From BSNL, Vodafone Idea's plans to MINI Countryman review, here are our most-read stories of the week

Image: Shutterstock

1) Pick up the pace

In the Indian telecom arena dominated by Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea (Vi) and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) always appear to be 'also ran'. On one hand, cash-strapped Vi is set to receive a Rs9,000 crore capital infusion from the UK's Vodafone Group and the Aditya Birla Group, and on the other hand, government-owned BSNL has received three bailouts–the latest being Rs89,047 crore coming in June. The bleeding subscriber numbers and tumbling market share have plagued both telecom companies. And there is no respite for either when heavily funded rivals are galloping to establish a 5G empire, and this duo is crawling to set up a 4G expansion. As investors watch their next moves, and the government keenly keeps a watch on how it all pans out, there's little time left to pick up the pace and pieces. Read more

2) AI revolution and education

When outsourcing was a buzzword, Indian talent was at the forefront. Nothing will change as Artificial Intelligence becomes the new norm. Experts believe that the massive tech talent in the country will make India an 'AI outsourcing hub'. Nasscom reports that India houses over 2,700 global capability centres (GCC), of which more than 65 percent are companies headquartered in the US. According to a FICCI-Access Partnership report, it is estimated that using generative AI to supplement work activities could help unlock $621 billion of productive capacity across the Indian economy. AI education will play an important role in skilling this workforce of the future. From educational institutes to edtech platforms, everyone is gearing up to provide for the growing demand for AI education. Will this demand sustain? You can find out here.

3) AI revolution and weather

Artificial Intelligence is quickly slotting itself into the daily routine of many industries and sectors. Weather forecasting is not going to be an exception. Climate change has led to an increase in extreme weather events, which is why people and various stakeholders of the world economy need location-specific information that is more accurate and enables quick and precise decision-making. This is why one of the oldest services in the world is looking for an upgrade with the help of AI to be competitive in the age of hyperlocal and personalised experiences. But it is going to take a lot of work. While AI can formulate solutions based on many premium-quality databases, building those databases from the ground up still needs human intervention. Can the weatherman tie up with AI to be better? Read more

Discover

1) Carnot and its ride with Mahindra

In 2018, Mahindra & Mahindra sought a farm equipment IoT (Internet of Things) solution. The brief was simple yet challenging. The product had to be plug-and-play, vehicle-agnostic, and high on affordability and accuracy. At the same time, Carnot's young, tech-savvy, and frugal co-founders were looking for patient capital that would wait for the results. It was a match made in heaven. Over time, the auto major realised that the startup was well-suited to develop and manage the full Krish-e—M&M’s farming as a service (FaaS) vertical—stack encompassing IoT, AI, process automation, farmer apps, analytics, and all new-age technology requirements. This is the story of how Carnot ended up driving M&M's farming vertical. Read more

2) MINI Countryman on Forbes India Momentum

In the world of cars, you say ‘Mini’, and the Cooper comes to mind. It’s iconic; it’s what the brand’s known for. Its agile handling and clever packaging in small outfits have afforded it a loyal fanbase. But what happens when you say the word ‘Countryman’? You get just an elongated, conspicuous, lively big brother of the compact and iconic vehicle. Nothing changes with handling, and you can even invite your family for a fun drive. With a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol that makes about 190hp and 280Nm, the MINI Countryman is a rather impressive machine at the end of the day. Here's a quick review to make up your mind.

3) Recruitment transgressions

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is in the middle of a raging scandal after a whistleblower claimed a few senior executives at the IT giant had accepted bribes from staffing firms to hire critical personnel, thereby compromising the recruitment process. Kamal Karanth, co-founder of staffing company Xpheno, joined our ToThePoint podcast to show how bad the problem might be in an industry where the churn rate is the highest, and thousands of recruits are placed in new vacancies daily. He believes what's come to light at TCS isn't the first time, and explains why it won't be the last. Read more

4) Recession-proof

In this very newsletter, we have featured quite a lot of stories bringing forth various aspects of the global economic slowdown. But none affected the live performance segment of the entertainment industry, which is poised to break the bank at the box office in 2023. Taylor Swift with her Eras Tour, the return of Bruce ‘The Boss’ Springsteen to the road, Harry Styles' Love on Tour,  Elton John's farewell shows, and Ed Sheeran's The Mathematics Tour playing to packed venues, making the artists recession-proof. Check out who tops the list of highest-grossing live concert tours of 2023 so far. Read more