AI FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
Quantum could solve AI energy drain, says tech founder
Quantum computers could curb the vast energy demands of artificial intelligence data centres with their ability to run complex calculations, one of the tech's pioneers told AFP. Australian startup Diraq is conducting the first field test worldwide putting a small quantum computer based on a silicon chip in a commercial data centre in Sydney. Diraq's computer installed in Equinix's Sydney data centre has eight quantum bits, or qubits, on a silicon chip.
BPO jobs on a seesaw as bots call the shots
Voice AI is driving call centres even as hiring grows, but the shift towards complex tasks leaves freshers scrambling for a new career ladder.
Nvidia stock crashes 8% after a 'foreign intelligence' probe initiated by AI company into CEO Jensen Huang
Nvidia's announcement of the investigation on Sunday followed Huang's acknowledgment that he had been intimate with a business executive who, according to The New York Times, U.S. intelligence determined was gathering information for China.
Why cheap stocks offer more safety than strong inflows, says Sundaram AMC MD
Two years ago, seasoned asset manager Anand Radhakrishnan moved from a long, successful stint as Chief Investment Officer (CIO) at Franklin Templeton India to take over as Managing Director (MD) at Sundaram Asset Management Company. In this conversation with Sanket Dhanorkar, he shares his views on the market correction, shift in interest rate cycle, valuations and money flows, and more.
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Under attack, banks bolster cyber covers, opt for higher sum assured to protect against hits
For large financial institutions, the biggest impact often is the loss arising from systems remaining unavailable after an attack, rather than the immediate cost of the breach. Besides business interruption, ransomware, data theft, cyber extortion and third-party liabilities are among the key risks.
How to invest this Diwali: ICICI Prudential AMC’s Chockalingam Narayanan shares his Samvat 2083 playbook
As investors prepare for Samvat 2083, the focus is shifting towards companies with strong earnings and cash flows. ICICI Prudential AMC suggests that the market is valuing current earnings more than distant growth predictions. The recovery in IT stocks may signal changing technology spending trends, but caution is advised. Opportunities in India's manufacturing and investment landscape could arise from supply-chain diversification and new trade agreements.
Risk-off mood sweeps European stocks as AI concerns deepen
European markets saw a 1% dip as a wave of selloffs hit insurance stocks following a Democratic victory, raising concerns around the stability of AI investments. A significant downgrade of German reinsurers by JPMorgan added to the insurance sector's woes. Yet, clean energy stocks thrived, bolstered by renewed support for green initiatives.
Equinix seeking land for India data centres: CEO
The world’s largest data centre operator by footprint, valued at nearly $100 billion, has invested $365 million in India and sees significant opportunities in AI inference, the process of using trained models to generate responses and run business applications. Such workloads require proximity to enterprise data, users and networks.
Investors in other markets would be envious of India multiples: Rich Handler, chief executive of Jefferies
Jefferies CEO Rich Handler believes Indian equities remain reasonably valued despite the market correction and says easing long-term capital gains taxes could attract foreign investors. He sees opportunities in India's AI and data centre sectors, argues that global capital outflows reflect external pressures, and believes concerns about an AI bubble warrant a healthy pause rather than alarm.
Largecaps could finally have their day in Samvat 2083, says TCG AMC’s Shahzad Madon
Largecaps, which have lagged mid- and smallcaps for much of 2026, could finally regain market leadership in Samvat 2083 as investors turn to businesses with stronger balance sheets, credible management and sustainable earnings growth, according to TCG AMC’s Shahzad Madon.
Cashfree opens checkout to AI agents, leaves final say with shoppers
Cashfree has introduced Checkout for Agents, allowing AI agents to assist with online payments. This feature utilises WebMCP technology to simplify the checkout process for AI shopping assistants. Customers still maintain control over final payment authorisation and sensitive information is protected. While AI agents currently represent less than 1% of checkout traffic, Cashfree aims to enhance their efficiency. The company limits agent access to sensitive payment steps to ensure security.
TReDS sees a festive boost; Nykaa’s growth strategy
Happy Friday! Festive inventory demand has lifted invoice financing on TReDS platforms. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.
Stop AI from Eroding Your Brand
Artificial intelligence is changing how companies operate and how customers experience their brands. New research suggests that companies with lower levels of “brand debt”—the trust, relevance, and consistency lost when products, experiences, and decisions drift away from customer expectations—are significantly more likely to outperform their peers. Drawing on a benchmark of 60 companies and lessons from Bose’s digital transformation, the lessons here are that managing brand debt should become an enterprise-wide priority rather than a marketing exercise. As AI increasingly shapes customer interactions, companies that manage brand debt deliberately will be better positioned to strengthen trust, sustain growth, and preserve competitive advantage
AI will level the playing field for SMBs competing with larger businesses: Oracle NetSuite’s Amit Suxena
Suxena said that a massive technological revolution is underway and these are exciting times for new businesses, start-ups, and companies looking to expand.
AI bubble is coming, and there is no way out! Aswath Damodaran explains what investors should do before the crash begins
Valuation expert Aswath Damodaran believes an AI bubble is inevitable and investors cannot avoid its impact entirely. In a recent podcast, he traced the AI frenzy to ChatGPT's 2022 launch, which brought artificial intelligence into public consciousness. He explained how advances in computing power and access to vast amounts of data have transformed AI and fuelled today's enthusiasm.
From enterprises to SMBs: How Flashfox AI plans to change the hiring game
GetWork’s AI hiring business, now spun off as Flashfox AI, is targeting 500 enterprise clients in the next 24 months as it expands into Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
Beyond ‘no subscription’, NeoSapien sees a paid future for advanced AI features
The Bengaluru-based AI wearables startup is exploring another funding round in early 2027 but its CEO said there was no pressure to raise capital because its cash burn remained low and capital from earlier round was still in the bank.
Freshworks crosses $1 billion ARR as enterprise push lifts growth
Revenue for the July-September quarter rose to $245.4 million from $215.1 million a year earlier. Net profit stood at $18.3 million, compared with a loss of $4.7 million in the year-ago period. Its non-GAAP operating margin expanded to 29.8% from 21% a year earlier, while adjusted free cash flow increased 29% to $73.9 million.
Why is Microsoft borrowing $25 billion after offering buyouts to 60,000 employees?
Microsoft 25 billion bond sale: Microsoft is raising $25 billion through a bond sale as AI infrastructure costs rise, days after offering voluntary buyouts to nearly 60,000 employees. The company expects up to 3,000 employees to accept the exit offer as it prepares to spend $175 billion on capital expenditure in 2026.
Coders out, VCs in: Investors bet billions on AI-first services
The AI-native services firms’ promise of high margins and rapid growth with fewer people has attracted the interest of VC firms. If Distyl AI raised $175 million at a $1.8 billion valuation a year ago, Wonderful raised $550 million at a $5 billion valuation in September.
India’s small companies need to see AI as more than an artificial promise
India MSME news: India's micro, small and medium enterprises are exploring the adoption of artificial intelligence to enhance productivity. AI is expected to generate significant economic value for these enterprises in manufacturing and services sectors. Various challenges remain regarding the integration of AI into existing workflows and overcoming cost barriers. Collaborative efforts among industry bodies, technology providers, and the government are essential for facilitating this transition.
Banks report 10-50% gains in productivity, turnaround time and costs from AI-led initiatives
Several banks in India have implemented artificial intelligence initiatives that have increased productivity and efficiency significantly. Notably, Kotak Mahindra Bank has improved its handling of corporate servicing volumes by 20-30% with the same workforce. Axis Bank's AI solutions are enhancing customer experience and improving operational efficiency across its operations. HDFC Bank has reported a reduction in service delivery turnaround times by 30%, reflecting the impact of digitization.
UP looks beyond Lucknow to boost startups, MSMEs as Aavishkaar, Intellecap partner with Invest UP
With more than 11.5 million MSMEs across the state, Uttar Pradesh is looking beyond its established startup centres to build a wider enterprise ecosystem. A new Invest UP partnership with Aavishkaar Foundation and Intellecap aims to take capital, advisory support and market connections closer to entrepreneurs across its districts.
The next AI advantage for India's developers: Turning code into companies
In India's rapidly growing builder economy, AI is revolutionising software creation, allowing developers to generate code and build prototypes in minutes. But speed is only half the battle-code to deployment is the other half. Through tools like GoDaddy's Developer Platform, the real opportunity is achieving this next half of the challenge seamlessly and turning fast-built applications into viable, long-lasting products and thriving companies.
Google Cloud showcases AI tools to help Indian SMBs boost productivity, automate operations
The demonstration took place at Cloud Day India 2026 in New Delhi, which was attended by more than 600 business and technology leaders. The event was held under the theme 'Any size. Every scale. AI that works for you'.
India among Oracle NetSuite's highest-priority markets, says Asia head Amit Suxena
Speaking to PTI on the sidelines of Oracle AI World, Amit Suxena, group vice president and head of Asia at Oracle NetSuite, an AI-native business management platform, said momentum among Indian businesses had been growing over the last four to five years.
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