in India and across the world
Why we are fascinated—and scared—by AI
This Week in Disruptive Tech | July 22, 2020: A roundup of news and perspectives on how technology is shaping the future, here in India and across the world
Facebook, Google and Jio—the China Playbook
This Week in Disruptive Tech | July 15, 2020: A roundup of news and perspectives on how technology is shaping the future, here in India and across the world
What Richard Feynman can teach us about coronavirus strategy
This Week in Disruptive Tech | July 08, 2020: A roundup of news and perspectives on how technology is shaping the future, here in India and across the world
Chinese app ban: Four scenarios on how it might play out
This Week in Disruptive Tech | July 01, 2020: A roundup of news and perspectives on how technology is shaping the future, here in India and across the world
How to experiment for the new new world
This Week in Disruptive Tech | June 24, 2020: A roundup of news and perspectives on how technology is shaping the future, here in India and across the world
GoSocial, facial recognition and laws, deepfakes
This Week in Disruptive Tech | June 17, 2020: A roundup of news and perspectives on how technology is shaping the future, here in India and across the world
Can Jio scale its apps; from rough sketch to photo-real; automation’s limits
This Week in Disruptive Tech | June 10, 2020: A roundup of news and perspectives on how technology is shaping the future, here in India and across the world
Picasso and the race to develop coronavirus vaccine
The amazing ability of living systems to respond to the abstract might help scientists find vaccines for coronavirus faster than before. Plus a roundup of the global effort to minimise the spread of the disease
Product, pricing and philosophy
February 17, 2020: A roundup of news and perspectives on disruptive technology. In this issue: Swiggy’s partnerships, Tesla’s pricing and Silicon Valley’s fascination with Yuval Harari
The cooker affair: A cautionary tale of using science for political ends
In this extract from the book 'Midnight's Machines', Arun Mohan Sukumar asks the question, was it ambition or naïveté, or both, that nudged scientists towards unviable projects like the solar cooker?
Why Indian technology projects haven’t made global impact
Indian technology has evolved in the context of the country’s politics. A review of ‘Midnight’s Machines: A Political History of Technology in India’
The ambitious and their enemies
January 07, 2020: A roundup of news and perspective on disruptive technology. In this issue: Oyo’s pitfalls on the fast track, He Jiankui and gene editing, Facebook’s efforts to build an operating system, micro-mobility, and Digital India's tech gaps
Understanding platform power—disruption or destruction?
Platforms. data, analytics are not going to go away. The good news for incumbents: they do have strengths they can play to. The bad news: They will need a different mindset and rethink customer experience
How platforms really work: A reading list
A curated list of articles, videos and a podcast
The difficulty of cross-selling
How far can businesses push the power of platforms to sell new types of products? The past week offered some interesting pointers
Making sense of the New Capitalists
Your smartphone is the gateway for platform businesses to drive their hooks deep into your psyche and pockets, edge out traditional businesses, and reset markets. In doing so, they are becoming monopolies, the likes of which we’ve never seen before. What is fair play in this new world?
Bias in algorithms, patients' data and zombie capital
November 17, 2019: A roundup of news and perspective on disruptive technology. In this issue: Apple Card and bias, Google and health data, and do VCs matter
The promise and perils of breakthroughs
November 09, 2019: A roundup of news and perspective on disruptive technology. In this issue: Drones, quantum computing, and gene editing
Becoming indistractable
Nir Eyal wrote the definitive book on how to design tech products that will get people hooked. His latest book ‘Indistractable’ has advice on how to avoid digital distractions and hold our own in this war for our attention. Some insights from the book
Why things fail
September 15, 2019: A roundup of news and perspectives on disruptive technology from around the world. In this issue: MIT & Epstein; genetically modified mosquitoes; cure for AIDS; man-machine interface, and Big Tech in elections
Success in tech innovation also needs agile policy making
As India gets thrust into a world where there are going to be very stringent privacy restrictions, we need to be able to rapidly adjust our technology, our innovation and our policy. A conversation with Rahul Matthan, a partner at TriLegal
The long play
September 8, 2019: A roundup of news and perspectives on disruptive technology from around the world. In this issue: Chandrayaan 2, Jio’s business plan, deepfakes, artificial intelligence, and the problem with Big Data
The lessons of history
August 30, 2019: A roundup of news and perspectives on disruptive technology from around the world. In this issue: Aadhaar-based eKYC, facial recognition, intuition and rationality, US-China tech war, and platform responsibility
The man and the machine
August 19, 2019: A roundup of news and perspectives on disruptive technology from around the world. In this issue: AI-assisted app development, solar roads, biofuels, micro ATMs and brain-AI integration
Not AI alone but AI + ethics
AI systems may be making important decisions that will fundamentally affect the lives of Indians. For AI to be truly transformative though, its ethical biases need to be rooted out
The unintended consequences of technology and why it matters
In this podcast, Wharton professor Kartik Hosanagar talks about how automated decisions affect billions and what consumers can do to take back control, can a VC firm be a Pixar of VC firms, and the organisational changes Google made to become AI-first
‘As machines become more intelligent, they also become unpredictable’
In 2016, Go world champion Lee Sedol lost to AlphaGo, Google’s Go-playing AI program. How did the program do this? And why does this feat matter? Kartik Hosanagar answers that in this extract from his book, ‘A Human’s Guide to Machine Intelligence’
Please look now: We are changing
To make sense of the uncertainties and disruptions around us, we must try and understand the underlying human attitudes and behaviour. There’s much for brands and marketers to learn from the TikTok phenomenon
Understanding the TikTok phenomenon
A Facebook Live conversation with Piyul Mukherjee from Quipper Research; Damodar Mall from Reliance Retail; and Ashwin Suresh from Pocket Aces
TikTok: More than 15-seconds of fame?
Is it a passing fad? Is it here to stay? A multimedia story on what’s driving the phenomenon
Three must-read books on strategy for the digital era
We need new frameworks and approaches to re-think strategy and how it should be formulated and taught in this new age. That’s what I learnt from my recent personal learning journey.
The balancing act
July 9, 2019: A roundup of news and perspectives on disruptive technology from around the world. In this issue: Nudge vs. boost, Superhuman fiasco, Monopoly’s origins, Amazon’s liability and problems with brain restoration
Technology is politics
July 3, 2019: A roundup of news and perspectives on disruptive technology from around the world. In this issue: Huawei, AltSchool, Sidewalk Labs, Chernobyl and mobile market
What, me trust?
June 24, 2019: A roundup of news and perspectives on disruptive technology from around the world. In this issue: Deepfakes, Facebook’s Libra, CRISPR, Slack IPO and Oxford University
Paving the road for world-beating software products from India
India’s new software products policy marks a watershed moment in its economic history. Can the nation make it count?
Why anti-trust is antiquated for Big Tech
A compelling alternative approach for regulators is to build ‘data democracy’—give users ownership of their own data and allow them share or un-share it with tech aggregators based on the quality of service they get
The cobra effect and other stories
June 8, 2019: A roundup of news and perspectives on disruptive technology from around the world. In this issue: Clean energy, AI ethics, Facebook, gene editing and more
The importance of asking the right question
June 2, 2019: A roundup of news and perspectives on disruptive technology from around the world. In this issue: Uber’s impact on taxi drivers, Ather Energy, Huawei, AI pizza checker and more
How do you eat an elephant?
May 26, 2019: A roundup of news and perspectives on disruptive technology from around the world. In this issue: How X bridges tech-policy gap; data ownership; election predictions; Facebook and insurance frauds
Is banning facial recognition the right option for India too?
The good, the bad, and the nuances in between of regulating technology
The hyperlocal WhatsApp strategy, policy windows and AI food tasters
May 10, 2019: A roundup of news and perspective on disruptive technology from around the world. Also in this issue: gene editing to prevent heart attack, and what North Korea's radio-tochkas show us about Big Tech's privacy violations
Robo-taxis, privacy committees and wearables to augment intelligence
May 04, 2019: A roundup of news and perspectives on disruptive technology from around the world. In this issue: Tesla’s robo-taxi networks, Facebook’s privacy positions, Microsoft’s Blockchain partnership, wearables, carbon sucking plants and more
No country for old people
They are educated, retired, and well to do. Yet digital technology has left them behind. What’s behind this digital divide?
The future of food, social media platforms and facial recognition
April 27, 2019: A roundup of news and perspectives on disruptive technology from around the world. In this issue: Sri Lanka’s social media ban, Beyond Meat IPO, facial recognition, employee activism, robot rights and more
Bias, fixing brains, and the difficulty of regulating tech
April 20, 2019: A roundup of news and perspective on disruptive technology from around the world. In this issue: Regulatory sandboxes; brain implants and genetic engineering; and AI bias
India doesn't have a jobs crisis, it has a wages crisis
Is technology killing jobs? And can India use technology to create jobs? Teamlease’s Manish Sabharwal says, our problem is providing a living wage, not jobs. We need to worry about improving productivity through the application of land, labour, and capital—and not so much the impact of automation
Exploring black holes, space, and mapping Earth
April 14, 2019: A roundup of news and perspective on disruptive technology. In this issue: the science behind the black hole photo; how Facebook is mapping Earth; private rocket science; data and privacy; the future of jobs; and EVs path to profitability
Death of the white shirt?
The millennials’ love for selfies is driving a change in what sells in apparel stores—and the rise of Jawed Habib
The bias in technology
April 06, 2019: A roundup of news and perspective on disruptive technology. In this issue: Tech’s complicated relationship with government; robots, drones and anti-drones; and environmentally cool food
Managing yourself, and the world
March 26, 2019: A roundup of news and perspective on disruptive technology. In this issue: Enhancing human performance, designing for the future, consent brokers
Technology, nostalgia and the rise of radical nationalism
In this podcast, Sundeep Waslekar, president of think tank Strategic Foresight, talks about a growing global phenomenon: the resurgence of the right. What it means and how it might shape our world
When we ask machines to do our work
March 19, 2019: A roundup of news and perspective on disruptive technology. In this issue: AI’s impact on surgical skills, air crashes, electric vehicles and data for public good
The bad thing about good things and the good thing about bad
March 13, 2019: A roundup of news and perspective on disruptive technology. In this issue: Facebook’s new vision; Elizabeth Warren’s new proposal and Reliance Jio; and the limits of the sharing economy
Who should move Facebook’s cheese?
March 5, 2019: A roundup of news and perspective on disruptive technology. In this issue: Facebook, 5G, and Raghuram Rajan’s ‘The Third Pillar’
Technology’s unintended consequences
Feb 26, 2019: A roundup of news and perspective on disruptive technology. In this issue: Microsoft employees question how their work is used, why lab-grown meat may not be a panacea, and China's CRISPR twins may end up with unintended modifications
AI as a global public good, a digitised world, and why philosophy matters
Feb 19, 2019: A roundup of news and perspective on disruptive technology from around the world. In this issue: artificial intelligence, augmented reality, ethics in tech
Will the real Twitter please stand up?
Twitter is not one, but three. It is a protocol, an app, and a media company. And being all the three is doing it no good
Trendspotting: The shape of all things digital in 2019
How cheap bandwidth and smartphones together with micropayents will affect tectonic shifts in telecom, TV and Bollywood, retail, banking and more
The moral crisis at Facebook
Is it because of its business model, its culture, or something deeper?
Senator, we sell bads
Facebook is undergoing a moral crisis. Is it because of its business model, its culture, or something deeper?
Aadhaar and the three laws of tech for entrepreneurs
In listening to the Supreme Court pronounce its verdict on Aadhaar, some pointers emerge to the vagaries of entrepreneurship
Aadhaar and tech entrepreneurs
In listening to the Supreme Court pronounce its verdict on Aadhaar, some pointers emerge to the vagaries of entrepreneurship
Is it a yes or a no? The curious case of Section 57
Is there any scope for businesses to use Aadhaar authentication for ease of business and to provide innovative services? The Supreme Court ruling on the Aadhaar Act has left more questions than answers
The curious case of Section 57
Is there any scope for businesses to use Aadhaar authentication for ease of business and to provide innovative services? The Supreme Court ruling on the Aadhaar Act has left more questions than answers
The race for 5G: Why China wants to dominate next gen wireless internet
China and the US are locked in a furious battle for control of the next generation of wireless internet networks. The winner will gain a big economic advantage for years to come
The purpose of the enterprise
Businesses, and inventors in technologies, must be held accountable for the impacts their products have on the lives of their customers and on societies. We must ask, why is this to be done? Who will benefit? Who may be harmed by it?
Disruptive tech: There’s hope for the future. But fear too
We are facing an avalanche of disruptive technologies. But adapting to change will not be easy. Sometimes it will even seem traumatic. Some insights from Vivek Wadhwa with Alex Salkever's book ‘The Driver in the Driverless Car’
What AI can show us about what it means to be human
Brian Christian, author of ‘The Most Human Human’ and ‘Algorithms to Live By’, discusses the gaps and overlaps between humans and machines
When a tech idea goes into a government office
Aadhaar was designed as an enabler, a utility. That is its strength, and its weakness
A civic tech approach to Swachh Bharat
Monitoring performance and impact is key to the success of the Swachh Bharat Mission. And that’s where technology can make a big difference
Tulip mania versus bitcoin ideology
Apparently, bitcoins are worth investing in. But is it an ideology or a bubble? What lens do we look at it from? And would you bet your money on either?
Bill Gates, Nandan Nilekani and the idea of societal platforms
EkStep Foundation is the technical partner of a new global philanthropic initiative Co-Impact. What exactly is it bringing to the table?
Man versus machine: The humanity of intelligence
While artificial intelligence is a force for good, there are times it ought to be deliberately dissed. Else, we run the risk of losing our humanity
Aadhaar and the Buddha's Middle Path
A panel discussion with Arun Maira, former Planning Commission member, Jairam Ramesh, former union minister and Sanjay Jain, former technology executive at UIDAI
AlphaGo versus Kasparov, Puchu and Champu
That artificial intelligence is here to stay seems a given. But Garry Kasparov and I believe we aren’t going any place. My little girls need us
Will technology destroy democracy?
Job destruction, fake news, polarisation. Rapid advances in technology are blamed for these. Is that claim justified? Are other factors at play? Who will regulate technology?
Enjoy the data while it lasts. It won’t for too long
Behind your back, a fierce battle is being fought between actors of all kinds over who owns you. It will end soon. But a price will have to be paid. That includes our privacy
Can artificial intelligence augment humankind? Or is it a threat?
In conversation with Prof Brad Nelson, who is known for his research in microrobotics, nanorobotics, and medical robotics. He was named in the 2005 “Scientific American 50” list recognising outstanding leaders in science and technology
How data is eating the world, and what India needs to do
Nandan Nilekani and his team presented their vision on democratising data. It won’t be an easy task
The importance of being anonymous
A minor subplot in the grand narrative of Aadhaar has raised important questions about privacy
We’re getting de-FANGed and Uber-ed
That artificial intelligence is here to stay and is intrusive is one thing. Question is, should Homo Sapiens regulate it to survive the onslaught?
India versus Pakistan is not cricket, but war
Pointers to why reside in political theory, evolutionary biology, the emergence of artificial intelligence and our failure to see it all
The Aadhaar debate: Is common ground possible?
Discussions on Aadhaar often descend into shouting matches. One way to make progress is to break it down into smaller bits to understand the nuances
The Sceptical Optimist: A philosopher’s take on technological progress
In this interview Nicholas Agar, author of ‘The Sceptical Optimist’, talks about why unquestioning enthusiasm and a blanket rejection of technological change are equally misguided
As debate rages over AI displacing jobs, history offers some insights
The dawn of IT in Indian banking from the 1950s to the 1980s teaches important lessons that are valid in today’s context
This week in disruptive tech—March 7, 2017
A roundup of news and perspective on disruptive technology from around the world. In this issue: Facebook’s algorithm to spot suicidal tendencies, Elon Musk’s moon mission and blockchains
What to do about artificial intelligence
Make it work for the poor, two tech leaders say
Clean disruption: How green trends are changing business
In this video, clean energy and transportation expert Tony Seba talks about how advancements in batteries, electric vehicles, self-driving cars and solar energy will change energy and transportation over the next 5 to 15 years
To win, car makers need to focus on making ‘computers on wheels’: Tony Seba
Electric vehicles, self-driving cars and car sharing are reaching a tipping point. The role of the regulator now is to get out of the way—like it did in telecom in India—and let the market make it happen
Policymakers should get out of the way of solar: Tony Seba
Solar energy is going to be a growth area, says the clean energy expert. India needs to unbundle its utilities and bring in some deregulation to let the market for solar happen more quickly
This week in disruptive tech—October 30, 2016
A roundup of news and perspective on disruptive technology from around the world. In this issue: Chatbots, cybersecurity and blockchains
Interview with Robert Tercek on Vaporization, a software-defined society
Robert Tercek, futurist and author of the book 'Vaporized', talks about how digital technology pushes us towards a software-defined society
This week in disruptive tech—October 3, 2016
A roundup of news and perspective on disruptive technology from around the world. In this issue: A new partnership to make Artificial Intelligence beneficial to people; autonomous vehicles and online education; Elon Musk’s plan to colonise Mars
Has Samsung Electronics been fired?
Recalling 2.5 million handsets is the best decision a leader can make argues an outlier. Consensus and evidence says it is the worst
This week in disruptive tech—August 19, 2016
A roundup of news and perspective on disruptive technology from around the world. In this issue: Can technology tackle trolls and disinformation, Pepper the “emotional” robot, personalised learning through AltSchool, and more
What the world of tomorrow might look like
Curated tweets from the WorldFuture 2016 conference held in Washington DC from July 22 to 24, 2016
This week in disruptive tech—July 18, 2016
A roundup of news and perspective on disruptive technology from around the world. In this issue: Pokémon Go, the shift from print to digital media, bitcoins and the maturing of digital currency, and more
AlphaGo vs. Lee Se-dol: Why a win for AI is not a lose for humanity
When machines beat men, they make us seriously think about our place in a technologically advanced world and we tend to overestimate machines and underestimate men.
This week in disruptive tech—February 13, 2016
A roundup of news and perspective on disruptive technology from around the world. In this issue: Space travel, alternative energy and virtual reality.
This week in disruptive tech—February 3, 2016
A roundup of news and perspective on disruptive technology from around the world. In this issue: artificial intelligence, the fourth industrial revolution and blockchain.
This week in disruptive tech—December 16, 2015
A roundup of news and perspective on disruptive technology from around the world. In this issue: artificial intelligence, cryptocurrencies, gene-editing, and alternative energy.
This week in disruptive tech—November 29, 2015
A roundup of news and perspective on disruptive technology from around the world. In this issue: driverless cars, cryptocurrencies, artificial intelligence and 3D printing.
This week in disruptive tech - November 17, 2015
A roundup of news and perspective on disruptive technology from around the world. In this issue: the future of food, terrorism, human interactions and work.
This week in disruptive tech - November 9, 2015
A roundup of news and perspective on disruptive technology from around the world. In this issue: artificial intelligence, 3D printing, the sharing economy, and drones.
This week in disruptive tech - Oct 31, 2015
A roundup of news and perspective on disruptive technology from around the world. In this issue: genomics, Internet of Things, wearables, renewable energy, and artificial intelligence.
This Week in Disruptive Tech - Oct 25, 2015
A roundup of news and perspective on disruptive technology from around the world. In this issue: Networked intelligence, 3D printers, the sharing economy, self-driving cars, and drones.
This Week in Disruptive Tech - Oct 15, 2015
A roundup of news and perspective on disruptive technology from around the world. In this issue: artificial intelligence, robotics, cryptocurrency, wearables and future of work.
This Week in Disruptive Tech - Oct 7, 2015
A roundup of news and perspective on disruptive technology from around the world. In this issue: 3D Printers, Artificial Intelligence, Autonomous Cars, Cyber Security and Internet of Things.
China steps towards intelligent manufacturing
China is committing itself to automation. If all goes as per plan, soon robots and automation will be the norm in Chinese factories
Adapting to Technological Disruption
Five principles that can help business leaders keep up with rapid change. An excerpt from—'No Ordinary Disruption: The Four Global Forces Breaking All the Trends'
Disquiet in Paradise: Why the Internet May Be Turning into Fort Knox
Three recent books lay bare claims that the internet is a democratizing and empowering force in society. Instead, new internet czars have concentrated power in their own hands, made us dumber—and spawned a more divisive society.
Backstage with Team Indus
India’s space startup prepares for its trip to the moon
Stuck between neutrality & farcicality
Airtel's proposed pricing plan for online access has caused outrage and there is no escaping the debate
