Latest news with #BCG
Time of India
a day ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
AI grows up: India Inc ditches disconnected pilots, picks autonomy
When Tesla officially entered India on July 14, 2025, nearly a decade after Elon Musk first teased its debut, it wasn't just another EV launch—it was a signal. As one of the world's most AI-intensive companies, Tesla's presence underscores the growing significance of India as both a market and a testbed for intelligent systems—from autonomous mobility to enterprise-scale decisioning platforms. Fittingly, the milestone coincides with AI Appreciation Day, prompting a reflection on India's evolving relationship with artificial intelligence—one that began far earlier than many realise. India's first brush with AI dates back to the 1960s, with the pioneering work of Professor H.N. Mahabala, and gained formal momentum in 1986 when the UNDP-backed Knowledge-Based Computing Systems (KBCS) initiative encouraged focused research and academic programs. While countries like the United States led early innovation, India is now accelerating rapidly, with government policy, private sector investment, and grassroots innovation converging. According to a recent Boston Consulting Group (BCG) report titled 'India's AI Leap: BCG Perspective on Emerging Challengers,' the Indian AI market is poised to grow more than threefold, reaching ₹145,384 crore (US$17 billion) by 2027, placing it among the fastest-growing AI economies globally. But this surge is not just about numbers—it's about mindset. 'This kind of growth is possible only if we move away from viewing AI as a set of disconnected pilots,' says Nitin Gupta, Vice President, Data, Analytics & AI at Mastercard. 'AI must be treated as a strategic operating layer, with governance and adoption plans that span the enterprise. What matters now is finding the right balance between autonomy and accountability.' India Inc. is now grappling with how to embed AI across business functions—not just within IT or data science teams, but across supply chains, compliance, customer service, and product development. At the same time, the conversation is shifting toward agentic AI—systems that are capable of context-aware, goal-driven autonomy. For example, in education, PhysicsWallah is applying AI to understand student needs and dynamically guide them through learning journeys. From adaptive tutoring to real-time emotional support, AI is no longer just answering queries—it's proactively shaping outcomes, backed by continuous feedback and human oversight. 'In any sector—especially ones like education—what matters is not just what AI can do, but how well it understands the individual using it,' says Sandeep Varma, Head of AI at PhysicsWallah. This idea of personalised, responsible AI resonates strongly in healthcare, where ethical concerns, patient trust, and regulatory alignment are paramount. 'India's businesses are clearly embracing AI with more purpose now,' notes Mitali Dutta Das, Head of Data Science and AI&ML - Enterprise IT at Philips. 'But in areas like healthcare, scaling isn't just a technical question—it's a human one. From ethics to regulation to talent, the entire ecosystem needs to evolve together.' As enterprises prepare for the next phase of AI maturity, AI Appreciation Day becomes more than a celebration. It's a checkpoint—a moment to recognise that India's AI journey is no longer about catching up. It's about leading with context, responsibility, and cultural clarity. With Tesla's AI-driven operations entering India and with domestic enterprises embracing intelligent systems across sectors, the message is clear: India is ready—not just to adopt AI, but to define it on its own terms.
ABC News
2 days ago
- Health
- ABC News
Queensland research finds inhaled vaccine effective tuberculosis protection
A research team from north Queensland has found delivering the tuberculosis (TB) vaccine directly to the lungs could create stronger protection against the world's deadliest infectious disease. There is one available vaccine to protect against TB, developed in 1921, with little known about why the vaccine sometimes stops offering protection in adolescence. World Health Organisation data revealed 10.8 million new TB infections globally in 2023 and 1.3 million deaths. The team from James Cook University found that administering a stronger strain of the only existing Bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccine, or BCG, generated an effective immune response in the lungs. "This link between how the body repairs the lung after minor injury and how that can lead to better protection against tuberculosis is really what this study is about," associate professor Andreas Kupz, who led the study, said. TB is primarily spread through the air when a person with active tuberculosis disease coughs, sneezes or speaks. Dr Kupz said high global rates of TB were in part due to the limited efficacy of the only licensed vaccine, developed to protect adults in 1921 via a shot to the arm. "Because it is delivered as an injection after birth, it often doesn't produce long-term protection against respiratory infections," he said. Dr Kupz said the team's research could hold several important implications for the development of a more effective TB vaccine, eventually saving lives. TB has largely been eradicated from Australia, but is more common in northern Australia, particularly in Cape York and Torres Strait Islands. The latest available Queensland Health data shows the state treated 189 people for TB infections in 2023. Dr Kupz said Cape York and the Torres Strait Islands were most susceptible because of their proximity to Papua New Guinea, which experiences high rates of infection. "Papua New Guinea is actually a hotspot for tuberculosis globally, not just in terms of the numbers of TB they have, but also drug-resistant strains," he said. Port Moresby-based health advocate Anne Clarke said the 45,000 TB cases recorded in Papua New Guinea in the past year were a significant strain on the health system and economy. "The exposure of the wider community to this infectious disease agent is about 100 per cent in this town," Dr Clarke said. "Everybody is affected." Dr Kupz said he hoped his team's research would eventually lead to more effective protection against infections. "Pending ethical approvals, we hope to see it go to human trial by the end of 2026 or early 2027," he said.
Al Mayadeen
2 days ago
- Business
- Al Mayadeen
WFP reviews BCG ties after Gaza aid role sparks outrage: FT
The World Food Programme (WFP) has initiated a comprehensive review of its partnership with Boston Consulting Group (BCG) following public backlash over the firm's undisclosed role in a controversial aid initiative linked to Gaza. The decision comes after the Financial Times (FT) revealed that BCG contributed to modeling the financial implications of relocating Palestinians from Gaza and supported the establishment of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an "Israel"- and US-backed body tasked with distributing aid in the war-ravaged enclave. GHF has drawn widespread criticism from humanitarian organizations and UN officials, particularly after reports emerged that hundreds of Palestinians were killed while attempting to access its aid distribution hubs. The WFP, which has worked with BCG since 2003, said it did not know of the firm's involvement in GHF until the media disclosures. In a statement to the FT, the agency expressed "shock and grave concerns," condemning BCG's "lack of transparency in not having informed us." "WFP is emphatic that the work of its partners aligns with our core values, mission, and policies," the agency said, adding, "Given these recent revelations, WFP has begun a comprehensive review of its work with BCG." In its response, BCG claimed that two partners involved in the Gaza-related work acted without proper authorization and were terminated in June. The controversy surrounding BCG is part of a larger wave of criticism of GHF, which has been described by the United Nations as a "fig leaf" for "Israel's" ongoing genocide. Numerous humanitarian organizations have refused to cooperate with GHF, citing concerns over its operational model and the safety of civilians attempting to access aid. According to the UN, more than 800 Palestinians have been killed while trying to reach GHF-operated centers, which are heavily guarded by Israeli forces and US private contractors. The UK Parliament's International Development Committee has requested that BCG clarify its activities in Gaza. Meanwhile, Save the Children suspended its partnership with the firm on June 13, shortly after BCG confirmed its involvement with GHF. Further controversy erupted after the FT reported that BCG had contributed to a financial reconstruction plan for Gaza. That plan reportedly included cost estimates for the "voluntary relocation" of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, an aspect that has drawn widespread condemnation as a potential blueprint for forced displacement. While BCG has pledged to forgo the $4 million it had planned to bill for its work with GHF, critics remain skeptical. Observers have pointed to the broader ethical implications of private firms shaping post-war reconstruction agendas in war zones, particularly without full transparency. Launched in May, the GHF reportedly oversees four aid distribution hubs in Gaza, while the enclave remains devastated by nearly two years of Israeli bombardment. The United Nations has warned that the entire population of 2.1 million is at imminent risk of famine, according to the FT.
Al Mayadeen
2 days ago
- Business
- Al Mayadeen
BCG built Gaza 'relocation' model in secretive 'Aurora' project: FT
Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is facing mounting scrutiny following a Financial Times investigation that revealed the firm's involvement in a controversial and secretive effort to model the forced 'relocation' of Palestinians from Gaza. The plan, developed in coordination with Israeli and US officials, also included BCG's participation in a militarized humanitarian "aid initiative" now widely condemned by humanitarian agencies. Though BCG has attempted to distance itself from the project, insiders told The Financial Times that the firm's involvement spanned more than seven months and included over $4 million in contracted work. The initiative, codenamed 'Aurora', featured detailed cost estimates for relocating hundreds of thousands of Palestinians and laid out a blueprint for a postwar economic restructuring of Gaza. Human rights organizations have warned that the project's core proposals may violate international law and amount to a blueprint for ethnic cleansing. According to the FT report, BCG consultants, including senior staff from the firm's Washington defense and security division, developed a financial model projecting that over 500,000 Palestinians could be offered 'relocation packages' valued at $9,000 each, totaling $5 billion. The relocation scenario was framed as voluntary, with additional incentives such as subsidized housing and food assistance. However, BCG now claims the exercise was conducted without executive approval and in direct violation of internal directives. 'The lead partner was categorically told no, and he violated this directive. We disavow this work,' the company stated, confirming that it has terminated the two partners responsible. BCG initially joined the project on a pro bono basis in October 2024, helping to establish the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an Israeli- and US-supported initiative aimed at distributing aid in Gaza. The project was also backed by Safe Reach Solutions (SRS), a private military contractor founded by former CIA officer Phil Reilly. Aid centers under the GHF banner, guarded by Israeli forces and staffed with US contractors, have been the site of harrowing massacres. Since its launch in May, more than 400 Palestinians have reportedly been killed attempting to access food aid, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza. The United Nations has condemned the initiative as a 'fig leaf' for military occupation, and major international NGOs have refused to cooperate with it. US President Donald Trump reportedly committed $30 million in funding to the GHF, amid broader speculation that his administration supports long-term depopulation of Gaza. Trump has previously referred to Gaza as the potential 'Riviera of the Middle East,' a remark critics widely interpreted as endorsing ethnic cleansing. The financial modeling of mass displacement appears to have triggered an internal crisis at BCG. When staff became aware of the full scope of the project in late May, concerns were raised over ethical violations and reputational risk. Documents obtained by the FT show that the project, initially framed as charitable, transitioned into a paid contract with fees covered by McNally Capital, a private equity firm that owns SRS' parent company, Orbis. Two senior BCG consultants, Matt Schlueter and Ryan Ordway, both US military veterans, led the Aurora project and maintained ties with the Israeli think tank Tachlith Institute. Internal reports flagged both the scope and intensity of the work, with consultants in BCG's Tel Aviv office logging over 70-hour weeks, triggering a 'Red Zone' warning, a corporate signal for ethical risk and overextension. Despite the project's growing notoriety, BCG continued advising SRS on procurement, logistics, and direct food delivery after NGOs pulled out. One BCG employee who questioned SRS's capacity to manage food aid logistics was removed from the project, according to FT sources. The situation came to a head following GHF's public launch in May, which coincided with its approval by the Israeli cabinet. On May 25, BCG's leadership ordered an immediate shutdown of the project and began withdrawing its consultants. That same day, GHF CEO Jake Wood resigned, citing a breakdown in humanitarian neutrality. Boston Consulting Group (BCG), a US firm hired to help design and run the business operations of the #Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), has withdrawn its team operating on the ground in "Israel" from the controversial aid initiative backed by the United States and "Israel."A… May 28, BCG global leadership confronted Schlueter and Ordway at a partner meeting in Vienna. Days later, both were placed on administrative leave and asked to resign. On June 4, BCG brought in law firm WilmerHale to conduct an independent investigation into what CEO Christoph Schweizer called 'serious process failures.'
Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
The Missing Piece In AI Strategy: Governance That Drives Trust
Aditya Vikram Kashyap, VP, Firmwide Innovation at Morgan Stanley, driving innovation, AI strategy and transformative leadership. I spend much of my time working at the intersection of innovation and risk. Through this experience, I've witnessed AI evolve from a curiosity in research labs to a force reshaping nearly every dimension of business and society. The pace is staggering. We now talk in terms of weeks—not years—when it comes to breakthroughs in generative AI, predictive models and intelligent automation. Amid this whirlwind of progress, there is one conversation I believe leaders are not having enough, and it may be the most important of all: How do we govern the AI we unleash into the world? This is not a legal formality or an afterthought. It is a matter of trust, reputation and long-term business resilience. In my view, it must now be owned at the very top of the enterprise. Why This Keeps Me Up At Night I see the risks firsthand. AI models that hallucinate. Automated decisions that encode societal bias. Brilliant prototypes that cannot be explained to regulators—or even to the teams that built them. And I see the governance gap growing. A study from MIT Sloan Management Review and BCG found that although nearly 80% of organizations are ramping up AI investments, only one in five have fully implemented responsible AI governance practices. As a leader, that number should give us all pause. Without governance, the AI revolution risks becoming a crisis of trust. We will not get a second chance to do this right. Once customer trust is lost, once regulators step in forcefully, once reputations are damaged, it will be very difficult to unwind. Governance: Not A Brake, An Engine For Scaling Trustworthy AI One common concern I hear from fellow executives is that governance might slow down innovation. I would argue the opposite: Good governance enables sustainable innovation. In my work with AI initiatives, I've seen this dynamic clearly. When governance is embedded from the start—across data sourcing, model design, deployment and monitoring—AI systems are more reliable, more explainable and more trusted by customers. And that trust becomes a competitive advantage. In fact, according to an Accenture survey of 1,000 executives from around the world, "Companies expect a 25% increase in customer loyalty and satisfaction from offering responsible AI-enabled products and services." In short: Governance is not red tape. It is the scaffolding that allows AI innovation to scale safely. Principles Every Leader Should Embrace Through experience and a fair share of missteps, I've come to believe that AI governance must rest on a few key pillars: AI projects must be grounded in a clear understanding of what you are trying to achieve—and what human values the system must reflect. Compliance alone is not enough. Governance that starts with purpose will ultimately serve the organization better. Too often, AI governance is treated as a late-stage review. But the risks, and opportunities, are present from day one. We need governance embedded at every stage, from data collection to post-deployment monitoring. AI governance cannot live in a single silo. It must be co-owned by technology, risk, legal, ethics, business units and the board. Diversity of perspective is essential to navigating the complexities of AI's real-world impacts. Transparency is not optional. We must be able to explain model behavior, document decision logic and assign clear accountability for outcomes. Without this, we undermine trust. A Leadership Imperative, Not A Technical One Perhaps the most important lesson I've learned is this: AI governance cannot be delegated. It belongs on the leadership agenda. Boards must be asking: Are our governance frameworks keeping pace with AI adoption? How do we ensure our AI reflects our values? What accountability structures are in place? Are we building AI systems that our customers—and society—can trust? In the years ahead, the winners in AI will not be those who race ahead the fastest. They will be those who build AI that is trustworthy, transparent and human-centered. That is a leadership challenge. And it is one we must rise to—together. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
