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Time of India
25-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Shop or drop: What is India Inc.'s take on AI agents?
AI agents are no longer just assistants—they're turning into autonomous actors. With the global launch of OpenAI's ChatGPT Agents and Perplexity's Comet in July 2025, Indian enterprises are now piloting systems that can execute full workflows—research, report generation, and task automation—without manual triggers. The technology has arrived. The promise is real. But the question remains: Is India Inc. ready to trust it? ChatGPT Agents vs. Perplexity Comet: What's the Difference? While both platforms aim to empower autonomous AI execution, their design philosophies differ. ChatGPT Agents are goal-driven workers that operate across tools and APIs. Enterprises can define custom instructions, connect to data sources, and delegate end-to-end tasks—from summarising legal documents to orchestrating backend operations. The emphasis is on flexible, programmable workflows, often embedded within corporate tools like Slack or Comet, by contrast, leans heavily into research and reasoning. It's designed as an autonomous knowledge assistant that continuously searches, validates, and synthesises information from the web to generate insights or reports—with citation and traceability baked in. Enterprise pilots begin, but trust lags behind. According to a new PwC survey, 79% of global executives are already piloting AI agents, and two-thirds report measurable gains in efficiency. Yet only 36% say they're confident in managing the risks. In India, early adopters like ABB Energy Industries and Raychem RPG are already experimenting—but with guardrails. 'Absolutely, my team and I have actively explored ChatGPT's AI agents and similar autonomous AI solutions across pilot projects and internal innovation sandboxes. My first impression centred on both their versatility and the speed at which they could deliver actionable results from complex datasets. The agentic model, especially when layered atop a robust, single-source-of-truth data platform, revealed remarkable potential to automate routine decisions and even initiate complex analytic tasks end-to-end with minimal human input,' said Chandan Vijay, Chief Data Officer at ABB Energy Industries. 'While the technology is powerful, its real impact emerges only when it has access to well-governed, high-quality data—underscoring the immense value of our investment in foundational data architecture,' adds Vijay. At Raychem RPG, Chief Digital & Information Officer, Mehjabeen Taj Aalam struck a similar chord: 'Yes, we've started experimenting with agentic AI tools, including those from OpenAI and other platforms. Our first impression? Equal parts fascination and caution. The ability of these agents to not just respond but initiate actions across systems is a game-changer. But it also forces you to rethink control, context, and trust in a very fundamental way.' CIOs prioritise internal ops amid regulatory fog Most Indian enterprises are deploying agents in internal operations and analytics—report automation, anomaly detection, and consent workflows—where regulatory and reputational risks are lower. 'While the technology is powerful, its real impact emerges only when it has access to well-governed, high-quality data—underscoring the immense value of our investment in foundational data architecture,' said Vijay. The caution comes as regulatory frameworks like India's DPDP Act and the EU AI Act push CIOs to reevaluate AI risk, explainability, and accountability. 'Enterprises are navigating an evolving regulatory landscape (e.g., EU AI Act, India DPDP act, sectoral guidelines). Policy readiness is improving, with new corporate governance playbooks focused on responsible AI, but gaps remain—especially around explainability and real-time monitoring,' added Vijay. 'The tools are evolving rapidly. Culture and policy? That's where the gap lies. Many enterprises still have a command-and-control mindset, and introducing autonomous agents into that can be uncomfortable. There's a need to build digital trust, redesign workflows, and establish clear guardrails for autonomy to work responsibly,' Mehjabeen noted. 'For us, the most immediate opportunity is in internal operations and analytics. Think automated generation of daily reports, intelligent monitoring of IT infrastructure, or bots that can track anomalies and initiate alerts without human nudges. Over time, I see it expanding into customer-facing areas, but with tighter governance around decision-making boundaries', she added. Analysts say stakes are high—and so are the rewards According to McKinsey, Agentic AI could unlock $4.4 trillion in annual value globally, especially in industries like manufacturing and logistics. CIOs like Mehjabeen believe those gains are within reach. 'Absolutely. In fact, that's where I believe agentic AI could shine the brightest in industrial environments like ours. Imagine an agent monitoring sensor data in real-time, predicting a component failure, raising a purchase requisition, and even following up for approvals—all autonomously. That's not far-fetched anymore—it's where we're headed,' said Mehjabeen. Agentic AI is here—and it's powerful. But for Indian enterprises, the real challenge lies not in what the tech can do, but in what the organisation is ready to let it do.
Economic Times
25-05-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
India Inc's climate response: How top companies are safeguarding staff, operations from extreme weather
ANI Representational image As freak weather events become the new normal- —from heavy rains lashing Bengaluru and Pune to Delhi-NCR's 'feels like' 50°C heat—corporate India is moving swiftly to safeguard its workforce and minimise manufacturing and operational disruptions. Companies like Godrej Consumer Products, ITC, Dabur, CEAT, Raychem RPG, Vedanta and KPMG are rolling out multiple initiatives to adapt to unforeseen climate shifts- —from redesigning infrastructure to revising work schedules. At Godrej Consumer, for instance, new factory sites are being constructed with their finished floor levels elevated above the highest flood levels recorded in the past 50 years. 'This will help reduce the risk of operational disruptions due to flooding,' said Saurabh Jhawar, product supply organisation head for India and Saarc at the maker of Cinthol talc and GoodKnight conglomerate ITC and energy and electric infrastructure solutions provider Raychem RPG have restricted outdoor working hours to beat the heat. Raychem RPG—an equal joint venture between RPG Enterprises and TE Connectivity of the US that employs 2,889 blue-collar workers and 835 white-collar staff—has instructed all employees and contractor staff to not work in the open area between 12 pm to 4 pm, added buttermilk to its menu, and deployed AC buses for commuting workers, a company spokesperson said. Strategic Safeguards ITC has installed extra water coolers and conducts regular awareness sessions led by company doctors. 'The measures put in place depend on the geographic location of the unit, nature of work and are aligned to the requirements of employees,' a company spokesperson said. Tyre manufacturer CEAT has introduced a car policy for long-distance commutes of field staff in intense heat, chill, or heavy rains. It is conducting awareness sessions and putting strategic safeguards in place, a company spokesperson goods maker Dabur has equipped its factories with Turbo-vents, dehumidifiers, ceiling fans, desert coolers, door curtains, thermal insulation on windows, and puff panels, its executive director-HR Biplab Bakshi resources and technology conglomerate Vedanta is distributing hydration products to each employee in high-heat zones like potlines, underground mines, and power plants this summer season. 'We have rolled out a comprehensive summer wellbeing programme focused on both employees and their families,' said Madhu Srivastava, chief HR officer of Vedanta Ltd. These include summer camps for children of its close to 50,000 employees, including white-collar and blue-collar workers, she said. At professional services firm KPMG, employees can avail work-from-home options in case of extreme weather conditions if the work permits, a spokesperson said. After being caught off guard by some extreme weather conditions like flash floods and last year's record high temperatures, companies across industries are taking precautions to protect their employees and infrastructure, particularly in vulnerable localities, and to ensure minimum disruptions in logistics and other operations. 'As climate patterns shift, we continue to invest in solutions that prioritise safety, efficiency, and sustainability in our operations,' Jhawar of Godrej said. 'To mitigate the impact of high temperatures, our factories are equipped with roof insulation, HVLS fans, and spot cooling systems.
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
India Inc's climate response: How top companies are safeguarding staff, operations from extreme weather
As freak weather events become the new normal- —from heavy rains lashing Bengaluru and Pune to Delhi-NCR's 'feels like' 50°C heat—corporate India is moving swiftly to safeguard its workforce and minimise manufacturing and operational disruptions. Companies like Godrej Consumer Products , ITC , Dabur , CEAT , Raychem RPG, Vedanta and KPMG are rolling out multiple initiatives to adapt to unforeseen climate shifts- —from redesigning infrastructure to revising work schedules. At Godrej Consumer, for instance, new factory sites are being constructed with their finished floor levels elevated above the highest flood levels recorded in the past 50 years. 'This will help reduce the risk of operational disruptions due to flooding,' said Saurabh Jhawar, product supply organisation head for India and Saarc at the maker of Cinthol talc and GoodKnight repellent. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo Diversified conglomerate ITC and energy and electric infrastructure solutions provider Raychem RPG have restricted outdoor working hours to beat the heat. Raychem RPG—an equal joint venture between RPG Enterprises and TE Connectivity of the US that employs 2,889 blue-collar workers and 835 white-collar staff—has instructed all employees and contractor staff to not work in the open area between 12 pm to 4 pm, added buttermilk to its menu, and deployed AC buses for commuting workers, a company spokesperson said. Live Events Strategic Safeguards ITC has installed extra water coolers and conducts regular awareness sessions led by company doctors. 'The measures put in place depend on the geographic location of the unit, nature of work and are aligned to the requirements of employees,' a company spokesperson said. Tyre manufacturer CEAT has introduced a car policy for long-distance commutes of field staff in intense heat, chill, or heavy rains. It is conducting awareness sessions and putting strategic safeguards in place, a company spokesperson said. Consumer goods maker Dabur has equipped its factories with Turbo-vents, dehumidifiers, ceiling fans, desert coolers, door curtains, thermal insulation on windows, and puff panels, its executive director-HR Biplab Bakshi said. Natural resources and technology conglomerate Vedanta is distributing hydration products to each employee in high-heat zones like potlines, underground mines, and power plants this summer season. 'We have rolled out a comprehensive summer wellbeing programme focused on both employees and their families,' said Madhu Srivastava, chief HR officer of Vedanta Ltd. These include summer camps for children of its close to 50,000 employees, including white-collar and blue-collar workers, she said. At professional services firm KPMG, employees can avail work-from-home options in case of extreme weather conditions if the work permits, a spokesperson said. After being caught off guard by some extreme weather conditions like flash floods and last year's record high temperatures, companies across industries are taking precautions to protect their employees and infrastructure, particularly in vulnerable localities, and to ensure minimum disruptions in logistics and other operations. 'As climate patterns shift, we continue to invest in solutions that prioritise safety, efficiency, and sustainability in our operations,' Jhawar of Godrej said. 'To mitigate the impact of high temperatures, our factories are equipped with roof insulation, HVLS fans, and spot cooling systems.
