Latest news with #Storywallahs
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
The Storytelling CIO and the Invisible Engine of AI
At the 7th edition of the ETCIO Annual Conclave, an exclusive leadership summit that brought together India's foremost technology decision-makers, a deceptively simple game of 'Simon Says' opened the afternoon session, offering an unexpected yet powerful cue about attention, perception, and the evolving role of the speaker, Ameen Haque, founder of Storywallahs, stood before a crowd of India's top technology executives. But this wasn't just icebreaking. 'Over a game of simple 'Simon Says',' Haque later explained, 'it was thought-provoking for CIOs, moving you to a place of alertness.' It was a miniature neuroscience experiment: Proof that the brain responds more to visual stimuli than verbal ones. This insight, Haque iterates, holds the key to modern tech leadership. 'We forget facts,' he said, 'but the human brain remembers stories.' That's the paradox CIOs are navigating now. It is to narrate ideas at the intersection of tech and business clearly and quickly to stakeholders who may not understand the language of IT. 'How does one tell a story in the business context,' Haque asked aloud, 'tell it fast and simplify for the non-IT folks?' CIOs Confront the Real Test of AI The question is timely. Across India's boardrooms, digital transformation is in full tilt. Generative AI has emerged not merely as a tool but as a turning point—what Rakesh Bhardwaj, Global CIO at Lupin, calls 'a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.' Bhardwaj says, 'The bold experiments everyone is doing are paying off. GenAI has come as a hope where we can pole vault. Now we are in the game of translating volatility to opportunity. AI-led autonomy to human centricity.' Yet while India's adoption of AI technologies has outpaced global averages, the real question is not just about uptake—but impact. 'Who's really extracting the value?' Bhardwaj's rhetorical question remains. Ashok Jade, Global CIO of Kirloskar Brothers, knows this challenge all too well. Working within the constraints of a legacy manufacturing enterprise, he sees AI as more than an efficiency engine. 'What if AI could open a new line of business?' he asked. Imagine a future where an AI agent helps a customer select an industrial pump online, surpassing today's three-tiered architecture. 'Moving ahead, can a pump be sold as a service?' he posed. 'Can a digital factory be taken to the customer, consequently?' That tension—between operational safety and technological speed—finds vivid expression in the mobility sector. Manikandan Thangarathnam of Uber India explains, 'Today, Uber operates in 70 countries, drivers uploading vehicle documents—how quickly can we look at allowing them to drive?' But in mobility, haste comes at a price. 'The margin of error is too low; We cannot let a customer drive unsafely,' he said. The key he believes is, 'Understand the scale, depth, and complexity before applying the tech for the problem.' But innovation at Uber hasn't slowed. 'This is the era of transformation in mobility,' Thangarathnam said. 'We can solve traffic in India by more people in lesser vehicles. Lower cost, higher predictability—that's what customers want in shared mobility. So even if it takes four years to solve the problem, it remains evergreen.' If the optimism sounds radical, so does the provocation. Hitesh Sachdev, Head of Innovation & Startups at ICICI Bank, half-jokingly asked, 'Will AI be the CEO of the company?' In some ways, that future doesn't feel entirely far-fetched. The workforce, meanwhile, is undergoing its own metamorphosis. In a rapid-fire round, executives offered one-word answers to a daunting question: How are you rethinking talent in the era of AI? 'Upskilling,' 'Business-first,' and, to applause, 'The person knowing AI will take your job, not AI itself.' Despite concerns of automation replacing roles—over 300,000 jobs and counting—there is also a 2.8% productivity uptick. That trade-off defines the moment. The Invisible Engine: Making AI Work Across Business Some of the biggest wins, however, come from redefining how organizations make decisions and execute at scale. Kenny Kesar, Global CIO at Wipro, explains, 'We asked: How do we move from scattered innovation to systemic?' The $11 billion company transitioned from viewing AI as an external pilot to an internal imperative. 'We moved from AI-as-a-thing to AI-in-everything,' he said. Wipro's AI-infused go-to-market tools now include deal intelligence systems and proposal copilots, built on a platform called AI Fabric. 'True transformation happens when AI is the invisible engine.' The metaphor sticks. 'AI is a convex lens in the hands of visionary leadership,' Kesar added, explaining how Wipro deployed 70 enterprise-wide AI use cases and instituted MLOps to scale further. The next frontier? Equipping 235,000 employees with AI skills. In a room full of CIOs, the storytelling wasn't just about technology. It was about re-imagining what leadership looks like in the age of algorithms. And, as Haque suggested, the most powerful shift isn't technical at all. 'Some of the best tech leaders,' he said simply, 'are good storytellers.' The rest, after all, is just data.
Khaleej Times
24-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
The Himalayan Writing Retreat makes UAE debut with The Shekhar Kapur Masterclass in Abu Dhabi
The prestigious Himalayan Writing Retreat (HWR), known for nurturing storytellers and writers across India, is all set to make its much-anticipated debut in the UAE. Launching its first-ever course in the region, HWR proudly presents 'The Shekhar Kapur Masterclass on Stories and Storytelling', to be held at the luxurious Al Wathba Desert Resort in Abu Dhabi from March 23 to 25, 2025. Following immense success and growing interest from the Middle East, the Himalayan Writing Retreat is expanding its footprint beyond India. "We are delighted to make our first foray into the Middle East with Shekhar Kapur. Over the years, we've witnessed significant interest in creative writing from this region, and it felt like the perfect time to bring our courses to the UAE," said Chetan Mahajan, co-founder of the Himalayan Writing Retreat. "Starting 2025, we plan to offer more on-ground courses here and invite many celebrated names from the literary world. We are also open to partnerships with like-minded organisations in the Gulf." The highlight of this debut event is none other than Shekhar Kapur—acclaimed filmmaker, storyteller, and recipient of numerous accolades including the BAFTA award, a Golden Globe nomination, and the prestigious Padma Bhushan. Sharing his experience of working with HWR, Kapur commented, "Working with the Himalayan Writing Retreat was a truly fulfilling experience. It is where teaching becomes learning, where storytelling becomes story-sharing. I'm excited to be part of their first workshop in the UAE and look forward to meaningful exchanges with participants." The Shekhar Kapur Masterclass is a transformative experience that transcends conventional formats. It is designed for anyone looking to develop a story—whether for business, fiction, personal growth, or media. Dr Vandita Dubey, co-founder of HWR, emphasised, "Shekhar is unique in how he listens, reflects, and guides. From Masoom to Mr. India to Bandit Queen and Elizabeth, he has navigated genres and broken stereotypes. Yet, in the Masterclass, he focuses entirely on the participants' stories, helping them elevate their narratives." Participants from past sessions echo the same sentiment. Ameen Haque, founder of Storywallahs, who attended the Masterclass in 2024, shared, "Shekhar did not use a single slide or show clips from his films. Yet, he took us deep into storytelling, making us reflect on life and our own narratives—all with remarkable ease." The Masterclass in Abu Dhabi is limited to just 12 participants, ensuring a highly personalised and immersive experience.
