Latest news with #AIAI
Fashion Value Chain
11-07-2025
- Business
- Fashion Value Chain
India–Sri Lanka Aim to Double $5B Trade Through ISFTA
At the India–Sri Lanka Trade Diplomacy Summit held at WTC Mumbai, top diplomats, government officials, and business leaders convened to strengthen bilateral economic engagement. The summit, organized by the World Trade Center Mumbai and All India Association of Industries (AIAI) in collaboration with the Consulate General of Sri Lanka, spotlighted trade opportunities under the India–Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (ISFTA). Opening with national anthems and a diya-lighting ceremony, the event featured dignitaries including Dr. Vijay Kalantri, Chairman of WTC Mumbai, and Ms. Shirani Ariyarathne, Acting Consul General of Sri Lanka. Dr. Kalantri emphasized the need to double the existing $5 billion trade volume by leveraging regional frameworks like SAARC, APTA, SAFTA, and ISFTA. Ms. Ariyarathne noted India's position as Sri Lanka's largest import source and highlighted opportunities in sectors such as Ceylon tea, spices, apparel, batik, jewelry, electronics, and essential oils, adding that Sri Lanka's GSP+ status under the EU could benefit Indian exporters entering global markets. Mr. Mangala Wijesinghe, Chairman of the Export Development Board (EDB), discussed Sri Lanka's diversification into high-growth sectors like ICT, electronics, and processed food. He announced upcoming trade engagements including Sri Lanka Expo 2026 and the Design Mumbai Expo visit in November 2025. Tourism potential was reinforced by Mr. Buddhika Hewawasam, Chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, who announced a Travel Fair from July 31–August 2 and shared Sri Lanka's target of welcoming 3 million tourists through increased connectivity and digital tourism strategies. WTC Mumbai and AIAI will also lead a business delegation to Colombo in September 2025 to attend Industry 2025 Expo, featuring over 400 exhibitors. Meanwhile, Disrupt Asia 2025, a leading innovation summit in Sri Lanka, will debut a $50 million fund of funds and include startups from IIT Madras, shared Mr. Sachindra Samarasundara from ICT Agency of Sri Lanka. Mr. Suman Udayakumaran of Sri Lankan Airlines advocated for expanded air travel ties, noting India's aviation market growth and Sri Lanka's strategic proximity. The summit concluded with a united commitment to strengthen trade, tourism, technology, and innovation collaboration. With ISFTA as a catalyst, India and Sri Lanka are poised to build a more integrated and resilient Indo-Pacific economic corridor.
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
For AI to help us, first we must help AI: Why AI needs humans
In the numerous debates currently raging around the future of AI in India, one element is often missing: the role of humans. Contrary to some beliefs, AI is far from autonomous. It thrives under human oversight, which is essential for optimising its performance and realising the benefits that business leaders hope for. From pinpointing the most effective use cases for AI to managing AI models in production environments, human involvement is indispensable for success. Here's oversight: Exploring and validating AIAI adoption varies widely by region, and in India, adoption is steadily rising across key sectors such as healthcare, retail, BFSI, and manufacturing. The Indian government's National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence and the rise of digital-first enterprises are accelerating this shift. Yet, many decision-makers struggle to distinguish between valuable and incidental applications. To overcome this challenge, the language surrounding AI integration should emphasise this human-centric approach. Specifically, AI should be portrayed as a tool that empowers employees. It should be seen to augment human capabilities, requiring human guidance and input, rather than as a replacement for the workforce. AI providers should proactively engage with customers to explore potential applications, initiating discussions, identifying client pain points, and demonstrating how AI solutions can effectively address these challenges. In India, this could mean contextualising solutions for multilingual data sets, region-specific user behaviours, or local compliance needs like those under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA). Human direction: Driving efficiency and service innovation The classic IT adage, 'garbage in, garbage out,' is particularly pertinent for AI. If the data used to train or operate a model is poor, the outcomes will be similarly lacking. Data scientists and engineers are crucial in ensuring data acquisition, cleansing and lifecycle management for AI applications. Their responsibilities include evaluating data quality, identifying appropriate datasets, and reviewing data governance practices. Should the data be substandard, AI experts may suggest improvements in data cleaning, structuring, or governance before proceeding. Even in production environments, human oversight is crucial for directing and controlling AI applications. For example, in process optimisation, AI and machine learning can reveal insights that humans can leverage to enhance efficiency. This scenario is a reversal from the training phase: AI now provides the data, while humans process this information by interpreting and acting on it to refine processes, innovate services, and enhance decision-making. We are fast approaching a world where humans and AI agents collaborate seamlessly to boost efficiency, but with humans still very much in the driving seat. In Indian enterprises – especially in sectors like logistics, e-commerce, and smart manufacturing – this collaborative model is enabling faster decision cycles, improved customer experiences, and data-driven innovation. We are fast approaching a world where humans and AI agents collaborate seamlessly to boost efficiency, but with humans still very much in the driving seat. Human responsibility: Maintaining and monitoring AI Many AI projects struggle to advance beyond the proof-of-concept stage, often due to insufficient maintenance resources. This underlines the need for continuous human involvement, not only to prevent model decay but also to guarantee the long-term success, adoption and scalability of AI initiatives. Change management is also a crucial part of its success. For instance, human oversight is indispensable to ensuring that AI models maintain their accuracy and relevance over time. This is especially vital in complex, evolving environments where data inputs and conditions can change. Similarly, human experts play a crucial role in monitoring the performance of AI models by identifying and addressing emerging issues that could hinder functionality or accuracy. Human context: Addressing India's AI challenges In India, regulatory clarity is still emerging. However, government-led initiatives like IndiaAI , and academic collaborations between IITs and the industry, are laying the foundation for scalable and ethical AI. Experts in law, ethics, and policy will play a crucial role in aligning innovation with local regulatory frameworks, such as the DPDPA, ensuring a safe and inclusive growth. Human-centric AI AI holds great promise, but its models require care. Only with human oversight can this technology fulfil its potential to deliver the efficiencies promised. Furthermore, when humans maintain control, AI becomes a powerful tool that not only enhances their capabilities but also optimises workflows and fosters greater innovation. As Indian enterprises accelerate their digital transformation journeys, placing humans at the centre of AI strategies will ensure not just business impact – but ethical, scalable and context-aware innovation.
DW
23-05-2025
- Science
- DW
Understanding Animals With the Help of AI – DW – 05/23/2025
With help from AI, we might learn to talk with animals one day. There's lots to learn, including how they seem to be able to sense natural disasters in advance. Image: WDR Do animals sense earthquakes and eruptions in advance? There are many reports of animals behaving strangely before natural disasters. A herd of goats on Mount Etna shows they could warn of impending eruptions. Understanding animal 'languages' with a little help from AI AI is helping researchers identify patterns and decipher communication in animals. Learning how to 'talk' with them could boost animal welfare in a big way. The livestock medicine that killed India's vultures In India, farmers giving diclofenac to livestock practically wiped out the country's vultures. With no scavengers left to eat carrion, disease outbreaks rose. Image: Harald Tittel/dpa/picture alliance Insect research: Why and when do bees heat up their hives? To combat varroa mites, honeybees raise the temperature in their hives. But how high does it need to be, and where exactly? Physicists are finding out. Image: Depositphotos/IMAGO Why and how do snakes shed their skins? All snakes regularly renew their outer layer, and molting can take days. Why do they do it? This viewer question comes from Anahita C. in India. Broadcasting Hours: DW English SAT 24.05.2025 – 01:30 UTC SAT 24.05.2025 – 07:30 UTC SAT 24.05.2025 – 23:30 UTC SUN 25.05.2025 – 21:30 UTC MON 26.05.2025 – 05:30 UTC MON 26.05.2025 – 14:30 UTC TUE 27.05.2025 – 10:30 UTC TUE 27.05.2025 – 19:30 UTC THU 29.05.2025 – 08:30 UTC Lagos UTC +1 | Cape Town UTC +2 | Nairobi UTC +3 Delhi UTC +5,5 | Bangkok UTC +7 | Hong Kong UTC +8 London UTC +1 | Berlin UTC +2 | Moscow UTC +3 San Francisco UTC -7 | Edmonton UTC -6 | New York UTC -4
Fashion Value Chain
17-05-2025
- Business
- Fashion Value Chain
Dubai: India's Strategic Gateway to Africa and Europe
Dubai Can Be India's Strategic Gateway to Access African and European Markets Dubai's rise as a global trade and logistics hub is proving pivotal in strengthening India's global outreach. At the recent International Business Roundtable hosted at the World Trade Center Mumbai, industry leaders underscored the immense potential of Dubai as a gateway for Indian exports to Europe and Africa. Dr. Vijay Kalantri, President of the All India Association of Industries (AIAI) and Chairman of WTC Mumbai, stated, 'The UAE is a key strategic partner for India and central to the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor.' With bilateral trade between the two nations touching USD 84.8 billion, the UAE stands as India's third-largest trading partner. Dubai: A Re-export and Investment Hub Dubai's role as a commercial and logistics hub was highlighted as central to India's export strategy. 'It is a vital re-export center for Indian goods like textiles, electronics, gems and jewellery, and food products,' said Dr. Kalantri. The city's business-friendly environment — including simplified tax regimes, 100% foreign ownership in most sectors, and robust free zones — continues to draw Indian investors. India, in turn, has emerged as a significant destination for UAE investment, with a cumulative inflow of USD 23 billion. Sectors like real estate, energy, infrastructure, private equity, and financial services have seen deepening India-UAE collaboration. Aligning Synergies for Growth The roundtable aimed to align cross-border synergies and scale up business momentum. While Dubai's interest in the Indian market is clear, Dr. Kalantri noted that actual investments must gain pace to fully capitalize on the opportunity. He cited Indian participation in Dubai-hosted expos and the growing presence of Dubai-based investors in Indian summits as encouraging signs. 'India is poised to become a USD 5 trillion economy. Dubai can help catalyze this growth by enhancing access to global markets and supporting sectors like clean energy, digital trade, logistics, and innovation,' he added. Dubai Chamber: Accelerating Global Access Representing the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Abhijitsinh Jadeja, Chief Representative – India, emphasized Dubai's growing relevance. 'With its diversified economy, world-class infrastructure, and robust logistics, Dubai serves as a perfect launchpad for Indian enterprises aiming for the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.' The India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) has further boosted trade, unlocking opportunities in textiles, food processing, electronics, and services. 'Dubai's D33 Economic Agenda and its focus on digital transformation, AI, fintech, and clean energy create immense potential for Indian startups and SMEs to scale globally,' Mr. Jadeja noted. The Dubai Chamber's India office actively facilitates bilateral business, offering market intelligence and expansion support to Indian enterprises. Conclusion: A Strategic Leap Forward As India strengthens its global economic footprint, Dubai is emerging not just as a transit point but as a long-term strategic partner. The synergy between India's high-growth potential and Dubai's enabling ecosystem offers a robust foundation for deeper trade ties, innovation-driven collaboration, and mutually beneficial investments.
Zawya
15-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
NCP and AIAI partner to advance PPP expertise and US private sector engagement
Riyadh – The National Center for Privatization & PPP (NCP) has formalized a partnership with the Association for the Improvement of American Infrastructure (AIAI) by signing a memorandum of cooperation (MoC) to strengthen professional development in privatization and public-private partnerships (PPPs) and deepen engagement with the US private sector. The agreement was signed during NCP's participation in the Saudi-US Investment Forum, held in Riyadh on May 13, 2025, as part of President Trump's visit to the Kingdom. Hosted at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center, the Forum brought together leading Saudi and American investors to celebrate a bilateral relationship nearly a century in the making. Program highlights included ministerial sessions, CEO panels, and discussions covering clean energy, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, digital infrastructure, biotechnology, defense, finance, and health. The MoC was signed by Mr. Mohannad Basodan, CEO of NCP, and Ms. Lisa Buglione, Executive Director of AIAI. It reflects NCP's continued commitment to aligning with international best practices and fostering cross-border knowledge exchange. AIAI is a nonprofit organization composed of leading infrastructure experts in the US, dedicated to advancing the use of the PPP model through a hands-on, action-driven approach. The organization provides education, resources, and advisory tools to equip public and private stakeholders with the knowledge needed to successfully deliver infrastructure projects. Under the agreement, NCP and AIAI will collaborate to develop and issue professional certification programs, establish a specialized 'Train-the-Trainers' program to build national PPP expertise, and broaden access to the US private sector through AIAI's extensive network of members and institutional resources. The MoC will also support mutual knowledge sharing through joint participation in events, expert visits, organization of forums, and specialized sessions, as well as other mutually agreed initiatives. Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Basodan stated: 'This collaboration represents a key step forward in NCP's mission to institutionalize global best practices in PPP and expand international engagement. By collaborating with AIAI, we are reinforcing our commitment to building a world-class PPP ecosystem one that enables knowledge transfer, empowers Saudi professionals, and unlocks new opportunities for US private sector participation in the Kingdom's upcoming infrastructure agenda, in line with Saudi Vision 2030'. Commenting on this, Ms. Lisa Buglione mentioned that: 'AIAI has spent years building a coalition of experienced voices committed to strengthening infrastructure through PPPs. We're honored to support NCP as they lead efforts to expand PPPs and continue to drive infrastructure investment in the Kingdom. I want to recognize Thomas Sherman, Director of AIAI's Education and Advisory services who lead the effort to cultivate this unique partnership. We look forward to sharing global best practices and supporting the NCP as they advance Saudi Vision 2030'.
