Sapience
Sapience 2024
AI for All
Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon, hosted its Annual Management Conclave - Sapience 2024, on July 31st and August 1st, 2024. This year’s theme, ‘AI for All’ captured the transformative power of artificial intelligence across various industries. The event commenced with a Keynote Address by Mr. Hari Krishnan, Managing Director of Content & Marketing Communications at Publicis Groupé India.
As AI continues to evolve, it is revolutionizing how businesses operate, offering tools that enhance efficiency, creativity, and decision-making. From automating routine tasks to providing deep insights through predictive analytics, AI is the driving force behind the next wave of business innovation. However, with these opportunities come challenges that organizations must navigate to harness AI’s full potential responsibly.
Sapience 2024 explored the expansive influence of AI through a series of discussions spread across six domain panels. These panels delved into how AI is reshaping the landscape of various industries, offering insights into both the opportunities and challenges it presents in the modern business world.
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PANELS1
KEYNOTE SPEAKER25+
SPEAKERSKeynote Address
“Stay curious. It will take you further” - Hari Krishnan, Managing Director, Content & Marketing Communications, Publicis Groupé India
The Keynote Address at Sapience 2024, delivered by Hari Krishnan, set the stage for a deep exploration into how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing business operations while emphasizing the irreplaceable role of human leadership.
Hari Krishnan highlighted the transformative potential of AI, illustrating how it can optimize processes, enhance decision-making, and unlock new avenues for creativity and innovation. However, he stressed that while AI can significantly augment business capabilities, it is the human element—leadership, ethical decision-making, and empathy—that will guide organizations through this transformation.
Concluding his address, Hari Krishnan urged businesses to embrace AI as a tool for empowerment, but reminded them that true leadership lies in guiding these technological advancements with wisdom, foresight, and a commitment to human values. By striking this balance, organizations can not only thrive in the era of AI but also lead with purpose and integrity.
Analytics Panel
The Analytics Panel, moderated by Prof. Bappaditya Mukhopadhyay, brought together leading experts to discuss the rapidly evolving role of AI and its far-reaching implications across various sectors. The panel delved into the necessity for businesses to stay ahead of AI advancements, addressing concerns such as job displacement, data privacy, and the ethical responsibilities that accompany AI integration.
Key Takeaways
"Be the one who drives the AI." - Ramkrishna Chatterjee, Principal Architect, Happiest Minds Technologies
"AI is moving at tremendous speeds and it is only going to get faster." - Kunal Mehta, Head- Data Platforms, Kimberly Clark
"AI can help everyone. Even if you don’t know much about it, you can still shorten 2 hours’ worth of work to a few minutes." - Jaideep Jaiman, Vice-President & Digital Transformation, V Mart
"AI needs Explainability." - Charit R Agarwal, Chief Analytics Officer, Niva Bupa Health Insurance
Entrepreneurship Panel
The Entrepreneurship Panel, moderated by Prof. SK Palhan brought together entrepreneurs who shared their journeys of innovation, problem-solving, and navigating the challenges of the business world. The discussion focused on how technological advancements, particularly AI, are opening new avenues for startups to disrupt markets and innovate. The panelists emphasized the importance of maintaining an experimental mindset to foster creativity and develop effective solutions.
Key Takeaways
"Experiment with everything." - Nisant Mohta, Founder, Finalytics
"Having a wealth of ideas is essential for driving innovation." - Ruhbir Singh, CEO, Tatvic
"Despite advancements, AI lacks the genuine emotional depth and personal experience that characterize human emotional intelligence." - Rahul Lakhmani, Founder & CEO, Skiify
Finance Panel
The Finance Panel, moderated by Dr. Kirti Sharma, delved into how AI is transforming the finance industry, with discussions focusing on its applications in financial management and the growing reliance on predictive analysis for trend forecasting. The panelists highlighted the importance of integrating AI-driven data with human insights to achieve the best outcomes in financial decision-making.
Key Takeaways
"Intelligence is based on future trends." - Vishal Chowdhry, Chartered Accountant & Director of Finance, Keysight Technologies
"AI is not a game changer; it's about how we can use it." - Ankit Chugh, Partner, Grant Thornton Bharat LLP
"Human is the key." - Ashima Chaudhary, Director APAC - Finance Controllers, BlackRock
HR & OB Panel
The HR & OB Panel, moderated by Dr. Sanghamitra Bhattacharyya, explored the impact of AI on human resources across various industries. The discussion focused on how AI can enhance HR functions such as recruitment, performance management, and employee engagement, while underscoring the necessity of combining AI with a human-centric approach. Despite AI’s growing capabilities, the panelists emphasized that empathy and emotional intelligence are crucial for nurturing a positive corporate culture.
Key Takeaways
"AI can't replace humans; it can facilitate humans." - Vidhu Arora, Chief Human Resource Officer, Tasty Bite Eatables
"We have seen only 1% of what AI has to offer." - Saaquib Dawoodani, Head-Business Recruitment-India, Rippling India
"Human intervention is even required for the mundane tasks that AI has taken over." - Deepti Mehta, Chief Human Resource Officer, Interface Microsystems
"One should continue to develop expertise. Before learning, deskilling is very important." - Vishal Sharma, Global Head of HR- Manufacturing Operations, Supply Chain and Quality, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals
Marketing Panel
The Marketing Panel, moderated by Dr. Harish Kumar, explored the transformative impact of AI on marketing strategies and practices. The discussion highlighted how AI is rapidly enhancing speed and efficiency in marketing operations, but also stressed the importance of understanding its implications and maintaining the human touch. Despite the advancements AI brings, the panel emphasized that human empathy and creativity are indispensable in crafting effective marketing campaigns.
Key Takeaways
"Accept AI, don't be afraid of it. It is an enabler, not a doer." - Cherryn Dogra, Chief Marketing Officer, Bharti Realty
"The B2B sector will benefit highly from AI and automation." - Sankha Bhattacharya, Chief Executive Officer, Casablanca Industries
"Human empathy is a key element of marketing." - Vishal Sagar, Director, Pocket FM
Operations Panel
The Operations Panel, moderated by Prof. Surya Prakash, examined how AI is revolutionizing industries such as logistics, healthcare, and manufacturing. The discussion focused on AI’s role in enhancing operational efficiency through pattern recognition, predictive modeling, and data analytics. Panelists highlighted the benefits of AI in driving innovation while stressing the importance of maintaining a human-centric approach to ensure successful integration.
Key Takeaways
"In terms of industry, AI still hasn’t penetrated enough. Could be 1 to 3 on a scale of 1 to 10." - Mansingh Jaswal, Director & CEO, Genex Logistics
"AI creates a virtual self of us, which we must manage." - Atantra Dasgupta, Senior Director (South West Asia Head), Samsung India HME
"Creativity, thinking on the feet in the context of situations, and uniqueness of individuals – these three things will never be replaced by AI." - Nikhil Khorana, Senior Client Partner, Korn Ferry
"You’d be out of the game if you’re not a part of this AI journey." - Vinay Arora, Senior Director - Head of Operations, S&P Global Market Intelligence
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