DATA PRIVACY RISKS
AI Can Measure How ESG Really Impacts the Bottom Line
Advances in large language models are making rigorous sustainability analysis dramatically faster and cheaper, allowing investors and other stakeholders to connect companies’ disclosed environmental and social risks directly to financialperformance in a matter of hours rather than weeks. Applying a simple methodology to ExxonMobil, the authors used AI to map sustainability-related issues to specific financial statement line items and estimate their impact on earnings and value, demonstrating both the promise and the limitations of AI-assisted analysis. As these capabilities become widely accessible, the competitive advantage long held by ESG ratings agencies, standard setters, and sustainable fund managers may erode, shifting attention from proprietary scores toward transparent assumptions and financial consequences. Human judgment remains essential to validate AI-generated outputs, but the broader trend is clear: sustainability analysis is becoming more democratized, financially grounded, and adaptable, with significant implications for how investors, regulators, and other institutions assess corporate performance and value creation.
AI turns cyber threat into boardroom crisis
In India, State Bank of India disclosed that 375,000 customer records had been leaked on the dark web, while vulnerabilities in eMudhra’s digital certificate keys exposed websites to potential attacks.
Google hands schools the AI switch as learning concerns grow
Google plans to restrict access to its AI tools for K-12 students, pending administrator approval. This change follows feedback aimed at enhancing control over classroom AI usage. The company is also expanding its Guided Learning feature, which helps students solve problems systematically. Research shows mixed results regarding AI's impact on student performance and learning outcomes.
US judge blocks Trump administration plan to flag suspected noncitizen voters
A US District Judge has ruled against the Trump administration's plans to tackle noncitizen voting. This ruling aims to protect eligible voters potentially affected by the administration's actions. The administration had been pressured to provide states with lists containing suspected noncitizen voters. Various legal setbacks have challenged these efforts before the upcoming midterm elections. The Justice Department's aggressive tactics have faced considerable opposition in the courts recently.
Hospital balance sheet: How AI could cut costs and improve efficiency
As hospitals grapple with soaring costs in drugs, supplies, and labor, the integration of AI emerges as a vital necessity.
See data centres less as energy-sucking private warehouses, and more as quasi-public utilities
We need data centres. They run far more than ChatGPT. Search, banking, streaming, social networks, cloud software, government services, hospitals and almost every company's digital operations depend on them. AI simply raises the requirement dramatically. Google says its Vizag hub will provide new subsea connectivity for India. IEA says electricity use by AI-focused data centres jumped 50% in 2025. A country without serious compute infrastructure risks becoming a consumer, rather than a producer, of the AI revolution.
Who guards India’s digital gatekeepers?
India has built effective digital systems that facilitate money transfer and identity verification across its diverse population. However, there are ongoing challenges regarding accountability and transparency in government digital platforms. Many argue that mechanisms like competition law may not be suitable for all government services.
India’s Arrakis problem: The price of what low-skilled workers know
Indian workers contribute valuable data for training AI systems, which is transforming how tasks are automated. As technology advances, low-cost labour is becoming a significant resource for AI development globally. Companies are increasingly relying on Indian workers for video data that demonstrates various physical tasks. This trend poses challenges regarding data ownership and the economic benefits for India.
India is addressing Wall Street’s favourite ‘elephant’ in the room to its own advantage
The Indian government has identified 762 potential applications of artificial intelligence across 62 ministries and departments, spanning farming, railway safety, tax compliance, public grievances, customs and healthcare. While some tools are already in use, others remain in pilot or development stages.
Centre open to changes in DPDP law to protect press freedom, says Ashwini Vaishnaw
The Centre aims to amend the Digital Personal Data Protection law to address concerns raised by news publishers. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that the law does not limit press freedom. This response follows a Supreme Court notice regarding a petition from the Digital News Publishers Association and others. Publishers argue the lack of exemption for journalism could jeopardize investigative reporting and confidential sources.
Free Fire India release date: Garena announces October 28 launch, check download details and new features
Garena has officially announced that Free Fire India will be available for download on October 28, specifically tailored for Indian players. The launch will include a Diwali campaign that showcases India's rich cultural diversity through exclusive in-game items and themed artwork. Optimized for budget smartphones, the game aims for greater accessibility while prioritizing user data security by storing information on local servers.
Anthropic IPO rocks Indian IT; Why Walmart is in no hurry to list Flipkart
Anthropic’s US IPO filing sent Indian IT stocks lower on Tuesday. This and more in today’s ETtech Top 5.
Beyond ethics policies, businesses face an AI accountability test
Indian organizations are increasingly focusing on Responsible AI, emphasizing fairness, transparency, privacy, and accountability in deploying AI technologies. The Responsible AI & Ethics category at the ET AI Awards 2027 highlights the necessity for governance, ongoing monitoring, and clear procedures for addressing errors to ensure ethical AI integration in business decision-making.
AI halves drug discovery times, but =trial bottleneck remains a costly reality
Novo Nordisk, Sanofi and Dr Reddy’s Laboratories are among the companies exploring applications ranging from drug discovery to laboratory automation and research.
Rogue AI agents exposing India’s data law blindspots
As companies edge closer to the May 2027 enforcement deadline for the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) law, AI’s emerging cybersecurity risks are creating tension over what might constitute adequate compliance just six to seven months from now.
Nvidia acquired synthetic-data startup Gretel in 2025 for more than its $320 million valuation; who were its founders?
It was founded in 2019 by Alex Watson, John Myers and Ali Golshan. Gretel had raised more than $67 million in venture capital funding before the acquisition. The original idea behind the startup was to make it easier for developers to use data that companies could not freely share due to privacy concerns or compliance rules.
PSBs step up AI adoption, cyber resilience under EASE₹ise 8.0 reforms
Public sector banks in India are focusing on adopting artificial intelligence and enhancing cyber security measures. They are modernizing their banking systems to ensure better customer service and financial inclusion. The efforts outlined in the EASE₹ise 8.0 Annual Report aim to strengthen the resilience of these banks. Additionally, banks are developing frameworks to assess climate-related risks and improve accessibility for various groups.
EssilorLuxottica's smart glasses boom runs into tougher regulatory scrutiny
Smart glasses that resemble ordinary eyewear are under increased scrutiny from European regulators and advocacy groups, leaving investors questioning whether sales can keep booming as Ray-Ban maker EssilorLuxottica
From Rome to Washington, why governments are pulling DeepSeek off official systems
At least eight governments, now including the US, have restricted the Chinese AI company's products. Most cite the same concern – user data stored in China, where the law gives the state wide powers to access it.
Load More
