Tag: AI

TechPulse

Young Innovators Bring Goa’s Creative Capital Vision to Life at Maker’s Asylum

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Panaji, July 12, 2025: Goa is emerging as a creative hub where technology meets imagination, grounded in community, collaboration and purpose-driven innovation. This evolving identity aligns with the vision of the Startup and IT Promotion Cell, Department of Information Technology, Electronics & Communications (DITE&C), under the leadership of Hon’ble Minister Shri Rohan A. Khaunte, whose efforts are driving Goa’s transformation into an innovation-led state.

Reflecting this vision at the grassroots, Maker’s Asylum has been welcoming young people from across the world to Goa for its immersive & hands-on learning experiences & programs since 2021. 753 young people, from 15 countries, 150 schools and 50 cities across India have had the taste of the maker culture and immersed themselves in creativity and innovation through their space in Goa. This summer Maker’s Asylum hosted five dynamic immersions of its flagship program, Innovation School, at its campus in Moira. The program has welcomed 77 young makers (aged 13–18), representing 5 countries, 30+ schools and 15 cities across India and beyond. Over the course of the last two months, these students grouped into 24 teams, engaged in design thinking and rapid prototyping to address real-world challenges. From drones for emergency healthcare delivery to AI-powered wearables and assistive tech devices for the differently-abled, the teams built 24 working prototypes, demonstrating both technical skills and interdisciplinary learning.

Participants over the years have received mentorship from the likes of experts such as Ramesh Raskar, Associate Director MIT Media Lab, Jaideep Prabhu – Vice Dean Judge School of Business Cambridge, Niti Parikh – Director Learning Spaces & Makerlabs at Cornell Tech and many other from IIT Bombay, NID Ahmedabad, and leading startups, supported by Maker’s Asylum’s in-house curriculum and technical team.

“When we moved to Goa in 2020, we discovered that beyond its natural beauty, Goa is emerging as a vibrant hub for creativity, hands-on learning, and technological innovation. Known for attracting artists, makers, and changemakers, Goa has become the perfect home for Maker’s Asylum. Through our space in Moira, we’ve welcomed young minds from across India to dive into experiential learning — from carpentry, 3D printing, electronics, and AI, to robotics, drones, and laser cutting. It’s about empowering the next generation to build, create, and innovate in an environment that fuels both imagination and impact.” — Vaibhav Chhabra, Founder, Maker’s Asylum

Maker’s Asylum reflects Goa’s growing identity as a Creative Capital for meaningful tech and hands-on education. Its ethos resonates with the state’s upcoming Centre of Excellence for 3D Printing, which will bring together startups, healthcare professionals, students, government departments, and industries to collaborate and co-create.
By nurturing a maker mindset and providing access to tools like 3D printers, laser cutters, and robotics, programs like this are laying the foundation for a future-ready innovation ecosystem in Goa.

To celebrate the students’ achievements and invite broader community participation, Maker’s Asylum will host two open events at its Moira campus. The first, a Repair Café on July 12 from 6:00 PM onwards, is being held in collaboration with the Repair Café Foundation (Bangalore). It is a hands-on sustainability initiative where attendees can bring broken household items and learn repair skills alongside mentors and student makers. The second, a Final Open House on July 13 from 2:00 to 3:00 PM, will showcase the breakthrough projects developed during the program and offer a firsthand look at what young minds can accomplish when given the right tools and creative freedom. Both events are open to the public.

Applications are also now open for the Spring & Summer 2026 cohorts of Innovation School by Maker’s Asylum.

This initiative reflects the Department’s long-term vision of shaping Goa into India’s Creative Capital and Innovation Hub — a place where experiential learning and technological creativity go hand in hand.

TechPulse

Apple in Talks with OpenAI and Anthropic to Power Smarter Siri with Private Cloud AI

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Cupertino, July 2025 — Apple is in early-stage discussions with leading artificial intelligence firms OpenAI and Anthropic to potentially integrate their large language models (LLMs) into a next-generation version of Siri, according to a new report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. This move signals a major strategic shift, as Apple considers outsourcing part of its AI infrastructure to boost Siri’s intelligence—albeit on its own terms.

The key detail? Apple reportedly plans to run these LLMs on its own private cloud infrastructure, rather than relying on public cloud providers like Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Microsoft Azure. This hybrid approach would allow Apple to maintain tight control over user privacy and data security while fast-tracking the capabilities of Siri to compete with modern AI assistants.

🤖 From In-House to Strategic Partnerships

While Apple has long preferred building software in-house, the rapid evolution of AI—particularly in natural language understanding—has raised the stakes. Siri, once considered a pioneering digital assistant, has lagged behind newer offerings like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Anthropic’s Claude in terms of contextual understanding and conversational depth.

By potentially licensing customized models from OpenAI (maker of ChatGPT) and Anthropic (developer of Claude), Apple could accelerate Siri’s capabilities without fully reinventing the wheel.

According to sources cited by Bloomberg, talks are still preliminary, and Apple is evaluating customization options, model size, and deployment methods that fit its privacy-first ecosystem.

🔐 Private Cloud Over Public AI

One of the most notable aspects of this strategy is Apple’s insistence on running LLMs within its own secure cloud. This would allow the company to leverage high-performance AI capabilities without compromising its long-held privacy principles—something that sets it apart from competitors.

This hybrid architecture—combining on-device intelligence with cloud-based processing—is expected to be a core feature of Apple’s future AI stack. The system would offload heavy tasks like context processing and generative conversation to the cloud, while simpler, privacy-sensitive queries remain handled locally on devices.

🔄 Implications for Apple’s AI Roadmap

While Apple has made strides with on-device AI, including features introduced in iOS 18 and the new Apple Intelligence framework, this move suggests a pragmatic shift in its AI ambitions. Rather than building a GPT-style LLM entirely from scratch, Apple seems willing to collaborate—at least temporarily—with companies who are already leaders in generative AI.

Analysts believe this could lead to a tiered Siri experience, with advanced features gradually rolling out in late 2025 or early 2026. Apple’s own foundational model efforts may continue in parallel, aiming to bring more capabilities in-house over time.

🧠 The Bigger Picture

With Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta all racing ahead with integrated AI features, Apple’s rumored partnership strategy highlights a practical pivot in the face of accelerating innovation. As users increasingly expect smart, adaptive digital assistants, Apple is now poised to evolve Siri beyond its limited command-based roots into a more conversational, context-aware experience.

Whether these partnerships materialize or not, one thing is clear: Apple is no longer sitting out the AI race—it’s entering on its own, carefully curated terms.

Business

Locks & Architectural Solutions redefines customer experience with the launch of advanced cutting edge Service CRMPoised to deliver an unparalleled service experience to over 200,000 customers annually

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Mumbai, June 19 2025 – Locks & Architectural Solutions, a business of the Godrej Enterprises Group—one of India’s most trusted organisations—today announced the launch of its Service CRM, a unified, pan-India after-sales service platform designed to transform customer support in the rapidly growing smart home segment. Aligned with the brand’s commitment to premiumisation through superior customer experience, the platform spans 80+ divisions, 200+ service centres, and serves over 2 lakh customers across 6,500+ pin codes, marking a major milestone in customer-centric digital innovation.
As connected living becomes the norm, after-sales service has become a critical differentiator in India’s ₹6,000 crore locks industry. The new Service CRM empowers customers, faster turnaround times, one-touch complaint registration, and full integration with both smart and traditional locking solutions, ensuring convenience, responsiveness, and peace of mind at every touchpoint.


Mr. Shyam Motwani, Business Head, Locks & Architectural Solutions, Godrej Enterprises Group, said, “At Locks & Architectural Solutions, we believe that our responsibility to the customer begins, not ends, at the point of purchase. The Service CRM is a digital-first initiative designed to simplify and strengthen our service experience, making it more intuitive, efficient, and transparent. This is our commitment to ensuring that every home we secure feels supported, always.”
The Service CRM consolidates physical and digital service infrastructure into one intelligent system, enabling proactive engagement, centralized service history, live updates, and quicker resolutions, particularly for smart lock owners. Whether resolving a digital lock query or assisting with traditional hardware, the platform ensures a uniform standard of excellence across India.

Beyond consumer satisfaction, the Service CRM also lays a strategic foundation for long-term brand growth. Locks & Architectural Solutions closed FY25 with revenues exceeding ₹1,000 crore and is now targeting an ambitious revenue milestone of ₹2,500 crore by FY28. The platform is expected to play a key role in achieving this vision by improving service efficiency, boosting customer retention and reinforcing trust.

As one of India’s most established and trusted names in home safety, this move reaffirms the brand’s leadership in not only pioneering smart lock technology, but also in redefining after-sales excellence in an increasingly digital and demanding consumer environment.

TechPulse

Goa Tech Meet Showcases Rising Momentum as Major Tech Companies Set Sights on Goa

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Panaji, May 27, 2025: With India’s innovation economy entering a new phase of growth, Goa took a step forward with “Goa Tech Meet: The Future in Focus” — a high-level industry interaction hosted by the Department of Information Technology, Electronics & Communications (ITE&C), Government of Goa, under the leadership of Hon’ble Minister of IT, Electronics & Communications, Government of Goa, Shri. Rohan A. Khaunte.

Held at Miramar, Panaji, the exclusive meet brought together leading founders, tech entrepreneurs, and creative industry stakeholders for an open dialogue with the government on shaping Goa’s trajectory as a thriving hub for digital innovation, electronics manufacturing, and creative technology.

Also present were Shri Pramival Abhishek (IAS), Managing Director of Goa Industrial Development Corporation; Shri Kabir Shirgaonkar, Director of DITE&C; Dr. Milind Sakhardande, Joint Director of DITE&C; Shri Nijanand Vasta, Deputy Director of DITE&C; Smt. Priyatama Patil, Assistant Director of DITE&C; Shri Neville Noronha, OSD to the Hon’ble Minister for ITE&C; and Shri D. S. Prashant, CEO of the Startup & IT Promotion Cell (SITPC).

At the heart of the discussion was the Government’s focused strategy to position Goa as India’s Creative Capital—a unique confluence of technology, culture, quality of life, and entrepreneurship. The meet served as a platform to strengthen state-industry collaboration in emerging areas such as AI, Industry 4.0, sustainable tech, and design-led innovation. “We are not here to build events—we are here to build ecosystems. More forward-thinking companies are now choosing Goa as a place to build, innovate, and grow.

Our responsibility is to ensure that this momentum not only continues but scales meaningfully,” said Hon’ble Minister Shri Rohan A. Khaunte, emphasizing the government’s focus on delivering results, not just policies.

The Government presented its multi-tiered approach to catalyze Goa’s digital transformation. Infrastructure is being strengthened through projects like the Electronic Manufacturing Cluster (EMC) at Tuem. In parallel, the state has rolled out upgraded Startup and IT Policies designed to support a more responsive, growth-oriented environment. Goa is also expanding its support framework for digital nomads and creative professionals through upcoming initiatives such as the Design Village. A strong emphasis has been placed on enhancing skilling, reskilling, and upskilling to ensure that the local workforce remains aligned with the needs of emerging technologies.

In his welcome address, Shri Kabir Shirgaonkar, Director of DITE&C, stated, “We are creating an enabling ecosystem—from the Electronic Manufacturing Cluster (EMC) to startup grants and co-working hubs. Today’s discussion is about turning potential into partnerships.”

Shri D. S. Prashant, CEO of SITPC, further added by outlining Goa’s evolving startup and innovation strategy, highlighting revised policies, incentive models, and infrastructure in the pipeline. “Goa’s vision for 2027 revolves around Infrastructure, Communication, and Training (ICT), while supporting next-gen ideas like the Design Village and digital nomad frameworks,” he said.

The event featured representation from companies such as CHALO, Quidich Innovation Labs, Persistent Systems, Turtlemint, Kilowott, Zimetrics Technologies, Infuse Consulting, Renevik Labs, McLaren/The Grit City, Visteon Corporation and Open Destinations, among others. Delegates also included leaders from creative and design-led firms like Coco Leni, The Nod Magazine, 101 Wakepark, and TM Talent Management. These companies reflected a growing interest in Goa as a viable alternative to traditional urban tech hubs, citing better quality of life, responsive governance, and a rising innovation ecosystem as key differentiators.

With industry feedback now integrated into policy refinement and infrastructure planning, the Goa Tech Meet has laid the foundation for deeper partnerships. The Department plans to organize follow-up engagements focused on talent, market access, and scaling Goa-based startups. “We are designing Goa’s growth story with clarity and collaboration,” the Hon’ble Minister added. “This is about outcomes — not optics. Our goal is to align industry needs with state vision and to build a Goa that’s ready for the future.”

“Goa Tech Meet: The Future in Focus” reinforced Goa’s emergence as a destination where innovation, collaboration, and creativity intersect. With strong institutional support, responsive policy, and a thriving quality of life, Goa is ready to welcome the next wave of startups, technologists, and investors looking to build what’s next.

Business

ChatGPT Sees Explosive Growth in India, Becomes Fastest-Growing Market

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In a remarkable milestone, India has emerged as the fastest-growing market for ChatGPT, OpenAI’s revolutionary AI chatbot. This surge in popularity can be attributed to the recent explosion of Ghibli-inspired image generation activity on the platform.

A Staggering 130 Million Users and Counting

According to Brad Lightcap, OpenAI’s Chief Operating Officer, over 130 million users worldwide have generated more than 700 million images through ChatGPT in just the past week. This unprecedented growth is a testament to the platform’s versatility and appeal.

India Takes Center Stage

In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), Lightcap announced India’s ascension to the top spot, stating, “India is now our fastest growing chatgpt market 💪🇮🇳.” This achievement underscores the country’s burgeoning tech-savvy population and its eagerness to embrace innovative technologies.

The Rise of AI-Generated Art

The Ghibli-inspired image generation activity that sparked this growth is a fascinating example of AI’s potential to democratize art. By leveraging ChatGPT’s capabilities, users can create stunning, high-quality images that rival those produced by human artists.

What This Means for the Future of AI

As ChatGPT continues to break records and push boundaries, it’s clear that AI is poised to play an increasingly prominent role in our lives. With India at the forefront of this adoption curve, it will be exciting to see how the country’s innovators, entrepreneurs, and citizens harness the power of AI to drive growth, creativity, and progress.