As AI Rewrites the Rules, Are You Playing the Right Game?

Hi all.

It's a weird world. The one in which extinct typewriter brands and virtual pocket monsters find a mention as we discuss future AI. Here we are, though. It's a tale of technological evolution so rapid, that even the tech giants are gasping for breath.

Intrigued? You should be. Because there’s nothing artificial about it.

Once upon a time Remington and Olivetti were household names. If you're scratching your head, don't worry - you're not alone. I am with you. I was quite amazed to read how these once-giants of the typewriter era have faded into obscurity, much like the clacking keys they produced. And this makes me think about the companies today, and how we're witnessing a similar seismic shift in the tech world, with AI as the protagonist.

Madhavan Narayanan , in his insightful piece, draws a parallel between the typewriter's demise and the current AI upheaval. He reminds us of a crucial lesson: it's better to disrupt yourself and feel some gainful pain rather than be rudely disrupted by forces beyond your control.

Take Intel, for instance. Once the undisputed king of microchips, it now finds itself playing catch-up in the AI race. Meanwhile, Nvidia has surged ahead, its market capitalization now a staggering 35 times that of Intel. It's a stark reminder that in the tech world, today's leader can quickly lose ground, and see their profitability chip away. Pun intended, of course.

Speaking of unexpected twists, when I briefly played Pokemon Go, a hugely popular VR game, during its initial hype circa 2016, the thought never crossed my mind that I was part of something futuristic, something that AI would appropriate.

Niantic, the company behind Pokémon Go, has revealed plans to use data collected from millions of players over the past eight years to build a "large geospatial model" (LGM). What’s that, you ask? This AI model is based on the same fundamental architecture as ChatGPT. It aims to process real-world location scans to create "Spatial Intelligence." This can potentially improve augmented reality experiences, autonomous navigation, and location-based services.

While some companies are dancing with AI, others are facing the music. Actually, in a possible historic antitrust move, the U.S. Department of Justice has asked a judge to order Google to sell off its Chrome browser. Google has recently been using Chrome to direct users to its flagship AI product, Gemini, which may evolve from an answer-bot to an assistant following users around the web.

This US government’s decision, if implemented, could reshape not only the online search market but also the burgeoning AI industry. It is indeed a reminder that as AI becomes more pervasive, regulators are keeping watch over its impact on competition and choice for consumers.

As countries find their way around the AI maze, India is carving a unique path in the global AI landscape. According to a report, nearly 46% of Indian workers surveyed are now considered advanced AI users. That’s ahead of countries like the U.S., Germany, France, and Australia. Yes, we’re outpacing some of the most tech-savvy nations in the world.

The impact? It’s tangible, and quite substantial. Indians are reclaiming an average of 104 minutes every day. Compare that to the global average of 45 minutes, and it’s apparent how India is squeezing every drop of productivity.

What does this mean? It shows India is adopting AI as a daily ally. It’s announcing to the world, we’re leaders.

And India understands that with great power comes great responsibilities. The Indian government has initiated robust steps in this direction, with the Ministry of Information Technology working on a code of conduct for AI companies.

This voluntary set of guidelines will lay down standards for AI processes like training, deployment, sales, and identification and rectification of misuse. It is an important step toward ensuring that as AI takes India forward, the technology does not steer away from the correct path - the path to a sustainable future.

What's your take on these AI developments? Are you an AI power user saving hours each day, or are you watching from the sidelines? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

See you in the next edition.

Cheers,

Aaqib Raza Khan,

Deputy Editor - Content Innovation,

NDTV