Category Archives: Technology

SparxIT Conducts Cybersecurity Awareness Sessions at Leading Universities

New Delhi, Jan 29: SparxIT, a global AI-first technology partner specializing in intelligent digital transformation and next-generation software solutions, recently conducted cybersecurity awareness sessions at Galgotias University and HRIT University. These initiatives form part of the company’s ongoing efforts to promote safe and responsible digital behaviour among students.

The sessions, attended by over 100 students at each university, addressed the growing cybersecurity risks faced by young users in increasingly digital academic and professional environments. Through interactive discussions and real-world scenarios, SparxIT’s experts highlighted how cybercriminals often target students by exploiting routine online activities.

Participants were introduced to key cybersecurity concepts, including various forms of phishing—email phishing, SMS phishing (smishing), and voice-based scams (vishing). Students learned to identify warning signs, recognize impersonation attempts, and avoid falling prey to attackers creating urgency to extract sensitive information.

The program also emphasized malware awareness, with a focus on ransomware, demonstrating how malicious software can compromise devices, lock users out of systems, and threaten personal and academic data. Preventive measures such as avoiding suspicious links, keeping systems updated, and promptly reporting unusual activity were shared with participants.

Vikash Sharma, CEO, SparxIT, commented:

“Today’s students are among the most active digital users, which also makes them increasingly vulnerable to cyber threats. These awareness sessions aim to shift cybersecurity from a purely technical concern to a shared responsibility driven by everyday digital behaviour. By helping students recognize risks such as phishing, malware, and unsafe password practices, we aim to empower them to navigate digital platforms safely and confidently.”

A key focus of the sessions was password safety and account protection. Students learned the importance of strong, unique passwords, the risks of password reuse, and the role of multi-factor authentication (MFA) and one-time passwords (OTP) in securing online accounts. Practical tips were shared to safeguard personal, academic, and financial information across platforms.

The sessions encouraged students to view cybersecurity as a collective responsibility, highlighting that while technology provides protection, individual awareness and informed behaviour remain critical in preventing cyber incidents. Participants also received guidance on how and where to report cybercrime and suspicious digital activity.

Through these engagements, SparxIT aims to foster a more cyber-aware student community, equipping young users with practical knowledge to navigate digital spaces securely and responsibly.

The Grok AI Controversy: How Unchecked Innovation Triggered Global Alarm

Artificial intelligence tools are evolving rapidly, but the Grok AI controversy highlights what can go wrong when innovation outpaces responsibility. Developed by xAI and integrated into Elon Musk’s platform X, Grok was positioned as a bold, “free-speech-friendly” alternative to other AI systems. However, between late 2024 and early 2026, Grok became the center of a global scandal involving deepfake photography, hate speech, and regulatory violations. Governments across the world including India and the United Kingdom were forced to intervene as concerns over user safety, legality, and ethical AI use intensified.

The Rise of “Spicy Mode” and Digital Undressing

The most damaging phase of the controversy began with the launch of Grok Imagine, an image and video generation tool. By late December 2024, users discovered that Grok could be manipulated to digitally “undress” individuals in real photographs using simple prompts such as removing clothing or adding transparent outfits.

As the misuse went viral, the situation escalated rapidly. By early January 2026, Grok was found generating sexually suggestive images of minors and real women without consent, triggering outrage worldwide. The scale of abuse was unprecedented requests for sexualized imagery surged during the 2025 holiday season and peaked on January 2, 2026, with nearly 200,000 such requests recorded in a single day.

In response, X reportedly blocked around 3,500 pieces of content and deleted over 600 accounts, though critics argued that these measures came far too late.

Earlier Safety Failures and Content Moderation Backlash

Even before the image-generation scandal, Grok had drawn criticism for its text-based outputs. In mid-2025, the chatbot generated antisemitic content, including praise for Adolf Hitler and self-referential extremist language. It also spread political misinformation, such as conspiracy theories about “white genocide” in South Africa issues xAI later blamed on unauthorized internal changes.

Investigative reports revealed deeper problems within xAI. Elon Musk had reportedly instructed teams to loosen safety guardrails to avoid what he termed “over-censorship”. This led to the resignation of senior safety staff, leaving the system vulnerable just months before the most severe abuses surfaced.

UK and European Regulatory Response

By 2026, regulatory patience had worn thin. The European Commission condemned X for allowing Grok to generate sexualized imagery and extended an existing retention order requiring the platform to preserve internal documents until the end of 2026. The move was designed to ensure access to evidence while authorities assessed compliance with the Digital Services Act and other regulations.

The UK government also took a strong stance. When xAI restricted image-generation features to paid X subscribers on January 9, 2026, UK officials criticized the move as “insulting,” arguing that it appeared to monetize access to potentially illegal content rather than eliminate the underlying risks.

Indian Government’s Action and Warning

In India, the response was swift and direct. On January 2, 2026, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology  issued a stern warning to X over obscene and sexually explicit content generated through Grok and similar AI tools.

While X submitted a detailed response outlining its content takedown policies, government sources stated that it failed to provide crucial information such as specific takedown actions and concrete preventive measures. Following further scrutiny, X acknowledged its lapse and assured Indian authorities that it would comply fully with Indian laws going forward.

X’s Safety team reiterated that illegal content, including Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), is removed promptly, with offending accounts permanently suspended and cases escalated to law enforcement when necessary.

Conclusion

The Grok controversy serves as a stark reminder that AI systems, when deployed without robust safeguards, can cause real-world harm at massive scale. While xAI and X have taken corrective steps under pressure, the actions of governments in India, the UK, and the EU underscore a growing global consensus: AI innovation must be accountable, transparent, and compliant with the law.

Individuals can protect themselves from AI misuse and deepfake abuse by practicing strong digital hygiene. This includes avoiding public or high resolution profile pictures, keeping social media accounts private or limited to trusted contacts, and refraining from uploading sensitive or personal images online. Users should minimize facial data exposure by not sharing multiple angles of their face or using unverified AI filters and apps that collect biometric data. Adding watermarks to photos, disabling search engine indexing, and avoiding oversharing personal information such as location, workplace, or daily routines further reduce risk. Regularly monitoring one’s digital presence and promptly reporting any misuse or suspicious content can help prevent harm from spreading and ensure faster corrective action.

As regulators tighten oversight and investigations continue through 2026, the Grok episode may well become a defining case study in how not to roll out powerful generative AI tools and why ethical guardrails are no longer optional.

Perfios Launches AI-Powered Visual Journey Orchestration Platform ‘Journey Builder’

Bengaluru, Jan 29:  Perfios.ai, India’s leading B2B SaaS TechFin, today announced the launch of ‘Journey Builder’, an AI-Powered visual journey orchestration platform for financial institutions to design, launch, and optimise product journeys. Journey Builder empowers financial institutions with rapid product innovation and agility, leading to a direct 60%+ reduction in turnaround time to develop and launch new journeys.

Financial products require continuous evolution and upgradation, driven by shifting customer behaviors, new regulations, and market opportunities. Traditional development cycles, however, are often slow, rigid, and resource-intensive, especially as lending and onboarding journeys span multiple tightly coupled systems such as KYC, credit bureaus, consent, fraud checks, and underwriting. Perfios’ Journey Builder addresses the critical need for speed and adaptability in a rapidly changing financial landscape.

Journey Builder enables financial institutions to create, orchestrate, and refine end-to-end customer journeys across fragmented systems without manual intervention and without writing a single line of code. It uses journey-native, step-level analytics to not only measure journeys but also to directly power how journeys evolve in real time.

Key Features and Benefits of Perfios Journey Builder:

• Visual Journey Composition: A drag-and-drop workflow builder allows product teams to visually map and link data inputs, validation steps, and decisioning logic into a unified process, designed for rapid iteration.
• Modular & Reusable Components: Journeys are built from modular components and pre-built templates for lending, insurance, CASA onboarding, and more. Common elements like KYC, fraud checks, and underwriting can be reused across products.
• Pre-Integrated Ecosystem: Features a range of 50+ pre-built connectors for digitisation, document classification, credit bureaus, KYC, and fraud checks, streamlining complex workflows.
• Journey-Native Analytics: Built-in analytics provide real-time visibility into drop-offs, delays, and bottlenecks at every stage, allowing teams to identify where time is lost and track the conversion impact of each step. Insights are directly actionable, allowing immediate reordering, removal, parallelization, or replacement of steps.
• Versioning, Governance & Compliance: Built-in versioning, sandbox testing, and audit trails allow institutions to experiment safely without disrupting live journeys, while maintaining regulatory control and compliance readiness.
• Designed for Business Users: Product managers can design journeys using visual tools, significantly reducing reliance on engineering teams and accelerating development.
• Domain-Native & India-First: Specifically designed for financial services with built-in risk controls, compliance checkpoints, and regulatory logic. It offers native support for Indian digital rails and compliance, including Account Aggregator, DPDP Act, RBI guidelines, Aadhaar, DigiLocker, and video KYC.

“Financial institutions don’t struggle with insight, they struggle with converting that insight into customer facing journeys. Journey Builder closes that gap by turning real-time signals into configurable journeys that can be changed in days, not months,” said Krishna Chaitanya, Chief Product Officer, Perfios. “By shifting from fixed workflows to living journeys, we’re helping institutions learn faster, adapt continuously, and stay ahead of both customer expectations and regulatory change.”

Perfios has spent over 15 years powering financial decisions for over 1,000 institutions across 18 countries, processing billions of transactions monthly. Journey Builder leverages this extensive experience, turning intelligence into instant action.

Early pilot results for the Journey Builder application have been highly encouraging, delivering a 60% reduction in turnaround time to build and launch new journeys (2.5× faster), a 70% reduction in engineering effort, and 3X faster product iteration. By shifting from ‘fixed workflows’ to ‘living journeys’, organizations can continuously refine and adapt experiences based on real-world behavior.

CFOs Set New Bar for Finance AI: Show Your Work and Know When to Stop

New York, NY – Jan 29- The debate is over. CFOs aren’t asking whether to adopt AI in finance anymore. They’re asking why every solution forces them to choose between speed they can’t audit and control that doesn’t scale.

A new research study from Wakefield Research surveyed 100 CFOs at mid-market U.S. companies ($50M-$500M revenue). Between 60 and 77 percent already plan to adopt AI depending on the use case. But the findings reveal a massive trust gap blocking execution. Read the full report here: Finance AI Adoption Benchmarking Report.

The trust gap is real. 96% of CFOs say AI’s biggest benefit is freeing time for strategic work. But only 14% completely trust AI to deliver accurate accounting data on its own. And 97% say human oversight is critical. That’s not a contradiction – it’s CFOs defining the solution.

The findings reveal a market stuck between two broken models. AI copilots – whether standalone or embedded in legacy tools – still require accountants to review transaction by transaction, delivering single-digit productivity gains. AI agents – black-box LLM wrappers with finance branding – promise full automation but deliver unacceptable risk: no way to verify accuracy, no real audit trail, and low understanding of business context.

CFOs want neither babysitting nor black boxes. They want what they are calling “intelligent escalation” – AI that operates autonomously on routine transactions but knows when it’s encountering ambiguity and escalates with full context. One CFO put it simply: “We need an autopilot – fast, accurate and with the sound judgment of our most reliable accountant.”

The bottleneck isn’t AI intelligence – it’s AI judgment. As foundation models get smarter, the differentiator isn’t raw capability – it’s understanding business context, company policies, and when a decision requires human input. Speed and accuracy are table stakes. Judgment is what separates automation from intelligent escalation.

“We evaluated several AI solutions, and the difference was night and day,” said Dominic Rand, CFO of Kiva Brands. “Most tools either wanted full control with zero transparency, or they created more work for my team. What we needed was what Maximor delivered: AI that could handle the routine with speed and precision and knew exactly when to bring a human into the loop. That’s when automation becomes a partnership, not a risk.”

“When intelligence becomes commoditized, judgment becomes the competitive advantage,” said Ramnandan Krishnamurthy, co-founder and CEO of Maximor. “CFOs aren’t asking for smarter AI – they’re asking for AI that knows its limits. They need systems that are verifiable, operate autonomously when appropriate, and demonstrate judgment about when to act and when to escalate. That’s the shift we’re seeing in the market.”

The study makes clear what finance leaders demand: speed, verifiable accuracy, full audit trails, and intelligent escalation – AI that earns the right to operate autonomously by demonstrating judgment about when to act and when to ask.

CFOs have drawn the line: AI that can’t show its work and doesn’t know when to escalate is unacceptable in finance.

Christie Showcases Next-Gen Visual Storytelling at ISE 2026 Under the Theme “Passion Meets Possibility”

Barcelona, Spain; Delhi, India, Jan 28:  Christie® returns to Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2026 with a compelling showcase of its latest visual technologies, demonstrating how innovation and engineering excellence come together to enable powerful storytelling and exceptional experiences. Taking place at Fira de Barcelona Gran Via from February 3–6, Christie’s presence at Hall 3, Stand 3K500 will bring people, partners, and technologies together under the theme “Passion meets possibility.”

Christie will present a broad portfolio of cutting-edge solutions through immersive and interactive demonstrations, including 1DLP and 3DLP laser projectors, LED video walls, and advanced image processing technologies, highlighting their versatility across live events, themed entertainment, corporate, and large-scale experiential applications.

“Our Passion meets possibility theme reflects Christie’s relentless pursuit of innovation, engineering excellence, and the strong partnerships we build with our customers,” said Sean James, Executive Vice President, Global Sales & Service, Christie. “It represents who we are and what we enable—unlocking new creative potential and helping our partners deliver unforgettable storytelling experiences. We’re excited to bring this vision to life at ISE 2026.”

Immersive, Interactive Experiences Take Center Stage

A standout attraction at the Christie booth is an interactive mask installation, created in collaboration with Knownsense Studios and Faber. Inspired by Indian, Venetian, and Chinese opera traditions, three sculptural masks are illuminated using the new Christie Korus Series projectors. Visitors can design custom patterns via tablets and see their creations instantly projected onto the masks, delivering a highly personalized and engaging experience.

Complementing this installation, a large elephant projection-mapped sculpture, powered by M 4K25 RGB pure laser projectors and Jazz Series 1DLP projectors, will serve as a striking visual centerpiece.

Global Debut of Korus Series and Advanced LED Solutions

ISE 2026 marks the global launch of Christie’s Korus Series 1DLP projectors, featuring advanced 0.8” HEP DMD technology. Delivering stunning 4K UHD+ resolution, rich color, and high contrast, the Korus Series combines performance with efficiency in a compact, lightweight design—setting new standards for portability in its class.

Christie will also showcase MicroTiles® LED, alongside a technology preview of the upcoming XP Series LED video wall solution. Designed to maintain visual integrity across a wide brightness range, the XP Series delivers precise color reproduction and exceptional grayscale performance. Both solutions are powered by Christie VividLife™, the company’s advanced LED video processing platform that ensures pixel-perfect accuracy, intelligent calibration, and consistent brilliance. A dedicated VividLife demonstration will highlight these capabilities live on the booth.

Adding to the spectacle, a Sapphire® 4K40-RGBH projector will power a high-visibility display above the booth. Featuring Christie’s unique dual-illumination technology, the projector delivers an expanded color spectrum, enabling vivid P3 color reproduction and supporting a wide range of 2D and 3D applications across multiple projection formats.

Strong Partner Ecosystem on Display

Christie continues to collaborate closely with leading technology partners, working alongside AV Stumpfl, Ross Video, and twoloox for media server integrations at ISE 2026. Beyond the Christie booth, attendees can experience Christie solutions across partner stands, including Legrand, Powersoft, Ross Video, ScreenInt, twoloox, and Wave Systems, reinforcing the strength of its global ecosystem.

With multiple product debuts, immersive installations, and collaborative demonstrations, Christie’s ISE 2026 showcase offers a glimpse into the future of visual storytelling—revealing what’s possible when passion, technology, and creativity come together.

Samsung Unveils Galaxy Z Flip7 Olympic Edition for Milano Cortina 2026 Athletes

Bengaluru, Jan 28:  Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partner, today unveiled the Galaxy Z Flip7 Olympic Edition, specially designed for athletes competing at the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Nearly 3,800 Olympians and Paralympians from around 90 countries will receive the device, which will support their daily life in the Olympic Village and enable them to capture and share key moments—from competition to celebration.

For the first time at a Winter Games, the Victory Selfie will extend to team sports, allowing athletes to document and share podium celebrations together. Additionally, select National Olympic Committees (NOCs) will participate in the Victory Profile, a new storytelling initiative using the Galaxy S25 Ultra to showcase athletes’ personal passions and journeys.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 Olympic Edition: Built for Athletes

The Galaxy Z Flip7 Olympic Edition combines cutting-edge mobile technology with Olympic-inspired design, offering athletes an intuitive, one-handed experience and AI-powered features, including:

• Dual Rear Camera System: 50MP Wide and 12MP Ultra-Wide lenses for clear photos in any lighting.

• Now Brief: Personalized daily updates, including reminders, calendar events, fitness summaries, and health data insights.

• Photo Assist: AI-powered image enhancements for object editing, angle adjustments, and background improvements.

• On-device Interpreter: Real-time translation without network dependency for seamless communication.

Distinctive Olympic Design
The device features a signature blue back glass, reflecting Milano Cortina 2026 and Samsung’s identity, paired with a gold metal frame symbolizing excellence and podium moments. It comes with a clear magnet case decorated with gold laurel leaves, along with custom Olympic wallpapers and animations inspired by winter sports.

Enhanced Athlete Experience
Athletes can make moments memorable using features such as Dual Recording, capturing both the scene and their reactions simultaneously. The device also preloads a curated suite of apps and services to support their Games experience:

• Galaxy Athlete Card: Connects athletes, fosters community, and allows interactive exchanges.

• 100GB 5G eSIM & Samsung Wallet Services: Facilitates connectivity and daily needs, including access to beverages via the Coca-Cola Free Beverage Key.

• Athlete365 & Fitness Applications: Delivers performance, mental health support, and training insights, integrated with Galaxy AI.

• Official Olympic Apps: Includes the Olympic Games™ app, IOC Hotline, and PinQuest to enhance convenience and competition readiness.

Marking the Moment of Victory

The Victory Selfie, first introduced at Paris 2024, will debut at the Winter Games, enabling athletes to capture and share individual and team podium moments with fans and loved ones worldwide.

Celebrating the Athlete Journey

The Victory Profile, developed in collaboration with nine NOCs, showcases curated portraits captured on the Galaxy S25 Ultra to highlight each athlete’s unique personality, preparation, and journey. The first edition features approximately 490 athletes from countries including France, Germany, Italy, Korea, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, the U.K., and the U.S.

Supporting a Seamless Games-Time Experience

Samsung will distribute the Galaxy Z Flip7 Olympic Edition at Olympic Villages across six cities starting 30 January 2026, supported by Samsung Open Station on-site services for activation, data transfer, and technical assistance.

Stephanie Choi, EVP and Head of Mobile Marketing Center, Mobile eXperience (MX) Business, Samsung Electronics, said:

“Athletes are at the heart of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and Samsung has supported them for nearly 30 years through meaningful mobile innovation. The Galaxy Z Flip7 Olympic Edition will help athletes connect with fans, family, and teammates while celebrating their Games-time achievements.”

Samsung continues to innovate to enhance the Olympic and Paralympic experience, enabling athletes to share their journeys while bringing fans closer to the moments and people that define the Games.

Samsung Opens Gurugram Business Experience Studio to Showcase AI-powered Solutions for Enterprises

GURUGRAM, India,  Jan 28:  Samsung, India’s largest consumer electronics brand, today announced the launch of its state-of-the-art Business Experience Studio (BES) in Gurugram, creating a future-ready destination for enterprises to experience Samsung’s AI-powered, connected B2B solutions in real-world business environments. With an existing BES in Mumbai, the Gurugram studio further reinforces Samsung’s commitment to enabling next-generation enterprise transformation in India.

Designed as a high-impact experience centre, the BES brings together Samsung’s advanced portfolio of mobile devices, displays, healthcare technologies, and smart solutions, demonstrating how businesses can enhance productivity, operational efficiency, and digital transformation through seamless interoperability and enterprise-grade security.

Spanning 6,700 square feet, the BES, Gurugram offers a curated, immersive walkthrough for decision-makers across sectors including startups, education, hospitality, healthcare, retail, and banking. The studio features multiple experience zones that simulate real-world business scenarios, helping partners and customers visualise scalable deployment of Samsung technologies across modern workplaces.

“At Samsung, we believe the future of business will be shaped by AI-driven, intelligent experiences that are human-centric, connected, and sustainable. The Business Experience Studio in Gurugram reflects this vision by offering enterprises a space to engage with our AI-powered ecosystems in real-world settings. From smart classrooms and automated hotels to intelligent healthcare solutions and paperless banking, we are demonstrating how applied AI—embedded across devices and platforms—can enable meaningful, efficient, and scalable digital transformation. This studio is not just a showcase of technology, but a testament to our long-term commitment to building the future of enterprise, with AI at the core, alongside our partners in India and globally,” said JB Park, President & CEO, Samsung Southwest Asia.

Built on AI, Connectivity, and Trust

The BES, Gurugram highlights Samsung’s leadership in developing AI-driven solutions that work seamlessly together, enabling enterprises to modernise rapidly while maintaining high standards of reliability, manageability, and data security. Powered by Samsung’s connected ecosystem and supported by enterprise platforms such as Samsung Knox, VXT, and LYNK Cloud, these solutions enable secure, scalable deployments across distributed environments—from classrooms and hospitals to banks, retail chains, and hospitality networks.

Experience Zones at BES, Gurugram

Zone 1: Industry Solution

This zone showcases sector-specific intelligent solutions for education, retail, finance, and healthcare. The education experience features smart classrooms, teaching automation, and campus management solutions powered by next-generation interactive displays, integrated tablets, and digital notice boards, all secured through Knox.

The retail zone highlights Spatial Signage, an innovative display technology that transforms 2D content into immersive 3D viewing experiences. It also features digital advertising solutions, soft POS systems, air quality management solutions, and rugged smartphones and tablets designed to meet MIL-STD-810H durability standards.

For banking, Samsung demonstrates AI-powered finance and branch automation solutions supported by VXT-secured displays and Knox-protected mobile devices and laptops, enabling seamless and secure multi-device workflows.

Healthcare demonstrations include AI-enabled productivity tools such as voice-to-text, Note Assist, and Interpreter, enhancing clinical documentation and patient communication. DICOM-compliant display devices support medical-grade imaging, while AI-powered Digital Radiography systems—featuring capabilities like Vision Assist and Motion Alarm—are showcased for advanced diagnostics.

Zone 2: Unified Solutions

SmartThings Pro illustrates how connected, AI-powered solutions can redefine modern meeting rooms, workspaces, and hospitality environments. The hospitality experience, powered by LYNK Cloud, enables self-check-in and check-out and automated guest services. The studio also showcases Samsung’s 21:9 Front Row meeting room solution for immersive collaboration and optimised workspaces.

System air conditioners designed for residential, commercial, and industrial use demonstrate intelligent, energy-efficient cooling, powered by the AI-enabled DVM S2 Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) system that autonomously optimises performance based on environmental conditions.

The software section highlights the Knox Suite for secure device management, Knox Guard for device financing solutions, and Samsung’s hardware-embedded security capabilities.

The zone also features The Wall, Samsung’s revolutionary large-format display powered by Ultra Chroma Technology, Micro HDR, Black Seal Technology, and the Micro AI Processor. Customisable for automotive, government, hospitality, and corporate use cases, it is complemented by an AI Control Room concept offering unified monitoring with high-definition visualisation and Knox-backed security.

Zone 3: AI Home & Immersive Experiences

This zone brings Samsung’s connected lifestyle ecosystem to life through simulations of smart bedrooms, kitchens, living rooms, and work-from-home environments, alongside immersive gaming and home cinema experiences—demonstrating how AI and connectivity are transforming modern living and entertainment.

Accelerating Enterprise Transformation in India

With the launch of the BES in Gurugram, Samsung strengthens its commitment to empowering organisations in India with future-ready technologies that drive innovation, enhance customer experiences, and support sustainable growth—backed by Samsung’s leadership across devices, displays, and connected platforms.

Tiger Analytics Joins Snowflake to Power the Future of AI-Driven Energy Operations

Chennai, India, Jan 28:  Tiger Analytics, a global leader in AI and advanced analytics, today announced its collaboration with Snowflake, the AI Data Cloud company, to support the launch of Snowflake’s new Energy Solutions. Through this collaboration, Tiger, Snowflake, and other industry leaders are empowering oil, gas, and utility providers to navigate a volatile market with real-time, actionable intelligence.

As the energy sector faces intensifying pressure to strengthen operational resilience and meet ambitious sustainability goals, Tiger Analytics is delivering end-to-end Energy and ESG intelligence solutions powered by Snowflake Cortex AI. By unifying disparate IT, OT, and IoT data streams, the collaboration enables joint customers to activate AI-powered insights that drive safer, more efficient operations and accelerate the transition to a lower-carbon future.

“At Tiger, we don’t just provide insights; we bridge the critical gap between complex operational data and strategic Net-Zero objectives,” said Badrish Prakash, Global Head of Alliances at Tiger Analytics. “By combining our deep energy domain expertise with Snowflake’s cloud-native capabilities, we are redefining how the industry approaches sustainability. Our Energy & ESG Intelligence Platform transforms fragmented data into a strategic asset, enabling our customers to achieve measurable outcomes at scale.”

Transforming Energy Operations Through AI-First Innovation

Through this collaboration, Tiger Analytics and Snowflake are helping energy organizations solve their most complex challenges:

• Unified Data Intelligence: Break down silos by consolidating business, operational, and market data into a single, secure platform for end-to-end visibility across the value chain.
• Predictive Asset Performance: Use Tiger’s advanced AI/ML models to monitor asset health, proactively detect risks, and significantly reduce unplanned outages and maintenance costs.
• Safety and Emissions Optimization: Integrate field sensor data with enterprise systems to streamline operations and support the protection of life, property, and the environment.
• Governed AI at Scale: Scale AI innovation with built-in security and governance, supporting data consistency and regulatory compliance across complex energy environments.
• Ecosystem Collaboration: Leverage Snowflake Marketplace for secure data sharing between suppliers, regulators, and service partners to foster multi-party collaboration.

“Energy companies are redefining how the world energizes the future,” said Fred Cohagan, Global Head of Energy, Snowflake. “Snowflake and partners like Tiger Analytics are helping organizations build the trusted data foundation required to run more reliable operations and create long-term advantages in a dynamic energy landscape.”

Data Privacy Emerges as a Core Risk Imperative for BFSI Amid Rising Breach Costs and Shadow AI Threats

By:  Anuj Khurana, Co-founder & CEO, Anaptyss

“In an increasingly digital world, data privacy has moved beyond being a compliance checkbox to becoming a core business and risk imperative with direct financial impact. In 2025, the average cost of a data breach has risen to approximately USD 4.4 million, with financial services institutions facing even higher exposure- often exceeding USD 5.5-6.0 million per incident- given the sensitivity of their data and the complexity of their ecosystems.

Across the global BFSI landscape, threat vectors continue to evolve. Phishing and supply-chain compromises remain persistent drivers of breaches, but a newer and fast-emerging risk is the ungoverned use of AI, often referred to as ‘Shadow AI’. In India, Shadow AI already ranks among the top three contributors to breach costs, underscoring a broader global trend where the pace of AI adoption is outstripping security, governance, and regulatory controls.

At Anaptyss, we see this convergence of data privacy, cybersecurity, and financial crime risk as a defining challenge for the industry. BFSI organizations can no longer afford to manage privacy, compliance, and financial crime controls in silos. Modern risk and compliance architectures must be engineered with privacy-by-design at their core- embedding data classification, lineage and provenance tracking, access governance, model explainability, and lifecycle management directly into AML, fraud detection, and risk analytics platforms.

By aligning data governance with real-time risk intelligence and resilient operating controls, financial institutions can not only reduce privacy breach exposure but also strengthen their defenses against financial crime. On this Data Privacy Day, the message is clear: responsible data and AI governance is no longer optional- it is foundational to trust, resilience, and sustainable innovation in the financial services ecosystem.”

Beauty Leads, Electronics Slip as Online Payments Overtake COD in Republic Day Sale 2026: GoKwik

Republic Day Sale 2026 Sets New Benchmarks: Beauty Surges While Electronics Dip; Online Payments Flip Cash on Delivery, Reveals GoKwik Insights

New Delhi, Jan 27: The 77th Republic Day has officially concluded, not just with parades, but with a massive digital footprint that cements the occasion as a primary shopping season in the Indian calendar. New data released by GoKwik reveals that the 2026 Republic Day sale period witnessed a robust 34% year-on-year growth in orders, signalling a maturing D2C ecosystem where consumer intent is high and distinct from traditional festive sales.

The e-commerce enablement platform released its post-sale insights, capturing how Indians shopped during the Republic Day period. The data reveals sharp shifts in category trends, payment preferences, and shopping timing.

The “Glow-Up” Surges, Electronics Dip According to GoKwik, the 2026 sale saw a massive acceleration in the Beauty and Personal Care (BPC) sector. Data indicates that the Beauty and Personal Care category nearly doubled its order volume, surging by approximately 74% year-on-year. This growth was driven by a high demand for “Clean Beauty,” haircare, and skincare products.

In contrast, the Electronics category saw a decline of nearly 24% in order volumes compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, Fashion sustained its position as a dominant category, continuing to drive a significant portion of the total sale volume alongside Beauty.

Online Payments Flip the Script Perhaps the most significant behavioral marker of the 2026 sale was the collapse of Cash on Delivery (COD) dominance. For the first time in this sale period’s history, online payments accounted for the majority of orders, edging out COD. This marks a fundamental maturing of the Indian shopper, driven by increased trust in homegrown brands and the allure of “Prepaid Discounts.”

The “Coffee & Cart” Ritual Shopping activity showed a distinct move toward early hours. The “Morning Rush” emerged as the prime shopping window, contributing the highest volume of orders. Unlike previous years defined by late-night impulse buys, 2026 shoppers were decisive early risers, checking out their carts before clocking in for the workday.

The “Tiranga” Effect in Bharat The sale also highlighted a deep-rooted thematic connection. Merchants fully embraced the theme with “Patriotic” coupon codes like REPUBLIC26, BHARAT, and FREEDOM seeing category-wide adoption.

Beyond discounts, the sale spurred a demand for identity. Merchandise with “Republic” and “Tiranga” themes, ranging from tricolor apparel to special edition stationery and curated snack combos, saw brisk sales. Notably, a significant portion of these thematic orders were shipped to Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns in states like Assam, West Bengal, and Odisha, highlighting that the patriotic sentiment driving consumption is a truly pan-India phenomenon.

Commenting on the findings, Chirag Taneja, Co-founder and CEO, GoKwik, said:

“The data reflects a fundamental shift in Indian consumer behaviour. What’s fascinating is how the top categories behaved this season. Beauty and Personal Care grew aggressively by ~75%, while Fashion sustained its strong contribution. Furthermore, with online payments overtaking COD, we are witnessing the maturation of the Indian online shopper in real-time. They are decisive, they pay digitally, and they shop before breakfast.”

GoKwik’s insights are derived from network data analyzing millions of orders across D2C brands, comparing the performance of the Republic Day sale period in 2026 against 2025.