CII Conclave Stresses On ‘Future Of Work', With Focus On AI
The event began with a welcome address by Shree Jamdar, chairman, followed by a thematic overview by Manoj Bramhe, convener, CII Vidarbha Zone.
Keynote speaker Karan Chugh, director (supply chain), Amazon, shared insights on Amazon's use of AI and generative AI in logistics optimisation, forecasting, inventory, and predictive maintenance. He also spoke about Rufus, Amazon's AI shopping assistant, which personalises product discovery and comparisons.
Rishi Bal, head, BharatGen, highlighted India's AI journey, emphasising sovereign AI with cultural relevance and accessibility. He cited BharatGPT as a cornerstone in speech tech and voice AI, fostering innovation and job creation.
Chief guest Milind Padalkar encouraged students to adapt to digital disruption and technologies like AI, 5G, and nanotech.
A panel on 'Future of Work' moderated by Rahul Karangale featured insights from Ramana Telidevara, Lohit Matani, Ketan Paithankar, Manoj Chandak, Nitin Rakesh, and Sheetal Kale.
Amitabh Sinha, vice-chairman, concluded with a vote of thanks, urging youth to innovate and shape the future workforce.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
2 hours ago
- India.com
Meet brothers who started business with just Rs 25000, now own Rs 3000000000 company, they are…, their business is…
Sanjeev and Rajeev grew up in Gulawathi, where their father ran a small grocery store. Watching their father struggle, the brothers dreamt of doing something bigger. They moved to Ghaziabad, where they initially purchased air coolers on credit from wholesalers and sold them for a small profit to build capital. In those early days, they traveled door-to-door on a scooter in Faridabad to meet dealers. As the business picked up, they upgraded to a better scooter. Struggle Of Two Brothers In 1992, they borrowed Rs 25,000 from friends and began manufacturing their own coolers, launching the Summercool brand. They launched the first cooler for Rs 1600. Sanjeev and Rajeev faced many challenges, especially in gaining the trust of customers. Large showroom owners were hesitant to display Summercool products. However, their coolers stood out for their affordability, quality, and word-of-mouth reputation. Gradually, people began to trust the products, and the business grew rapidly. In the first 10 years, their company grew at a rate of 50 times per year showing their product quality and customer service. 'Summercool' Business Model In 2005, a fire at one of their units caused major losses. But their goodwill in the market proved invaluable. Dealers and suppliers came forward to help. Distributors gave them advance payments, and raw material suppliers extended credit. With this trust and support, they rebuilt the business and now produce over 1 lakh products per month. Their business model is simple: 80% of products (excluding LED TVs and washing machines) are manufactured in-house and 90% of sales come from offline retail stores. Over the years, Sanjeev and Rajeev have expanded beyond air coolers. Today, their product line includes ceiling fans, exhaust fans, room heaters, LED TVs, kitchen appliances and other fast-moving consumer electronics. Their company, based in Ghaziabad, has four modern factories and employs about 200 people. They work with 250 distributors across 17 states, and their products are available in around 4,000 stores nationwide. Online marketplaces like Amazon and Flipkart now contribute 10% to their business.
Mint
6 hours ago
- Mint
After pledging to keep prices low, Amazon hiked them on hundreds of essentials
In April, Amazon said it would hold the line on prices. The Journal's analysis of prices from e-commerce data firm Traject Data found that while Amazon's price rose on 1,200 of its cheapest household goods, competitor Walmart lowered prices on the same items by nearly 2%. The divergent strategies show how major retailers are reshaping prices on popular products as uncertainty about tariffs drags on. Amazon said the products tracked by the Journal weren't representative of the company's prices overall. 'We have not seen the average prices of products offered in our store change up or down appreciably," the company said in a statement. 'Our commitment to offering low prices—not relative percentage changes—is what delivers the most value to our customers." Manufacturers of several of the products that became more expensive on Amazon say they haven't raised the prices they charge retailers. Even domestically made goods, such as the 'Made in U.S.A" Campbell's soup, saw increases. Imported goods and products with mixed origins—domestically assembled with imported components—faced even steeper hikes. Take the stackable metal basket from Ohio-based Dayglow LLC, which imports from China and other countries. Before mid-February, Amazon sold it for $9.31. By late April, Amazon had lifted the price to $19.99. Dayglow hasn't changed the prices it charges Amazon despite paying more on its imported goods, according to Nick Morrisroe, the company's CEO. 'Any container I had that was coming took a cost increase basically overnight," he said of steel tariffs that came into effect last month. The lowest-cost goods on Amazon saw one of their largest single-day increases on Feb. 15, two days after Trump signed an order suggesting tariffs would apply to most U.S. trading partners. Many of the products tracked by the Journal are 'everyday essentials" on Amazon—a category that represents one of every three units sold on Amazon in the U.S. during the first quarter of 2025, the company said. Amazon struggles to turn a profit on these products because shipping costs erase the already-thin margins, said Corey Thomas, an Amazon vendor consultant. Walmart can afford to lose money on similar online sales because customers often buy more profitable items in stores, he added. Prices fluctuate for various reasons, including seasonal discounts, competition and inflation, which accelerated last month. Amazon said the products analyzed by the Journal were out of stock more frequently on competitors' websites. Some more-expensive items in the Journal's analysis decreased in price as new versions were introduced. Prices fell during Amazon's Prime Day sales event that ran between July 8 and July 11 and have since rebounded, though they remain below their July 1 levels. Trump's recent delay of the tariff deadline to Aug. 1 also gives retailers time to stockpile products before higher rates go into effect. Retailers say they have tried everything to keep a lid on price increases, including pressuring suppliers and dropping free perks at offices. Target said it gives priority to other cost-control measures before raising prices, while Walmart said the data reflects its reputation for affordable pricing. The broader retail response to tariffs has been relatively muted. Prices for imported goods are up about 2% since March, according to research from Harvard economist Alberto Cavallo and members of the Harvard Business School's Pricing Lab. 'The lack of clarity may be causing retailers to implement price changes more cautiously and incrementally," Cavallo said. Many brands and retailers have used coded language when discussing pricing strategies with investors, fearing political backlash. Earlier this year, Amazon backed away from a plan to display tariff impacts on its bargain website Haul after the White House called the plan a 'hostile and political act." Trump warned businesses in May to 'EAT THE TARIFFS" after Walmart said higher tariffs would result in higher prices. For Morrisroe, whose company faced potential 145% tariffs on Chinese goods already in transit when the plan was announced, that directive carried real weight. 'Had they stayed at 145%, we would have been shutting down here," he said. Instead, his company paid the 30% tariff after Trump reduced the rate. Dayglow is now negotiating with manufacturers, searching for suppliers outside China and considering raising prices. For now, Morrisroe said he's doing exactly what Trump asked—eating the tariffs. Write to Shane Shifflett at Nate Rattner at Sebastian Herrera at and Brian Whitton at
Economic Times
14 hours ago
- Economic Times
Techie's bold career switch slashed her pay by 40%, now she's living her dream with a job at Meta
Synopsis A Singaporean product manager's shared the story of her leap from finance to tech. Dawn Choo took a 40% pay cut and pitched a self-made idea to Amazon leadership—landing a promotion. Her story, now viral, highlights how risk-taking, persistence, and unconventional moves are helping her crack the tech industry's upper ranks despite structural odds. iStock Dawn Choo's journey began with a Facebook internship, fueling her dream of working at Instagram. Visa needs led her to Bank of America, but her passion for data remained. After three years, she took a pay cut for an Amazon role, where automating tasks led to a promotion and, ultimately, her dream job at Meta. (Representational image: iStock) For Dawn Choo, the spark for a dream job was lit early. As a college intern at Facebook, she envisioned herself someday working at Instagram as a data scientist. But when graduation loomed, so did practicalities. With no offers from the tech world and an urgent need for visa sponsorship, she accepted a quant role at Bank of America—her gateway to staying in the U.S., even if it meant pushing her aspirations aside. 'I needed a job to stay in the country,' Dawn told Business Insider in a candid interview. 'Even if it wasn't the industry I really wanted.' Her work at the bank was far from fulfilling. While she dabbled in backend model-building, the passion for data and innovation remained untouched. By the time she hit the three-year mark, the itch to pivot had grown unbearable. She applied for tech roles relentlessly—nearly 100 applications, only 10 interviews, and a single offer: a business analyst position at the job meant swallowing a bitter pill. Her total compensation took a 40% dive. Living in New York City, where rent and ramen both came at premium prices, the impact was both financial and emotional. 'It felt like a step back,' she said. 'I wondered, 'Why did I take this pay cut? Should I just go back?'' Her role at Amazon felt uninspiring. The tasks were repetitive, and her skills underused. But in that monotony, a spark reignited. She started automating her tasks as a personal project—something that would unexpectedly redefine her future. What began as a quiet experiment soon got the attention of Amazon's leadership. Within a year, she was promoted to Business Intelligence Engineer, leading a five-person team on a project she had initiated herself. That leap of faith paid off again two years later when Dawn finally landed her long-coveted job at Instagram, Meta's image-sharing giant. The journey had been circuitous, the rejections many, but her persistence outlasted her doubts. 'I almost canceled my final Meta interviews,' she admitted. 'I just didn't think I could handle another 'no'.' But that final 'yes' marked the beginning of three transformative years, both professionally and personally. The work was meaningful, the friendships deep, and her voice—finally—heard in the rooms she always wanted to be story isn't just about changing careers—it's about taking chances, making peace with temporary setbacks, and trusting that growth rarely follows a straight line. For every professional standing at the crossroads of comfort and calling, her advice is simple and powerful: 'Sometimes one step back is the best way forward.'
