The sixth edition of Techspectations 2025, the digital summit of Manoramaonline, was held at Hotel Le Meridien, Kochi on February 7, exploring the advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in different sectors of daily life. Eminent speakers and esteemed panellists from diverse fields ranging from e-commerce to entertainment enriched the event with insightful discussions and lively interactions on the theme ‘Transforming Future; AI for Everyday Life’.
The event got underway with a keynote address by Hitesh Oberoi, Managing Director and CEO of Info Edge, the parent firm of Naukri, Jeevansathi, Shiksha and 99acres. Oberoi said that AI reflected a technology shift, and unless one recognise and adapt, one will be left behind. “Whenever there is a technology shift, you have to recognise it and adapt. If you don’t do it, you are in danger of being left behind. New technologies are not understood by people at the top. You have to bring new talent, empower them and let them do what they know best. Technology is something you grow up with but whatever technology that emerges after you turn 35, you forget. It is best understood by people who are still in college, so you have to be able to get them in,” he said.
While acknowledging apprehensions on AI posing a potential threat to certain job market segments, he said that AI will bring down the cost and create many opportunities. “To grab these opportunities, people will have to upskill and reskill. AI will become as basic a skill as reading. People will become more productive,” he said.
Panellists unanimously agreed on the diminishing influence of long-form journalism at a discussion on adopting AI technologies within the media and publishing industry. Gaurav Arora, COO of Jagran New Media, termed the users’ disinterest in long form a “very disturbing trend”. He said the trend has been affecting not just the editorial part but also the business side of media. Sanghamitra Mazumdar, Editor, ABP Live; Vignesh Vellore, Co-founder & CEO, The News Minute; Santhosh George Jacob, Coordinating Editor, Manorama Online; and Nitin Sharma of Google attended the discussion. “Things are beyond predictions. I think anything can happen. But as I said in the beginning itself, we have to tame this beast and we have to use it wisely,” Santhosh George Jacob said on the advancement of AI in newsrooms.
Harsha Puthusserry, Founder and Managing Director of Iraaloom, a company focused on traditional, eco-conscious handicrafts, spoke about the impact of generative AI on art at a panel discussion on the AI-Powered Startup Ecosystem: Strategies for Success in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. “This is an age where AI can replicate any form of art. But what makes our products stand out is their authenticity,” she said. Sathya Ramanathan, Managing Director, Lincoln International; Alvin George, Co-Founder, Carbon & Whale; and Thajudeen Aboobaker, Founder & CEO, Urban Trash also spoke at the session.
A class 10 student, Raul John Aju, the founder of start-up Nyaya Sathi, hogged the limelight at the event as he basked in excitement, telling the delegates that his father now works for his company. Probing questions arose during discussions regarding the credibility and emotional connection of bots. The speakers said that as long as AI gives accurate, authentic information and resolves issues, it establishes a bond.
Nitin Nair, Senior Vice-President – South India, Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) delivered the lead talk. He highlighted that ONDC aims to transform digital transactions across India, much like how UPI revolutionised digital payments. “With the advent of AI, technology has become more accessible. It has enabled even small businesses and enterprises to leverage advanced tools and collaborate with ONDC,” he said.
Aaron Rigby, Regional Director SEA & India, Taboola; Pankaj Rai, Chief Data Analytics Officer, Aditya Birla Group; Aditya Ganguli, Head – Data Science and AI, Tata Nexarc, Sreekumar Pillai, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Experion Technologies spoke at a panel discussion on ‘The Power of Data: Unlocking Insights in the Age of Generative AI’. The speakers spoke on how AI was changing the landscape of advertising, recruitment and MSMEs.
A panel discussion on ‘How Artificial Intelligence is reshaping the businesses we interact with?’ saw industry leaders voicing their views on the impact of AI in commodity sales, automobile industry and education. Rishabh Nag, Co-Founder, Humanli.AI; Subrat Pani, Co-Founder, OneAssist.in, Jijimon Chandran, Founder & CEO, Acsia Technologies, Dr Girish S Pathy, JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), Kochi, Sabu Johny, Managing Director, EVM Group attended the session.
Malayalam film technicians opined that they are not afraid of AI at a session on ‘Creativity and Authenticity in Entertainment: Thriving in the Age of AI.’ Johny Lukose, News Director, Manorama News moderated the session attended by music composer Jakes Bejoy, cinematographer Shaji Kumar, film editor and producer Shameer Muhammed and actor Zarin Shihab.
Mariam Mammen Mathew, CEO, Manorama Online and Dr Tom Joseph, Director – New Initiatives, JAIN Deemed-To-Be-University also spoke.
The event was sponsored by JAIN Deemed-To-Be-University, Kochi and Google India, with Experion Technologies serving as the AI session partner and Popular Hyundai as the travel partner. Manorama QuicKerala was ticketing partner and Manorama Horizon upskilling partner.
The event saw a massive participation of tech and business enthusiasts with over 800 people turning out to attend the sessions. Business leaders and entrepreneurs of various stages contributed an impressive 46 per cent of the crowd. Over 2100 people had registered for the summit.