Insights from AI Appreciation Day highlight industry impacts

As the world marks AI Appreciation Day, industry leaders have offered their insights into the profound impact and future potential of artificial intelligence across various sectors. From cybersecurity to logistics and business operations, AI continues to revolutionise traditional practices, enhancing efficiency, safety, and innovation.

Vishal Salvi, CEO of Quick Heal Technologies Limited, highlighted India's rapid advancements in AI. "India's technology landscape is gaining global recognition for its remarkable AI advancements and groundbreaking developments," Salvi remarked. He noted that Indian start-ups play a pivotal role in fuelling this momentum. At Quick Heal and Seqrite, the integration of their patented GoDeep.AI technology underscores their pioneering efforts in AI, particularly in cybersecurity. Salvi emphasised AI's role in rapid threat identification, proactive monitoring, and adaptive responses, which are crucial for bolstering digital infrastructures against evolving cyber threats. He proudly announced their position as India's first company to join the US Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute consortium, aiming to lead and shape the responsible use of AI globally.

Raj Sivaraju, President of APAC at Arete, spoke on the transformative power of AI across various industries. "On AI Appreciation Day, we celebrate how AI is revolutionising our world," said Sivaraju. He pointed out that AI optimises value chains, enhances analytics, and simplifies business operations, thus driving cost-effective solutions and improved customer experiences. AI's transformative power extends beyond efficiency; it influences human-technology interactions and business innovation. Sivaraju stressed the importance of harnessing AI's capabilities responsibly to ensure continued advancement and innovation.

Nishith Rastogi, Founder and CEO of Locus.sh, emphasised AI's significant impact on logistics. "AI Appreciation Day is the ideal time to acknowledge AI's vast potential in creating new benchmarks across industries and reflect on its impact so far," he stated. Rastogi believes AI will be key to delivering unprecedented growth in the logistics sector, adding that Locus.sh is committed to developing solutions that redefine logistics excellence, customer experiences, and fulfilment standards.

Dr Marc Warner, CEO of Faculty, urged a balanced perspective on AI's potential. "This AI Appreciation Day, it's important to reflect on the impact of AI and consider the next steps to enable innovation in the sector," said Warner. He pointed out that AI has been safely used for decades in various applications, such as predicting train times and preventing bank fraud. Warner called for a shift from fear-mongering to celebrating AI's successes. He envisions greater AI implementation across industries, driven by business leaders, government, and policymakers who must embrace AI fully to enhance productivity and public services.

Julian Mulhare, Managing Director for EMEA at Searce, underscored the importance of proper AI project execution. "Most AI projects fail - not due to software issues, but because users don't use tools correctly," Mulhare noted. He highlighted the need for dedicated time and budgets for upskilling and business process optimisation. Mulhare also stressed the criticality of ethical AI development, advocating for clear guidelines, data privacy, and diverse team involvement to minimise human bias. Successful AI integration requires businesses to monitor regulatory developments and maintain adaptable AI systems.

Asha Palmer, SVP of Compliance Solutions at Skillsoft, discussed the necessity of AI regulation alongside innovation. "As we celebrate the use cases and potential of AI today, it's also vital that we use AI Appreciation Day to discuss the importance of AI regulation," Palmer said. She referenced the EU's AI Act as a significant step towards regulation but insisted on the need for regular reviews due to the rapid pace of AI development. Palmer emphasised the importance of a compliant governance structure within organisations, which includes clear policies, employee education, and monitoring. She called upon compliance professionals to lead this conversation, ensuring that AI's opportunities are supported by a sustainable, trustworthy, and transparent governance framework.

As AI Appreciation Day prompts reflections on how artificial intelligence has reshaped industries, these insights from industry leaders highlight the importance of ethical practices, regulatory balance, and continuous innovation in harnessing AI's full potential.