Latest news with #Ghibli-inspired

Business Standard
5 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
India poised to be AI talent powerhouse, says OpenAI CSO Jason Kwon
India has always led in developer talent and now has a strong opportunity to lead in AI talent, OpenAI Global Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) Jason Kwon said on Thursday as the ChatGPT-maker launched OpenAI Academy in partnership with IndiaAI Mission. In an interview to PTI, Kwon said that India - which has the second largest number of ChatGPT users - is among the most important countries for OpenAI in terms of engagement. India has always had the "ingredients to succeed", he noted. OpenAI, he pointed out, is eyeing partnerships that will help build the future of AI infrastructure in India. "India is one of our most important countries around the world in terms of engaging. It is a place that has the second largest number in terms of ChatGPT usage, and has grown over 3-fold year-over-year," Kwon said. Users in India have shown a lot of creativity in terms of engagement on use of image generator tool which has been "really, really popular", he said about the runaway success of GPT-4o and Ghibli-inspired AI art that became an instant hit in India. Open AI is betting big on India, with Kwon saying the country has always led in developer talent, and has a strong opportunity to lead in AI talent now. "India has always led in developer talent, and I think now India has an opportunity to lead in AI talent, and we are here to help with that," he said. OpenAI, in partnership with IndiaAI Mission under the IT Ministry, on Thursday launched the OpenAI Academy India, marking the first international expansion of the ChatGPT-maker's education platform. The initiative seeks to broaden access to AI education and tools, tapping into India's fast-growing developer community, digital infrastructure, and network of startups and innovators. Kwon said this first International Academy is all about "helping people learn about AI and increase AI literacy" "It's about helping people understand how to use AI, and also it's about helping people learn how to build with AI. And we've helped lots of people get into the field, and we're hoping to help lot more people in India get into AI and make use of that developer talent that India already has, and expand into AI," he said. OpenAI, he said, is looking for partnerships that will help build the future of AI infrastructure in India. "So we are looking for partnerships that are going to help build the future of AI infrastructure in India with some of the best companies in India on the private side," he said. On IndiaAI Mission and the country's ambitions to build indigenous foundation models, Kwon said, "India has always had the ingredients to succeed". "It has the talent in terms of technical capability. I think it has a great government plan to increase compute capacity in the region, and that's part of the reason that we're here also with the OpenAI for countries initiative , which is, how do we partner with the government as well as private sector, to help build up that capacity," he said. Ultimately, whether India wants to train foundation models within the country or to leverage foundation models trained outside country, is up to Indian developers and ecosystem. "We're just here to help find out and figure out how to help India develop AI that's for India, by India and of India," he said, and observed India has always had abundant technical talent. "Its technical universities are world class, and they've produced some of the best engineers and researchers in the world. A lot of them work at our company, and I think more talent is going to come from India, and it's going to be a vital part of the future of India in both AI and software in general," Kwon said. Asked about OpenAI's investment plans for India on 12-18 month horizon, he said that is already in focus with the launch of the OpenAI Academy and in contributing to the development of talent here. "In terms of further investment in India, we have also announced additional grants to philanthropic organisations, the accelerator program that we have supported to help with extension of social impact benefits of AI, and we continue to develop features for the startup ecosystem that develops for the local market here, using our models. All those investments will continue," Kwon said. To a question on India staking claim in global AI race with an all-out offensive around foundation model, talent, computation capacities, Kwon noted that there are "many ways" to participate in the so-called AI race and that India is well positioned to be a participant in that competition. "One of the ways in which India has always done well is in application development, and I think that is where a lot of value is going to be created in the AI ecosystem. You already see that with some of the best applications right now happening in coding, and I think that software developers in India are really working with the models to develop on top of them today. There can be also indigenous development of the models here in India, and I think that we'll see what the future brings in that respect," he said. To a question on whether OpenAI is planning to set up data centers in India to comply with local data laws, he said: "I think that will be probably part of the future, because that is one of the reasons we are here with OpenAI for countries initiative, which is to help plan out the local data center capacity building for India." That would require a partnership between the public and private sector, and "we're here to help bring those partnerships together, and also help contribute to the development of sovereign and national AI," he said. Speaking at the launch of OpenAI Academy, Kwon said India is becoming the global AI powerhouse with the world's second highest number of ChatGPT users.

Al Bawaba
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Bawaba
Lofi MAGA beats to relax/study to, Trump replaces Lofi girl
Published May 4th, 2025 - 06:03 GMT ALBAWABA - The White House's official X account (formerly Twitter) has gone viral once again after sharing a live video of US President Donald Trump signing papers to "Lofi MAGA beats to relax/study to." This comes right after the account shared an AI-generated photo of the president as the next Pope. The live video titled "Lo-Fi MAGA Video to Relax/Study To 🇺🇸" currently has more than 3.2 million views, only a day after its ongoing run, and showcases the US President in an anime art style signing documents related to fulfilling his campaign promises. — The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 2, 2025 "Lofi Girl" first emerged on the internet in 2017 on a French YouTube channel called "ChilledCow." It quickly went viral among students, artists, and many more for its mellow 24/7 beats and iconic animated Ghibli-inspired illustration in the background. She garnered so much attention on social media that French music label "ChilledCow" officially changed its name to "Lofi Girl." The live video, which is still running to this day, showcases a girl studying while her adorable pet orange cat looks outside the window. The music label also garnered enough attention to have its very own merchandise and a "Lofi generator" that allows its fans to create their version of the iconic illustration and print it on clothing. Trump's AI-generated AI Photo Trump recently went viral after the White House's official X account shared an AI-generated photo of him as the next Pope. The photo was in reference to the president's recent short interview with Fox News, in which he showcased his interest in becoming the Vatican's next leader. The AI-generated photo sparked various reactions, with several social media users condemning it. While many deemed the photo "disrespectful," several others expressed their amusement and even praised it. © 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba (


Time of India
29-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Xanfi: India's multilingual leap in generative AI, launched at IIT Delhi
In a notable departure from India's commerce-driven tech scene, Xanfi—a free, generative AI-powered chatbot—was launched today at IIT Delhi. Designed to assist, create, and communicate in over 100 languages, including all 22 official Indian languages, Xanfi signals a growing ambition: building inclusive, intelligence-first AI solutions from within by Zedgo 365 Technologies Private Limited and promoted by businessman Pearl Kapur, Xanfi marks a significant technological pivot. While much of India's startup energy has been historically channeled into food delivery, payments, and logistics, Xanfi embodies a shift toward AI-based creativity, communication, and accessibility. 'While the ecosystem is busy building food and grocery delivery apps, we are delivering intelligence, creativity, and knowledge,' Kapur said during the launch event. 'India is ready to lead the global AI race, and Xanfi is a step in that direction.' At its core, Xanfi is a multilingual conversational AI platform capable of real-time interaction, content generation, and domain-specific assistance. It offers functionalities across diverse areas, including: • Content Creation: Generating blogs, captions, scripts, and marketing copy. • Market & Financial Analysis: Providing basic insights and data interpretations. • Legal and Astrological Guidance: Offering preliminary informational support. • Relationship Advice: Enabling empathetic conversational experiences. • AI Art Generation: Producing visual content in a distinctive Ghibli-inspired artistic style. What distinguishes Xanfi is not just the breadth of its services but its foundational approach: it is trained on Indian datasets, enabling better contextual relevance in local languages, queries, and cultural nuances. This gives it a notable edge over global generative AI tools, which often struggle with regional variations in dialect, semantics, and user expectations. Unlike many leading AI platforms that place advanced features behind paywalls, Xanfi's open-access model is designed to serve students, professionals, small businesses, and creators who have traditionally been underserved by premium AI offerings. Its approach aligns with broader global debates about democratizing AI—ensuring that powerful tools do not remain restricted to elite, paying users but are available to broader sections of society, particularly in emerging markets. The launch of Xanfi comes at a time when India's technology narrative is increasingly tilting toward innovation-driven sectors such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and deep tech. Government initiatives like the IndiaAI mission, along with rising domestic investments in AI R&D, reflect the country's ambition to move beyond service economies into IP-led global leadership. By anchoring Xanfi in India's linguistic and cultural diversity, businessman Pearl Kapur and his team highlight an important strategic dimension: building AI ecosystems that are not just technologically advanced but also locally resonant and globally competitive. In an era where language accessibility and cultural adaptation are emerging as critical success factors for AI, Xanfi's launch points to an important lesson—future-ready AI must be as inclusive as it is intelligent. Importantly, Xanfi is accessible on web and mobile platforms for free, positioning it as an inclusive solution for users who might otherwise find premium AI services cost-prohibitive.


India.com
27-04-2025
- Business
- India.com
Xanfi: Free, Made-In-India Multilingual Chatbot Supporting 100+ Languages Launched at IIT Delhi
Today, at IIT Delhi, Indian Billionaire Businessman Pearl Kapur launched Xanfi, a generative AI-powered chatbot designed to assist, create, and communicate in real time across 100+ languages, including all 22 official Indian languages. Unlike many Indian startups focused on commerce and delivery apps, Xanfi shifts the focus toward AI-powered intelligence and is owned by Zedgo 365 Technologies Private Limited, and Promoter is Pearl Kapur . 'While the ecosystem is busy building food and grocery delivery apps, we are delivering intelligence, creativity, and knowledge,' said Pearl Kapur, founder of Xanfi. 'India is ready to lead the global AI race, and Xanfi is a step in that direction.' What Xanfi Offers Xanfi is a multilingual conversational AI that provides real-time answers, generates content, and assists across multiple domains, including: Content creation (blogs, captions, scripts) Market & financial analysis Legal & astrological insights Relationship advice AI art generation (in a unique Ghibli-inspired style) Key Differentiators 100+ languages, including deep support for Indian languages and cultural contexts. Trained on Indian datasets for better accuracy in local queries compared to global AI tools. Free access, unlike some premium AI services. A Shift in India's Tech Landscape Xanfi represents a move toward homegrown, inclusive AI—prioritizing intelligence over logistics. Built for students, professionals, and creatives, it aims to make advanced AI accessible to all.


Time of India
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Knew we were onto something meaningful but response blew us away: OpenAI's Dhariwal on Ghibli trend
Ghibli is the buzzword for today's tech age with millions using AI to convert photographs, cards and much else into instantly recognised images. Meet the man responsible - Prafulla Dhariwal , the force behind GPT-4o that took Ghibli-inspired AI art to the people. Dhariwal (30) admits he was truly blown away by the overwhelming response, especially from India. "We knew we were building something meaningful, but the scale of the response - especially from India - completely blew us away. Within weeks of launch, India became our fastest-growing market in the world for image generation. Globally, it resulted in the biggest growth surge in OpenAI's history," Dhariwal, the Head of Multimodal, OpenAI told PTI in an interview. The creativity coming out of India has been incredible, says Dhariwal, who did his schooling from Dr. Kalmadi Shamrao High School in Pune. His academic pursuits took him to the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) from where he graduated in 2017. He joined OpenAI in the summer of 2016 as an intern, and became a full time employee a year later. Play Video Play Skip Backward Skip Forward Mute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Wife won't let go of dog, husband finds out why and calls police - watch! Happy in Shape Undo Dhariwal says life's journey is a testament that the path from Pune school to working on frontier AI is "absolutely possible" with persistence, humility, and a clear sense of purpose. From selfies to iconic photographs, users across India have embraced the 'Ghiblification' trend, making GPT-4o's image generator, a household name and marking a new - albeit controversial- chapter in AI-powered creativity. Live Events Last year, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman lauded Dhariwal, saying GPT-4o would not have happened without his "vision, talent, conviction, and determination". Discover the stories of your interest Blockchain 5 Stories Cyber-safety 7 Stories Fintech 9 Stories E-comm 9 Stories ML 8 Stories Edtech 6 Stories The Pune tech genius says the launch of image generation in GPT-4o has been "one of the most rewarding milestones" in his time at OpenAI, both technically ambitious and creatively energising. While in India last December for his wedding preparations, Dhariwal says he used the model to create design ideas for wedding card. Seeing something he and his team had built, become part of such a meaningful moment "was truly special", he recounts. "Our team of five spent nearly a year building 4o image generation from the ground up - with the goal of making image generation faster, sharper, and more intuitive overall," he said. In fact, OpenAI chief operating officer Brad Lightcap had penned a post on X earlier this month dubbing the first week for images in ChatGPT as "very crazy" with over 130 million users having generated 700 million plus images in a short span. India is now OpenAI's fastest growing ChatGPT market. Asked about the concerns around issues such as copyright and ethics, Dhariwal said the company's aim is to give users meaningful creative freedom while respecting artistic and legal boundaries. "We don't allow generations in the style of individual living artists, but do permit broader studio-inspired styles, which are legally permissible under copyright law-as style itself isn't copyright-protected. The Ghibli-style outputs people are generating are often original, fan-inspired creations, and we're seeing them used in joyful, culturally expressive ways," he said. As real-world use evolves, so do the company's policies, he said and added "we're continually learning and adapting". Looking ahead, OpenAI is "excited" about the potential for new kinds of collaboration with animation studios and artists to co-create authentic, licensed experiences, he added. Dhariwal says it has been humbling to help build something that's not just fun to use, but part of how people create and express themselves. "The creativity coming out of India has been incredible. People are using it to create family portraits, recreate Bollywood scenes, design wedding invitations, and even plan proposals. As a passionate cricket fan, seeing Sachin Tendulkar share an image generated with our tool was a surreal moment- it truly hit me then just how deeply and widely this innovation had resonated," he said. Dhariwal recounts that he and the team were not focused on any one particular style during research or training; and instead, aimed to build a flexible and capable system that could handle a wide range of visual prompts and aesthetics. The Ghibli-style look became one of the most loved outputs, but it was just one example of what the model could do, he points out. The famed techie says his parents are incredibly proud of his work on image generation in GPT-4o-especially after seeing the amazing response from India. "I grew up in a family that cared deeply about both learning and making a difference. So getting to work on cutting-edge AI that has the potential to reach and empower people at scale - it feels pretty special," he said. Dhariwal's message to young researchers, aspiring AI scientists, and India's youth: Stay curious, Keep learning, and be solution oriented. "To young researchers, especially in India, my message is simple. Adopt a growth mindset. Stay curious. Keep learning. Don't shy away from hard problems, even if they feel out of reach at first. Trust that you can grow into the person who can solve them," he said. AI is moving fast, and there's room for people from all backgrounds to contribute in meaningful ways, he says. Ten years from now, Dhariwal hopes to have played a role in building tools that truly empower people- whether they're students, teachers, designers, engineers or simply curious minds exploring new ideas. Especially in India, where there's immense untapped creativity and potential, the opportunity to make a real impact feels incredibly meaningful, he says. "If the tools we create can help someone work more efficiently, learn more intuitively, or express themselves in ways they never could before-that to me would be deeply fulfilling," he said.