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Last night, we were at a dinner meeting with our client. You know how these things go, right? What started as a discussion on the economy and market somehow landed us on the topic that seems to be the biggest buzz these days: artificial intelligence. We all exchanged stories about the AI tools people were experimenting with, how they were quietly got into our day-to-day work, and even a few funny examples about prompts gone wrong.

But then, as always happens with AI discussions, one of my colleague, he just went ahead and dropped the big question: 'Will it ever surpass human intelligence? And what happens to investment managers and professionals like us then?'

Most people around the table, they were quite sure, no tension. "Arre baba, no chance!" they said. "Humans will always be important, boss." We have our creativity, our feelings, our gut instincts. Machines can copy, sure, but real understanding? Not possible, yaar.

… a couple of us were not so quick to agree.

Because today's AI isn't just crunching numbers or storing data like some simple software. It learns. It predicts. It reasons. We have also heard of instances where It even bends the truth when it helps achieve a goal. It's building meaning in ways that reflects our own brains, but with one big difference… while we share knowledge one chat, one experience at a time, AI can instantly merge everything it learns across millions of copies. It does not just grow… it multiplies. That scale is something to be concerned about.

So, what happens when reasoning, cognition, and even what feels like understanding aren't just human traits anymore? This is the core issue, right?

For me, this isn't about hitting the panic button or getting stressed. It's about evolution. AI isn't here to replace us; it's here to amplify us. It'll tackle the scale and complexity we can't possibly manage or even visualise today, freeing us up to focus on what truly makes us human…. our creativity, our judgment, and our unique ability to ask not just 'how,' but 'why.'

Maybe the real question is not if AI will replace us, but how we will evolve with it… and who's going to lead that evolution.

So, what do you all think ? Are we overestimating our human supremacy, or are things shifting faster than we realise?

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Originally posted on LinkedIn on July 26, 2025.

Yesterday, State Bank of India celebrated its 70th Foundation Day, marking 219 years of financial legacy. It’s also been a decade since the Digital India initiative, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, began reshaping how the country connects, transacts, and grows.

At SBI MUTUAL FUND, we carry forward both these legacies, scale and digital inclusion. As India’s largest asset manager, our investors include app-first millennials and walk-in retirees, first-time SIP investors, and seasoned investors who engage every week. One platform, many journeys.

To make these journeys easier, more intuitive, and always-on.. we are introducing "Smart Assist", our AI-powered WhatsApp assistant.

Smart Assist is trained on real investor interactions from customer service interactions, emails, contact centre transcripts, CRM queries, fund classification, Scheme Information Document (SID) disclosures, and even physical interactions and training sessions.

Whether you need help:

– Understanding fund suitability

– Comparing investment options

– Completing or updating your information

– Complete transaction capabilities.

Or just tracking your NAV, SIP and fund performance…it’s available to you in natural language, any time, any day—on WhatsApp.

This is more than automation. It’s a system that learns from experience, scales with intelligence, and ensures that every investor, no matter where they are, is just one message away from clarity.

To get started, here’s a page that shows you everything Smart Assist can do: https://lnkd.in/d-bX-BF8

Say “Hi” to 9833657657 on WhatsApp and experience Smart Assist capabilities from us.

As with any AI-based services, there will be updates, improvements, and the occasional glitch. Your feedback is what helps us get better.

https://lnkd.in/dX-Sb3_C

SmartAssist

sbimf.com

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Originally posted on LinkedIn on July 2, 2025.

I recently watched a viral short film on YouTube called Prompt Theory, made entirely using Google’s new Veo 3 model. Everything in it .. characters, dialogue, emotions was generated by AI.

In the video, AI-generated characters begin to realise they’re not real… just “prompts.”

One of them even protest “We are not prompts!”

While this video was meant as entertainment… once you start going beyond the visuals and ask “what if?” .. it gets interesting.

We often say we’ve “built” AI with code, data, and GPUs. But what if we didn’t build intelligence…But what if we just tuned into a frequency of intelligence that was always there?

Like electricity … always there, until someone figured out how to plug and use it.

Like radio waves .. floating around, waiting for a receiver to be built.

Even our ancient philosophy and texts hint at this

“यथा पिण्डे तथा ब्रह्माण्डे, यथा ब्रह्माण्डे तथा पिण्डे”

“As is the individual, so is the universe. As is the universe, so is the individual.”

And then there’s the simulation theory …

What if this isn’t invention… but discovery inside a larger script? A prompt inside a prompt? 😵‍💫

No conclusions. No conspiracy theory being launched 😅

Just sharing a “prompt” that’s been germinating in my head — and maybe yours too?

Here is the YouTube link to the video https://lnkd.in/d7-RC334

"We Are Not PROMPTS!"

youtube.com

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Originally posted on LinkedIn on May 31, 2025.

Today, the buzz across X, WhatsApp chats and newsrooms was hard to miss. India has stepped past Japan to become the world’s fourth largest economy. NITI Aayog made it official, and proud posts flooded in. And while it’s worth celebrating, this wasn’t a surprise. It was bound to happen… and there’s more to come.

Numbers speak louder than words. Last week in a podcast with Yashraj Erande I had mentioned about… “Stories behind the numbers speak loudest of all.”

India’s rise isn’t accidental. It’s been built on structural changes: over 530 million Jan Dhan accounts opened, Aadhaar reaching 1.36 billion people, UPI clocking nearly 18 billion transactions last month worth ₹24 trillion, 35 million homes built under PMAY, 110 million rural households now with tap water, ₹1.46 trillion invested under PLI generating ₹12.5 trillion in output, and 24.82 crore people escaping multidimensional poverty in the last decade alone.

This isn’t just scale. This is speed meeting scale.

Japan, once the poster child of post war economic miracles, has flattened… and in some years, even shrunk. China, after decades of rapid expansion, is now slowing, hovering around 4 percent growth. India? We’re growing at 6 to 7 percent… better than most major economies.

But I believe we have more in us. If things align, there’s no reason we can’t hit 8, 9, even 10 percent. We’ve done it in bits and pieces before. And when that happens… when we grow 5 to 6 percentage points faster than China… the game truly changes.

We’ve formalised large parts of our economy through GST and digital infrastructure. We’ve empowered small entrepreneurs with access to credit. We’ve expanded roads, electrified homes, built health safety nets, and created digital systems admired globally.

Overtaking Germany in GDP terms is next. But this isn’t about rankings… it’s about prosperity across Bharat. From the lens of someone working in financial inclusion through wealth creation, I can see it. More Indians are investing. SIPs, mutual funds, equity markets… they’re part of household discussions now, like cricket.

As we approach 2047… 100 years of being an independent nation… this decade will define us. Not just where we rank, but how we grow, and who benefits.

So yes, surpassing Japan is a milestone. But it’s not the finish line. It’s just the start of a very different kind of race

SBI MUTUAL FUND Narendra Modi NITI Aayog NITI Aayog Official

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Originally posted on LinkedIn on May 25, 2025.

His point was clear: LLMs can read everything ever written, but they still don’t really understand the world. They don’t learn like we do,by seeing, doing, experiencing.

At yesterday’s Google I/O, this line of thinking came up again. But this time, not just in theory.

Demis Hassabis said: “We are working to extend Gemini into a World Model—one that can make plans and imagine experiences by simulating the world, like the human brain does.”

And now this concept looks very real.

We saw:

– Project Astra, which Google now calls the start of a Universal AI Assistant. It can see your screen, listen to your voice, remember what you asked and respond in context.

– Gemini Live, which already talks, listens, and acts almost like a companion.

– Veo and Genie, which take video, images, and simple prompts and turn them into immersive, reactive environments.

For many of us who’ve seen AI as just text or chat, this is a big change.

The model is no longer just responding, it is observing, interpreting, and in some cases, acting.

It’s early days, but you can see the shift:

From tools that assist… to systems that understand.

From search and chat… to context and memory.

From “what do you want?”… to “how can I help?”

This could change how we design products, write code, take decisions and how we expect technology to work around us.

And as always, it’s moving faster than we think.

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Originally posted on LinkedIn on May 21, 2025.

There will be plenty of debate around AI models and their superiority, but my take is this: The real competition isn’t about who builds the most advanced models, but who applies them best in real life. While better technology and faster computing matter, what truly makes a difference is how AI enhances everyday tasks—be it in healthcare, banking, education, or business. The real winners will be those who make AI practical, accessible, and easy to use. It’s not just about smarter machines but about solving real problems and improving lives. In the end, AI will be measured by its impact, not just its complexity.

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Originally posted on LinkedIn on January 28, 2025.

As we look ahead to the new year, it’s natural to feel a sense of uncertainty and trepidation about what the future may hold. However, there are also many positive things to look forward to in 2023. Here are just a few examples:

1. Advances in technology: Every year, we see new technologies emerge that make our lives easier, more efficient, and more connected. In 2023, we can expect to see even more impressive developments in fields such as artificial intelligence, the internet of things, and renewable energy. These technologies have the potential to revolutionize industries, create new jobs, and improve the quality of life for people around the world.
2. Breakthroughs in healthcare: Medical research is constantly making progress, and 2023 could bring about significant advancements in the treatment and prevention of diseases. From new drugs and therapies to innovative medical devices, we can hope to see a wide range of developments that will help people live longer, healthier lives.
3. Improved infrastructure: Many countries are investing in infrastructure projects that will modernize their transportation systems, communication networks, and public facilities. In 2023, we can expect to see the completion of many of these projects, which will benefit communities by providing better access to education, healthcare, and other essential services.
4. Environmental progress: Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time, and 2023 could be a year in which we see significant progress in the fight against it. Governments, businesses, and individuals around the world are taking steps to reduce their carbon emissions and adopt more sustainable practices. As these efforts ramp up, we can hope to see a reduction in greenhouse gas concentrations and an improvement in the overall health of the planet.
5. Social and political changes: While it’s always difficult to predict exactly what will happen in the realm of politics and society, 2023 could be a year of positive change as people come together to address pressing issues such as inequality, discrimination, and poverty. From grassroots movements to policy reforms, we can hope to see progress being made on these important issues.

Overall, while there are certainly challenges ahead, there are also many reasons to be hopeful and optimistic about the future. With hard work and determination, we can work towards a better world for everyone in 2023 and beyond.