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Bigger cheques, fewer winners in India’s AI boom
Indian AI startups raised $1.6 billion in funding during the first nine months of 2026. While AI infrastructure attracted significant investments, application startups faced declining funding and challenges in securing customers. Large transactions constituted most of the total funding, highlighting a disparity in investment distribution.
Sundar Pichai pens welcome note to Mark Zuckerberg, says 'excited to serve Google Cloud customers'
Google CEO Sundar Pichai welcomed Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's announcement that three of the company's AI models are now available on Google Cloud's Model Garden. The models feature multimodal capabilities and context windows of up to 1 million tokens, marking a collaboration between the two tech giants.
Rippling steps up AI hiring in India, looks to expand enterprise push
The firm is hiring principal engineers, senior staff engineers and senior directors among others as the lab focuses on developing core components of Rippling’s global AI platform, Parandekar told ET in an exclusive interaction.
Qcomm’s Diwali boost; Energy startups attract funds
Happy Wednesday! Quick commerce powered a strong festive season for D2C brands. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.
How intelligent commerce is shaping the next frontier of merchant payments
For a decade, the task in India’s merchant payments was to get every shop and website to accept digital money. The value, leaders argued, at GFF 2026, is now moving to identity, risk, credit and growth, and to preparing the checkout for AI agents that may soon shop on consumers’ behalf.
India’s product landscape is changing: Which products are setting the benchmark across technology, finance, and consumer markets?
The ET Product of the Year Awards 2026 showcase India's rapidly growing product ecosystem by honoring groundbreaking innovations across diverse sectors such as enterprise technology, financial services, and consumer markets. These awards place emphasis on products that have made a significant market impact, gained customer adoption, and demonstrated exceptional innovation, motivating companies to present their tangible successes and contributions to the industry.
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China’s high-tech ports push raises global trade ambitions, sparks security concerns
China is expanding its global maritime influence through AI-powered automated ports, smart shipping technologies and digital infrastructure. While these innovations promise greater efficiency, Western governments fear growing dependence on Chinese systems could create security vulnerabilities, geopolitical leverage and risks to critical global supply chains and international trade networks
From streaming to software, microdrama startups rewrite their growth pitch
Peak XV Partners-backed Dashverse has discontinued its consumer platform DashReels and is looking to raise $30-40 million, largely for Frameo AI, its video production software for businesses. Eloelo, which raised $80 million this week led by Hornbill Capital and NBCUniversal, is investing in Dolphin AI, its new production suite, alongside content creation and international expansion.
Human, all too human: More than whether Jensen Huang can survive the scandal, can Nvidia survive Jensen Huang?
Nvidia's co-founder Jensen Huang has acknowledged an extramarital affair which has raised security concerns. He reportedly engaged with a Chinese businesswoman who may have influenced his lobbying efforts. Nvidia has initiated an independent investigation regarding these allegations and their implications. Although personal scandals might impact reputation, Huang's leadership is currently deemed important for the company's future. Nvidia's board maintains confidence in Huang as they navigate this challenging situation.
The US, Singapore and Taiwan have all looked at Alice Huang or her company Megaspeed; here’s what each investigation covers
One Chinese businesswoman, three countries and a growing national security controversy. Alice Huang has drawn scrutiny in the US, Singapore and Taiwan over her alleged links to Beijing and her former company, Megaspeed. But each country's role is different. While US authorities have examined suspected Chinese intelligence links, Singapore is investigating Megaspeed, and Taiwan's reported inquiry centres on her alleged connections to China.
AI sharpens cat-and-mouse hacking battle as companies strengthen defences
From hacked supermarket fridges and a record cryptocurrency theft at Binance to an emergency over flaws in widely used web software, companies worldwide are facing a wave of cyber threats executives say AI is accelerating
U.S. and Japanese Companies Struggle with Different Parts of AI Adoption—and Offer Different Lessons for Making It Work
Companies in both the U.S. and Japan are struggling to deploy AI, but often in very different ways. In the U.S., deployment is wide but shallow, meaning companies struggle to create real value with AI. In Japan, deployment has moved slowly, but where it has happened, it’s often deep and fruitful. Understanding what’s happening in both contexts offers important lessons for companies trying to develop an AI strategy and demonstrate ROI on their AI investments.
AI deployment accelerating, but enterprises becoming more discerning: Freshworks CEO Dennis Woodside
The Nasdaq-listed software-as-a-service (SaaS) company reported a 14% year-on-year increase in revenue to $245.4 million for the July-September quarter, marginally ahead of its guidance. Net profit stood at $18.3 million, compared with a loss of $4.7 million in the year-ago period.
Why are companies restricting AI access to employees
Goldman Sachs, Uber, JPMorgan and Nvidia are some of the global firms that have restricted their employees’ usage of AI tools
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.
Tesla misled South Korean customers about automated-driving tech, consumer group alleges
Tesla has marketed Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software to prospective buyers in South Korea for years, often collecting lump-sum payments of 9.043 million won ($6,726).
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.
Tesla misled South Korean customers about automated-driving tech, consumer group alleges
Tesla is facing a consumer complaint in South Korea over allegedly misleading customers by selling its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software to buyers whose vehicles cannot legally use it. The software, which was sold for a one-time payment of 9.043 million won ($6,726), is compatible with only about 20% of Tesla cars registered in the country, mainly US-made models.
SaaS firm Capillary’s AI platform drives new customer wins, revenue grows 51%
Capillary’s aiRA (AI-powered Research Assistant) is an AI agent for enterprise brands that helps connect customer data across platforms and identifies opportunities to acquire, convert, retain and reactivate customers. It also executes campaigns through existing marketing tools, with human approval. It works with data from platforms such as Salesforce, Snowflake, Databricks, Google Ads and Meta, according to the investor presentation.
AI on the clock as fintechs demand payoff for spends
September-quarter earnings calls of Paytm, Pine Labs, Groww, PB Fintech, Kissht and Mobikwik reveal a shift across payments, stockbroking, lending and insurance. AI is moving beyond chatbots and experiments into decisions affecting the cost of acquiring, serving and retaining customers.
SaaS firm Capillary Technologies’ Q2 profit at Rs 21.9 crore, revenue rises 51%
Adjusted Ebitda (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation) rose 103% year-on-year (YoY) to Rs 44.9 crore, while adjusted Ebitda margin grew to 17% from 12% a year prior. SessionM, the US-based loyalty platform acquired from Mastercard in May, achieved breakeven during the quarter, Capillary said.
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.
ET Product of the Year Awards 2026: Categories recognising products driving market impact
The Economic Times Product of the Year Awards 2026 celebrate cutting-edge innovations that make a substantial difference in the market and attract customer loyalty across diverse industries. Categories feature Enterprise SaaS, FinTech, Cybersecurity, as well as consumer goods such as banking solutions and smartphones. Judging criteria prioritize market presence, adoption rates, creativity, and execution excellence, with an emphasis on quantifiable achievements.
China's robot makers have mastered the moves. Now comes the race for brains
The shift is fuelling an investment boom in embodied AI, a field focused on software that allows robots to understand their surroundings, learn unfamiliar tasks and adapt without having to be programmed for every job.
AU Small Finance Bank data leak: Salesforce says no vulnerability at its end
Salesforce has stated no vulnerabilities were found concerning a suspected data leak at AU Small Finance Bank. The bank is investigating claims of a breach by hackers, affecting sensitive customer data. Reportedly compromised information includes KYC records and personal identification documents, while the bank assures its core systems are unaffected. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently warned of increasing cyberattack threats to the economy.
Odoo 20 strengthens business operations with deeper India-specific compliance features
Odoo 20 has launched several updates designed specifically for Indian businesses. These updates focus on enhancing GST compliance, payroll processing, and accounting workflows to meet local demands. The integration of AI facilitates improved data handling and analysis in everyday operations, ultimately boosting productivity.
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.
AU Small Finance investigating potential data leak involving SaaS platform
AU Small Finance Bank is investigating a potential data leak involving a Salesforce-managed software platform that holds limited information on its vehicle loan customers. The bank said its own systems remain unaffected and banking services are operating normally.
Amazon lays down AI usage guidelines for software engineers; here’s what it wants
Amazon recently issued internal guidelines regarding the use of artificial intelligence by its software engineers. The guidelines emphasize enhancing customer engagement while utilizing AI to tackle customer challenges effectively. Employees are cautioned against the practice of 'tokenmaxxing,' which could lead to increased costs and complexity. The company advocates for the development of 'Renaissance Developers' who merge AI tools with business understanding.
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