28th December 2023 — CNBC-TV18 and Moneycontrol, in association with Palo Alto Networks, conducted the highly anticipated Global AI Conclave on 16th December at JW Marriott, Bengaluru. This trailblazing event brought together thought leaders, policymakers, and experts from around the world to explore the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) across industries.
The event started with a warm welcome address by Anil Valluri, MD & VP of Palo Alto Networks, setting the stage for a day filled with insightful discussions and presentations. He said, “Diverse perspectives will be shared, leading to insights, conversations, and approaches that will shape the future course of AI. Participants from various sectors, including technology, academia, startups, investors, and scientists, are engaging in the CNBC-TV18 and Moneycontrol Global AI Conclave. I extend my heartfelt appreciation to CNBC-TV18 and Moneycontrol for their role as the title sponsor of this esteemed event.”
One of the highlights of the event was the Fireside Chat on ‘AI Unleashed: View from Cerebral Valley,’ where Andrew NG, an AI Pioneer and Co-Founder of DeepLearning.AI, Coursera, AI Fund & Google Brain, shared profound insights about artificial intelligence and its impact on humanity. Regarding India’s progress in AI, Andrew NG said, “According to recent research conducted by Stanford University, findings from a LinkedIn AI index report indicate that India has achieved the highest penetration score in the field of artificial intelligence, surpassing even the United States.” He added, “In contrast to countries implementing stringent regulations on Big Tech and AI, India has embraced a more flexible approach. A balance is vital in formulating a regulatory framework that encourages innovation while addressing potential risks. India’s adaptable regulatory stance is poised to play a pivotal role in nurturing the growth of AI technologies and their various applications.”
The conclave continued with engaging Fireside Chats, including ‘The Atmanirbhar AI playbook’ featuring Sridhar Vembu, Founder and CEO of Zoho, and Sharad Sharma, Founder of iSPIRT. Talking about the automotive industry, Shirdhar Vembu, Founder – ZOHO, said, “I will discuss a broader spectrum since we are investors in Ultraviolet. As I delved into the domain, I realized a substantial learning curve encompassing fundamental technologies ranging from instrumentation and panels to essential elements like cell chemistry. It’s not just about AI or security; there’s a lot of catching up to do. That’s why I see AI as part of a bigger picture of technological advancements.”
‘Navigating Cybersecurity in the AI Era,’ with Swapna Bapat, Vice President of Product Management at Palo Alto Networks, and ‘The Chipmaker Challenger Cerebras’ Story,’ with Andrew Feldman, Founder and CEO of Cerebras Systems, were also on the schedule. Another notable discussion revolved around ‘Rising Star: Sarvam AI,’ backed by Khosla Ventures, Peak XV, and Lightspeed, featuring Vivek Raghavan, Co-Founder of Sarvam AI
The event showcased a special keynote and Fireside Chat on ‘AI Innovation and Regulation: A Fine Balance’ with Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Hon’ble MoS, Electronics and IT, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Jal Shakti. He said, “AI stands out as the most remarkable invention of our era, serving as the ultimate empowering technology. We firmly believe in its potential to revolutionize various sectors such as healthcare, disease management, agriculture, and governance in ways that would have otherwise taken years, if not decades. However, the world should now recognize the overlooked aspects of safety, harm, criminality, and user harm that have unfolded over the past decade in the realm of social media. It is imperative to awaken to these issues and establish not just an American, European, or Indian framework but a global framework to address them.”
The event featured a dynamic panel discussion on ‘AI as India’s Genie Bottle,’ featuring leaders like Amitabh Nag, CEO, Bhashini; Sriram Raghavan, Vice President, IBM Research AI; Dr.Manish Gupta,Director-Research, Google; Kalika Bali, Microsoft Research India, and Tanuj Bhojwani, People+AI. The discussions were followed by a panel discussion on ‘Responsible AI,‘ which featured Mary Snapp, Vice President of Strategic AI Initiatives, and Sindhu Gangadharan, MD of SAP Labs India. In the Fireside Chat on ‘India’s AI Moonshot,’ prominent people such as Ashok Jhunjhunwala, Founder and President of IITM Research Park, and Umakant Soni, Chairman of AI Foundry and Co-founder of ARTPARK, offered their insights. Monika S Garg, Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Uttar Pradesh, gave insights into ‘How the Government is Reimagining Education Using AI Skills in Schools.
The event included a panel discussion on ‘Injecting AI into Healthcare,’ which featured speakers – Tathagato Rai Dastidar, Sigtuple; Viren Shetty, Vice Chairman, Narayana Health and Tushar Vashisht, Co-Founder and CEO, Healthify . This was followed by a panel discussion on ‘How AI can Turbocharge India’ with Priyank Kharge, Karnataka minister for Information Technology and Biotechnology, Rural Development & Panchayat Raj; Mahesh Makhija, EY India Technology Consulting Leader; Dilip Jose, MD & CEO, Manipal Health Enterprises Pvt. Ltd; Kaivalya Vohra, Co-Founder & CTO, Zepto and Arindam Banerrji, Executive Vice President & Country Head, India, State Street India. Speaking about the growth of Bengaluru in the field of AI, Mr. Priyank Kharge, “Bengaluru has a strong presence of approximately 400 Fortune 500 businesses, solidifying its status as the AI Capital. It has consistently secured the top position in the national innovation index and currently holds the 8th spot globally, aiming to elevate itself to the 5th rank. The city’s flourishing startup ecosystem is noteworthy, boasting an impressive unicorn valuation of $384 billion, with Bangalore contributing significantly at $186 billion.”
Subsequently, Pandu Nayak, VP-Search at Google, highlighted ‘AI and the Future of Search’ in a fireside chat with him. This was followed by a panel discussion on ‘AI-powered Cybersecurity: Charting the future’ with Ashu Kakkar, Chief Information Officer, LTTS; Kavitha Kadambi, VP & Chief Information Security Officer Infosys Ltd and Huzefa Motiwala, Director, Systems Engineering, India & SAARC, Palo Alto Networks. Alternatively, Sunil Gupta, Co-Founder, Managing Director, and CEO of Yotta Data Services, and Ganesh Mahabala, Director, Strategic Business, Nvidia spoke about ‘Building an AI Supercomputer for India,‘ in the Fireside Chats.
The conclave concluded with a series of engaging discussions, including ‘Building and AI Supercomputer for India’ with ‘Can AI Uplift Bharat?’ with Karya.AI’s Founder and CEO, Manu Chopra, and Prashant Prakash, Founding Partner, Accel following Fireside Chat on ‘The AI Funding Cycle – Truth vs Hype’ with Shailendra Singh, Managing Partner of Peak XV Partners. The day concluded with a Fireside Chat on ‘AI and Chips in Geopolitical Cocktail’ with Chris Miller, Author of ‘Chip Wars,’ and Rohan Murty, Founder of Soroco.
The Global AI Conclave proved to be a groundbreaking platform, bringing together industry leaders, visionaries, and experts to explore the limitless potential of artificial intelligence in shaping the future.
