Author: Shabbir Chunawalla

Is it believable that an animal can exist without oxygen? Of course, there are microorganisms called anaerobic microbes which survive without oxygen, but a multi-cellular animal, without cellular respiration too can survive seems to be far-fetched but it is true. The amazing animal is Henneguya salmincola, a parasite that lives in certain fishes. It has less than 10 cells. It has no locomotion power. To survive, it has to live inside the other organism. It does not have mitochondrial genes (lacks mitochondria which instruct cells to utilize oxygen as energy source).

Inside the body of the marine fishes, it could have evolved and adapted to the external environment. It is fed by the nutrients inside the host’s body. It takes energy from the cell of the fish. It is possible that it may be using processed food. This is done quick and fast.

This discovery changed the perspective of animal behaviors. It is a radical shift in animal biology. It gets its energy from other way which is not known to us.

Our thinking about life can alter. Animals too can adapt much more amazingly than we can ever think about. How animals must be adapting in adverse circumstances when they inhabit the seabed? The issue relevant is for astrobiology.

Glance AI is a subsidiary of InMobi. It is a shopping platform that provides lockscreen engagement and monetization. It is an AI-based commerce platform available in 140 countries. It provides personalized shopping recommendations to users based on their preferences and occasions.

In its first year, it expects to attract 100 million users. Half of them will come from India. It will gain initial traction in markets such as the US and Japan. The platform is available on both Android and iOS devices.

It generated in the US trials an ARPU of $50. The average APPU will settle for $15.

The revenue model is sharing of revenue with brand partners, with Glance’s share could range between 20-30 per cent.

Glance TV is the large screen innovation of mobile lockscreen version.

According to Ramaswamy and Narayanan, the interaction between AI and human beings co-creates value that expands beyond physical goods and services into co-intelligence-driven life experiences. (The Co-intelligence Revolution, Penguin Random House). The previous Industrial Revolutions focused on the exchange of goods and services to create value. In co-intelligence revolution, AI factories produce tokens of intelligence that facilitate new emergent life-experiences. These are co-created with AI in a co-intelligent world.

They have coined a new term — life-xverse, an interconnected world of nature, society, economy and technology (NEST). It is eco-system across physical, digital and virtual realities. There are co-intelligence flows. AI does not remain a passive agent. It is a dynamic element of this eco-system.

In 2025, agentic AI will emerge as a highly competitive teammate. Agentic AI is going to be used for customer service automation in banking. Agentic AI could also be used for autonomous fraud detection in banking. Agentic AI will be used in logistics to do inventory tracking and predicting stock levels. It will autonomously replenish inventories. It can optimize routing in supply chains. It will assist smart warehousing.

In healthcare, agentic AI could match patient needs and preferences with the availability of medical experts. It will monitor vital parameters such as BP and sugar. It will help in generating reports. Doctors can analyze data about patients and customize treatment plans.

Data can be gathered from a variety of sources — sensors, internet and databases. There could be a feedback loop.

To begin with, automaton involved processes such as Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and workflow automation. These are well suited for repetitive compliance driven rule-based tasks. They are not suited for content-dependent, unstructured and evolving scenarios. Agentic AI plays a role here. It adapts the decisions by being a transformative layer.

Agentic AI manager consists of a lac of professionals, whereas we require double the number of professionals by 2026. The manpower required consists of agentic AI developers, architects, solution engineers, and testers.

There are issues about the control and accountability of agentic AIs. Enough safeguards are to be provided while developing them. There should be audit oversight. There should be suitable laws to regulate them. In future, AI could become a distinct legal entity with its own rights and responsibilities.

Microsoft laid off 6000 employees recently. The job cuts affected hardest on software developers. They are at risk in this age of artificial intelligence (AI). AI tools are capable of writing or analyzing code previously done by engineers typing on their keyboards. At Microsoft, 30 per cent of some projects code is now written by AI.

In this AI -powered future, no role is sacred. However, there is an opportunity for those who are ready to ride the wave.

Global tech giants are reducing the layers of management. Even Indian IT sector will follow suit sooner or later. Operations will get flatter. At mid-level, only AI-savvy manpower may retain their jobs. So far coding was considered an essential skill for a high paying career in tech. A few years back, companies were hiring software engineers left, right and center. They drew attractive packages and their jobs were secure. Not any longer. AI has radically changed the game. According to a LinkedIn survey AI literacy is considered to be the top skill. Corporates are desperate to recruit those who possess AI skills.

In India, job openings in the AI sector are likely to grow to 2.3 million by 2027, whereas the available AI pool is expected be around 1.2 million, thus leaving a significant gap of around millions skilled workers.

To fill the gap and make the AI sector thrive, there is a need for upskilling and reskilling programmes. Generative AI will embed itself in the workplace further. Indian companies must rise to the occasion. Employees should be kept ready for AI-driven economy. It is a truism what Jensen Huang says: ‘You will not lose your job to AI but will lose it to someone who uses it.’

There are a number of family-owned Big Law firms, some mid-sized firms and some small firms in India. Of late, we find boutique law firms emerging in India which operate in highly specialized field. These are lean and agile outfits. Being small, they maintain excellent client-attorney relationship. The intimacy between client-attorney is a casualty while dealing with a Big Law firm. Some 25 such firms are practising now in India. It is a clear shift towards specialization. There is direct partner involvement, a reputation for excellence in complex, high stake mandates.

These specialized firms operate the field of corporate disputes, technology, IP, regulatory or fund work, They are committed to premium service. They have sectoral depth. It should not be assumed that these specialized firms undercut the big firms. On the contrary, they charge higher fees. They bring high value and specialization to table.

Some firms specialize in white collar crimes and corporate governance law. Some operate in transactional law. These small firms have 25 lawyers and some 3 to 5 partners. They do a few things, but they do it exceptionally well. Some firms specialize in competition law.

Big law firms have one major advantage. They have formidable bench strength — say they can assign a 10000-crore deal to 100 lawyers for a 60-days closure. Small law firms have started collaborating with each other. A firm may refer a client to another firm, say one that specialized in mergers and acquisitions. AI tools too help the small firms by democratizing access to information. Family-owned firms have limited autonomy. The partners are just glorified employees. There is no loyalty that binds the manpower to the firm.

Small firms maintain work-life balance. They are flexible and the work environment is not toxic.

Brand names do not matter. Individual expertise is valued these days.

Compensation structure attracts talents to the specialized firms. Specialized firms are not merely budget options. Clients recognize their true value. They are not everything to everyone, but excel at what they do.

AI is slowly making inroads into legal firms — large, medium and small — and is also being adopted by independent practitioners.

Automation of workflow is growing, and it makes a perceptible difference. AI takes over tasks traditionally handled by lawyers. This reduces billable hours and fees for the clients. Some boutique law firms, where AI is used to automate workflow, the delivery is faster and there is more contextual work. These expert-driven firms become more competitive. New age firms can also effectively compete with legacy firms. Smaller firms find technology and AI as enablers. It is almost like having an associate attached to an associate who can handle checklists, data tracking, drafting etc. It frees lawyers for exercising their core competence more effectively — high value advisory work, complex litigation and transactional services. In bigger firms, multiple associates are involved in basic tasks, leading at times to disprortionately higher fees.

India’s legal firms both big and small have shed their tech-averse image and adopted AI with a bang. Shardul Mangaldas (SAM) has tied up with Harvey, a generative AI platform and has adopted its full AI suite across its seven offices. It strengthens legal innovation, contract drafting, due diligence, legal research and predictive analysis. Khaitan and Co. has designed their in-house AI platform — KAI (Khaitan AI). AI is being used for information retrieval.

Adoption rate varies. Metro and top-tier firms are early adaptors. Smaller and regional firms still hesitate due to lack of awareness, costs involved, and level of tech expertise required.

AI should enhance efficiency without compromising quality and client confidentiality. We should harness the benefits of AI judiciously.

Pharmacology

Mounjaro slows down the passage of food through the digestive tract, leading to satiety. It reduces appetite and food craving. It stimulates insulin production when needed. Thus, it lowers blood sugar level. It also reduces sugar secretion through liver. It improves insulin sensitivity, thus ensuring blood sugar control. It supports fat tissue loss.

Monjara is made from trizepatide, which mimics two hormanes — GLP1 and GIP.

Trizepatide is a prescription medicine meant for type 2 diabetics. It is also approved for weight loss in obese individuals. It is not for cosmetic weight loss.

Dosage

The starting dose is 2.5 mg once a week for four weeks. The dose is then increased to 5 mg weekly. The dose can be increased to 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12 .5 mg and up to maximum 15 mg weekly. Each increase takes four weeks.

Side Effects

Gastrointestinal side effects — nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation. As the body adapts, these lessen after three months.

Long-term Use

It is designed for long-term use. It reduces four per cent of body weight after one month and around six per cent after two months. It can reduce 20 per cent of body weight, equivalent to bariatric surgery.

On discontinuation, after 6 months the patient regains 14 per cent of the body weight. Majority of people could keep the weight off.

Once started, one cannot stop. There should be disciplined lifestyle.

Civilization marches ahead by significant transformations. The first revolution was the Agrarian Revolution some 10000 years ago when man settled down for farming and domestication of animals leaving its hunter-gatherer lifestyle. It led to population growth and urban development.

Centuries passed by before the First Industrial Revolution happened in Britain (1760-1840). It used steam power and led to mechanized production, especially of textiles. Later, there were advancements such as rail-roads steam engines and mechanical production.

The Second Industrial Revolution happened on account of electricity (1870-1914). There were factories of steel and chemicals. The production floor had assembly lines. All this led to mass production. There should be mass consumption too — three were distribution channels and expansion of markets.

The Third Industrial Revolution started in the 1960s. It was stimulated by semiconductor chips, computers and internet. It is called digital revolution. There is increased connectivity, automation and digitalisation.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is among us. It is marked by fusion of several technologies. We have technologies such as AI, robotics, internet of things (IoT), biotechnology, 3D printing, quantum computing and autonomous vehicles. The 4th Industrial Revolution is very fast. It causes disruptions. There are innovations across various domains. There is inter-disciplinary and cross-disciplinary technology.

Consumers can have a better standard of living. They have access to transport, shopping and entertainment on digital platforms. There are efficiencies in logistics, transportation and supply chains. New markets have emerged. There are cost reductions. All this has substantial economic impact.

The 4th Industrial Revolution poses certain challenges — displacement of workers on account of automation. There are greater returns on capital and lesser on labour. There could be issue of inequality. Automation leads to more fulfilling and safer jobs.

Industry 5.0 or 5th Industrial Revolution focuses on man-machine collaboration, resilience and sustainability. There will be a sustainability. There will be a focus on societal well-being and value. It will be market by personalization and customization of production.

Summary

1.0 1780 Mechanisation

2.0 1870 Electrification- mass production and assembly lines.

3.0 1970 Automation using electronics and computers

3.5 1980 Globalisation-production diverted by low-cost economies

4.0 Digitalisation.

5.0 Personalization.

Salesforce is a cloud-based software company, that specializes in customer relationship management (CRM). It operates as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model. It is a leader in enterprise cloud computing.

It provides a suit of applications focused on:

Customer Service and support: e.g. Service cloud.

Sales Automation: e.g. Sales cloud.

Marketing Automation: e.g. Marketing cloud.

Analytics: e.g. Tableau

Application Development: e.g. Salesforce platform and Heroku

E-commerce and Integration: e.g. Commerce cloud and MuleSoft.

It has a strong eco-system including:

Trailhead: a learning platform for skills development.

AppExchange: A marketplace for third party applications.

Slack: It is acquired in 2021 for workforce collaboration.

Its CRM platform and related cloud services help business manage customer data, marketing, sales, service and analytics.