WhatsApp Unveils Meta Business Agent at Mumbai Summit, Bringing AI‑driven Customer Engagement and Enterprise‑grade Conversational Commerce to India.

• WhatsApp hosts third annual Business Summit in India; announces Meta Business Agent to help businesses engage with customers and run their operations 24/7

At the third edition of its annual Business Summit in Mumbai, WhatsApp today announced Meta Business Agent – AI that lets every business show up for every customer, in every moment, as if they had an infinite team behind them. Meta Business Agent is designed to enable businesses to deliver faster, more personalized customer experiences at scale.

As businesses increasingly look to improve customer engagement and streamline operations, Meta Business Agent can deliver more relevant, personalized experiences from the very first interaction. Meta Business Agent is designed to handle key customer interactions end-to-end, around the clock including:

• Answering questions specific to the business
• Making product recommendations from the business catalog
• Booking appointments and qualifying incoming leads. 
• Enabling business owners to decide when a team member steps in to provide support

Helping close sales

Beyond customer interactions, Meta Business Agent also acts as a partner for business owners – surfacing insights from customer conversations and providing summaries of missed interactions, helping businesses stay on top of their operations and focus on growth.

Arun Srinivas, Managing Director & Country Head, Meta in India, said, "India has emerged as one of the most dynamic markets for conversational business globally, with messaging becoming the preferred way for people and businesses to connect. As AI becomes more central to the transformation of the way businesses operate, Meta Business Agent represents the next step in that journey – helping businesses harness AI to strengthen customer relationships, improve efficiency, and unlock growth."

Bringing Meta Business Agent Platform to Large Enterprises

For larger businesses that need the infrastructure to build, customize and deploy their Meta Business Agent at scale, the Meta Business Agent Platform is now available – enabling enterprises to build and customize AI-powered agents while integrating with existing business systems such as Shopify, Zendesk and Shopee. Working alongside the WhatsApp Business Platform, it provides enterprise-grade scalability, controls, and measurement.

WhatsApp also showcased how businesses like Swiggy, Madhulika Enterprises and Kaizen Adventours — early adopters of the Meta Business Agent Platform — are already building great experiences and stronger customer relationships using the AI agent.

Rohan Chhazed, Vice President- Product, Rider and Post Order Consumer Experience, Swiggy Food Marketplace said, "Technology delivers the best value when it simplifies everyday experiences for users. By bringing our delivery partner onboarding within WhatsApp with the Meta Business Agent, we are creating a faster and more intuitive journey in a platform that is already familiar to millions. This reflects our broader vision of using conversational AI to reduce complexity and make business interactions more seamless at scale. Conversational commerce is the future of how businesses will interact with their ecosystem, and we're excited to be at the forefront of this shift with Meta."

Madhulika Vikram, Founder, Madhulika Enterprises, said, “In the beauty business, clients expect immediate attention. If you don't reply in minutes, they've already moved on. As demand grew across bridal bookings, makeup courses and beauty products, we were managing hundreds of customer enquiries. Meta Business Agent was a game changer for us, because it learns about your business and handles conversations with customers. We’ve seen a 25-30% increase in conversions since we have enabled the Meta Business Agent. It’s taken care of 50-60% of my repetitive workload” 

Kaizen Adventures is a leading adventure travel company specializing in professionally managed Ladakh bike expeditions and Himalayan road trips. Sharing his views on the Meta Business Agent, Amit Hooda, Founder, Kaizen Adventours, said “Meta Business Agent helped Kaizen Adventours instantly respond to inquiries about Ladakh tours, pricing, itineraries, and bike rentals. It reduces response times, handles peak-season volumes, ensures 24/7 accuracy, and lets our team focus on operations—strengthening conversions and customer experience.”

Helping customers discover businesses

WhatsApp is also making it easier for people to discover businesses powered by Meta Business Agent. Soon, people will be able to search for a business by name directly within WhatsApp Search, or share business contacts with friends and family – making it easier to connect with trusted businesses. 

Businesses looking to enable the Meta Business Agent can click here and join the waitlist. 

About Meta

Meta is building the future of human connection, powered by artificial intelligence and immersive technologies. When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward experiences that foster deeper connections and unlock new possibilities.

AI Boom Is Creating a ‘Human Skills Economy’ as Indian Firms Accelerate Adoption: IWG Study

• 90% of HR leaders warn innovation will slow without human traits and qualities
• 65% say AI can’t replace empathy; 53% say leadership remains uniquely human
• India has the world’s highest rate of AI adoption and one of its youngest workforces, making human skills the sharpest edge in a tightening jobs market

As Indian companies accelerate AI adoption and focus on technical upskilling, new research from International Workplace Group (IWG), the world’s leading platform for work, suggests that the next workforce challenge is building the human capabilities needed to use AI creatively and collaboratively.

According to IWG’s survey, the vast majority (90%) of HR leaders believe that failing to prioritize human capabilities is a risk to innovation. This finding reflects the emergence of a new “Human Skills Economy,” in which empathy, judgment, creativity, and leadership are core to business performance.

Rise of AI: A New Operating Reality for Work

AI is now deeply embedded in everyday workflows across organizations. IWG’s survey of hundreds of HR and recruitment leaders revealed that 73% of hybrid teams are already using tools like ChatGPT and 82% of organisations offer AI training. However, HR leaders say their readiness must accelerate to keep up, with fewer than half (45%) saying they are effectively closing the skills gap, suggesting a significant number of organisations are still lagging in effective AI use.

The findings are particularly relevant for India, where organisations are rapidly moving towards AI-enabled ways of working. India leads the world in workplace AI adoption, with 73% of workers using AI tools regularly, well ahead of the United States (45%) and the United Kingdom (29%).

According to Microsoft’s 2025 Work Trend Index India findings, 93% of Indian business leaders intend to use AI agents to extend workforce capabilities within the next 12–18 months. This acceleration makes the development of human skills such as empathy, judgment, leadership and collaboration even more critical as companies redesign work around human-AI collaboration.

Humans + AI: The New Performance Model

As the labour market tightens - particularly at the entry level - employers are being forced to rethink what truly drives performance. Research from Randstad and the Institute of Student Employers shows that entry-level vacancies fell by 29% globally between January 2024 and the end of 2025, raising the bar for what differentiates candidates.

In India, that squeeze is already visible in the sector that defined its rise, with entry-level IT roles down an estimated 20 to 25% as automation absorbs routine work, even as the country fields one of the world’s youngest workforces.

While Gen Z brings a clear advantage in technological fluency, skills alone are no longer enough. The real differentiator is AI literacy: the ability to meaningfully apply AI tools in day-to-day work to unlock productivity and new ways of thinking.

In fact, research from International Workplace Group shows that nearly two-thirds of younger employees are already helping older colleagues adopt AI, from hands-on coaching to embedding tools into everyday workflows.

Against this backdrop, a new performance model is emerging, in which AI handles technical and repeatable tasks, and human capabilities define impact, leadership, and long-term value. HR leaders are clear about where humans remain essential:

• 65% say AI will never replicate human empathy
• 64% say it falls short in complex decision-making
• 53% say leadership will remain uniquely human

At the same time, boundaries are still evolving. Only 40% believe creativity will remain beyond AI’s reach, signalling a continued shift in how organisations define the line between human and machine capability.

Elements That Can’t Be Replicated: The Enduring Value of Human Skills

Even as automation expands, human skills are becoming the most durable source of competitive advantage. While 40% say missing AI or technology skills can disqualify candidates, two-thirds (66%) of HR leaders now say applicants’ ability to demonstrate human skills matters most in hiring, ranking above experience, technical skills, and education.

This shift is also reflected in evolving hiring signals: 45% of employers say they look for context around career moves and gaps to better understand a candidate’s overall experience and trajectory.

In India, industry body NASSCOM has noted that India has the capacity to reskill and develop 8 -10 million professionals in AI-related services by 2030. Deloitte and NASSCOM have also estimated that India’s AI talent demand could grow from 600,000–650,000 to more than 1.25 million between 2022 and 2027, while noting that a shortage of qualified professionals could slow innovation and growth. This makes the combination of AI fluency and human capabilities central to India’s future workforce readiness.

Further, more than half (55%) of HR leaders say hybrid workplaces are among the most effective settings for building empathy, judgment, and leadership skills, underscoring how hybrid work environments are seen as spaces where essential human traits like trust, mentorship, collaboration, and decision-making are actively developed and reinforced.

The Bottom Line

As AI reshapes work, organisations face a clear mandate. Success now depends not just on adopting new technologies, but also on strengthening human capabilities and helping technology and humans work as true teammates.

The future belongs to companies that integrate AI while intentionally building environments where human skills thrive.

Mark Dixon, CEO & Founder of International Workplace Group, commented: “Every major technological shift has redefined how we work — from the rise of the internet to email to smartphones. AI is no different, but what sets this moment apart is the speed and scale of change. Some roles will evolve or disappear, while entirely new ones will emerge.

As always, the organisations that resist transformation will fall behind. A key advantage will belong to those that combine AI’s efficiency with the uniquely human skills that drive innovation, leadership, and growth.”

Harsh Lambah, India Country Manager and VP Sales of South Asia at International Workplace Group, commented: “India is uniquely well positioned to lead the new 'Human skills economy' given that it has the world’s youngest workforce, and the fastest rate of AI adoption. The workplaces that will win in this new economy are the ones where people and AI grow together, and that is exactly what we are building across the country.”

Methodology:

The IWG Human Skills Economy Report was conducted in April 2026 by Mortar Research and targeted 510 U.S.-based HR, recruitment and hiring managers.

About International Workplace Group PLC

International Workplace Group (IWG) is the world’s leading platform for work enabling companies of all sizes to work more productively and profitably. We create personal, financial, and strategic value for the most exciting companies and well-known organizations on the planet as well as individuals and the next generation of industry leaders. All of them harness the power of IWG’s platform to increase their productivity, efficiency, agility, and market proximity.

International Workplace Group’s unrivalled network coverage includes more than 5,000 locations across 120 countries and 83% of Fortune 500 companies are amongst our growing customer base.

Our brands including Regus, Spaces, HQ and Signature serve millions of people, providing professional, inspiring and collaborative workspaces and all our digital services are available via the IWG app.

37% of Entry-Level Tasks in India Already Done by AI, Finds Cognizant and Pearson Study

• Employers to focus on interdisciplinary skills; expect new hires to supervise AI

Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH) and Pearson (FTSE: PSON.L) today released findings from their joint study, The AI Workforce Pulse: The Adaptability Imperative, highlighting how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming India’s entry-level workforce at a faster pace than the global average, while simultaneously creating new career pathways and urgent skilling challenges.

Based on a survey of 750 HR leaders across the US, UK and India, the study finds that 37% of entry-level tasks in India are already performed by AI, compared to a 33% global average, with 18% of HR leaders reporting that AI now handles half or more of entry-level work, signalling accelerated disruption in one of the country’s largest workforce segments.

The findings point to four interconnected shifts shaping the AI workforce ahead:

Roles are Being Reinvented

• Nearly all (96%) HR leaders expect entry-level roles to evolve into positions where employees supervise or manage AI systems within the next five years.
• Nearly all HR professionals (94%) expect AI will generate new entry-level roles in the next five years that didn't exist before.
• More than 90% of respondents say middle managers are instrumental to redefining job roles as AI changes the day-to-day work of team members.
• Nearly all HR professionals (98%) are increasing focus on AI skills even for non-technical roles.

Employees in these roles are increasingly expected to manage AI outputs, validate decisions, interpret results and apply human judgment.

In India, 80% of organisations report that AI is enabling employees to focus on higher-value work, compared to 77% globally.

Human and Interdisciplinary Skills Are Increasingly Important

• Nearly all (97%) report soft skills matter more than ever, reflecting a need for adaptability, problem-solving, and human judgment.
• Two in three HR professionals (67%) report they value liberal arts degrees more than they used to in light of AI advancements.
• Nearly 7 in 10 (69%) HR professionals say broad, interdisciplinary backgrounds are more important for early-career talent than deep, specialized skillsets, with 65% of HR professionals in India reflecting this shift.

In addition, 91% of organisations in India place greater value on AI skills for non-technical roles, signalling a broader redefinition of what “job-ready” talent looks like.

Demand for AI Skills Is Rising, but Readiness Is Uneven

• 91% of HR professionals report increased employee demand for AI training over the past 12 months.
• 60% say their L&D programmes cannot keep pace with how quickly AI is transforming jobs, with India reporting a similar challenge at 63%.
• 54% of HR professionals say their organizations proactively arrange AI upskilling in anticipation of future roles evolving, while 46% say their organizations are not proactively arranging this training.

At the same time, India shows relative strength in how organisations are approaching learning:

• 63% of organisations in India have allotted time for AI training, higher than the U.S. (49%).

However, 61% of organisations in India report challenges finding the right talent, reflecting the pace at which skill requirements are evolving.

Middle Managers Are Critical to AI Adoption

• 95% of HR leaders say middle managers are critical to ensuring employees use AI effectively.
• 92% say middle managers play a crucial role in redefining job roles as AI reshapes day-to-day work.

Leadership Statements

Rajesh Varrier, President – Global Operations and Chairman & Managing Director, Cognizant India, said, India is at the forefront of how AI is transforming entry-level work, with organizations already embedding AI into day-to-day operations at scale. We are seeing a fundamental redesign of roles, where early-career talent is expected to work alongside AI and focus on higher-value outcomes.

AI is reshaping the talent landscape and exposing the limits of traditional talent and learning models,” said Kathy Diaz, Chief People Officer, Cognizant.

The new findings build on Cognizant’s earlier New Work, New World 2026 study, which found that AI is already impacting 93% of jobs, underscoring the urgency for employers to prepare for changing role expectations. Cognizant sees early-career talent as increasingly important in an AI-enabled workforce. After hiring 20,000 fresh graduates in 2025, the company expects to exceed that number in 2026, reflecting its continued investment in early-career talent and skill development as work evolves.

As work evolves, the most successful organizations will focus less on replacing tasks and more on building the capabilities that help humans and AI work together. That starts with early-career talent, said Ali Bebo, Chief Human Resources Officer, Pearson.

Through their partnership, Cognizant and Pearson are working together to help recent graduates, apprentices and mid-career professionals build skills in AI, cloud and digital technologies. Pearson supports Cognizant’s existing workforce development programs, including Synapse and its Immersive Learning Center in Chennai, to help create stronger development paths for the workforce.

Methodology

Cognizant and Pearson commissioned independent market research conducted by Wakefield Research in three markets: the US, UK and India, between March 23 and April 3, 2026, using an email invitation and an online survey among 750 HR professionals.

About Cognizant

Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH) is an AI builder and technology services provider, building full-stack AI solutions for clients. See how at www.cognizant.ai or @cognizant.

About Pearson

At Pearson, our purpose is simple: to help people realize the life they imagine through learning. Visit us at plc.pearson.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes statements that may constitute forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

TrackerSuite.AI Raises INR 6 Crore to Accelerate AI-Powered Business OS for SMEs Across India and Global Markets

• Round led by a UAE-based Family Office, with participation from Pontaq.VC, Shubhan Ventures, Candle Advisors and strategic angel investors

TrackerSuite.AI an AI-powered business automation platform helping small and medium enterprises (SMEs) digitise and streamline operations has successfully raised INR 6 crore in a Pre Series A funding round led by a UAE-based Family Office and advised by Bestvantage Investments, with participation from Pontaq.VC, Shubhan Ventures, Candle Advisors, and strategic angel investors. The fresh capital will be used to strengthen TrackerSuite.AI's artificial intelligence capabilities, expand enterprise-grade offerings, accelerate customer acquisition, deepen ecosystem integrations, and support the company's global expansion plans.

TrackerSuite.AI Founders 

Founded by entrepreneur and product leader Neha Chandra and technology leader Rishab Chandra, TrackerSuite.AI is a woman-led, revenue-generating technology company building AI-powered business solutions for SMEs globally. It offers an integrated platform that enables businesses to manage sales, workforce operations, inventory, task execution, attendance, and reporting through a single AI-powered operating system. The platform is designed to help organisations move away from fragmented workflows, manual processes, and multiple disconnected software tools.

Today, TrackerSuite.AI serves more than 1,800 businesses across 25 countries, including India, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, helping organisations improve productivity, operational visibility and execution efficiency through intelligent automation.

Raman Sharma, Founder & CEO of Bestvantage Investments, commented – Advised by Bestvantage Investments, TrackerSuite.AI stood out because of its strong product-market fit, scalable AI infrastructure, and ability to solve real operational challenges faced by businesses every day. The company is addressing a massive underserved market where digital adoption remains low despite increasing demand for automation.

As exclusive advisors to this transaction, we worked closely with the founders on strategic positioning, investor alignment, and end-to-end execution. We believe TrackerSuite.AI is building a category-defining company in the AI-powered workflow intelligence and business automation space and are proud to support their growth journey.”

Neha Chandra, Founder & CEO of TrackerSuite.AI, said – This investment will help us accelerate product innovation, scale enterprise adoption, and strengthen our international presence. We are witnessing a massive shift as businesses move away from manual operations toward intelligent, AI-powered execution systems.

While much of the technology ecosystem has historically focused on large enterprises, we see a significant opportunity in empowering SMEs with solutions that are simple, affordable, and capable of delivering immediate business impact. Our mission is to build the operating system that enables businesses of every size to execute faster, operate smarter, and grow sustainably.”

Rishab Chandra, Co-Founder & CTO of TrackerSuite.AI, added – TrackerSuite.AI is being built with a clear vision - Building in Bharat, for Bharat and the World. We believe AI should not be limited to large enterprises or technology experts. Our mission is to make AI accessible to every citizen and every business by creating intelligent solutions that help organisations improve productivity, drive growth, and participate in a truly digital economy. We are committed to building sovereign AI capabilities from India while empowering businesses globally with technology that creates measurable impact.

As businesses across emerging markets increasingly seek technology solutions that can simplify operations and improve productivity, the opportunity for intelligent automation continues to expand. Yet, despite rapid advancements in digital tools, a significant gap remains in how businesses manage their day-to-day operations. Millions of businesses across India, the Middle East and other emerging markets continue to rely on spreadsheets, manual reporting, WhatsApp-based communication and disconnected software tools to manage daily operations. These inefficiencies often result in productivity losses, limited operational visibility, inventory challenges, missed sales opportunities and revenue leakage.

TrackerSuite.AI was founded to address this gap by providing businesses with a single AI-powered platform that simplifies execution, improves accountability and enables teams to operate more efficiently. By bringing together multiple operational functions into one intelligent system, the company aims to make digital transformation accessible, affordable and impactful for businesses of all sizes.

About Bestvantage Investments

Bestvantage Investments is a boutique investment advisory firm that connects high-potential startups with strategic investors across India and the Middle East. Founded by Raman Sharma, Bestvantage specializes in deal sourcing, investment structuring, and capital raising for early to growth-stage companies. With a strong network of family offices, venture funds, and institutional investors, the firm enables businesses to unlock growth opportunities through strategic capital partnerships.

Website: https://www.bestvantageinvestments.com

About TrackerSuite.AI

TrackerSuite.AI is an AI-powered business operating system that enables small and medium-sized businesses to digitise and automate critical workflows across operations, sales, workforce management, and inventory processes. Serving over 1,800 businesses across 25 countries, the platform helps organisations improve efficiency, enhance visibility, and scale growth through intelligent automation and actionable insights. 

Website: https://www.trackersuite.ai/

56% of Online Sellers are Already Using AI Tools to Grow Their Business: Snapdeal Bharat Seller Report 2026

• Report highlights rapid adoption of AI among sellers, rising strength of Bharat markets, and continued growth of value-driven shopping in India’s digital commerce economy

India’s online seller ecosystem is becoming increasingly technology-driven, manufacturing-led, and deeply aligned with the country’s value-conscious consumers, according to the latest “Snapdeal Bharat Seller Report 2026.”

The report, based on a survey of sellers across Bharat who sell on Snapdeal, reveals that artificial intelligence is no longer confined to large enterprises or digital-first brands. Instead, AI adoption is steadily moving into the mainstream among Indian online sellers, with 56% of surveyed sellers already using AI-powered tools in some form to improve their business operations.

The report captures emerging trends shaping India’s digital commerce economy, including AI adoption, online business dependence, marketplace diversification, consumer behaviour, and seller profitability pressures.

“India’s online seller ecosystem is evolving rapidly. Sellers today are far more digitally mature, operationally agile, and increasingly technology-enabled. What is particularly interesting is that AI adoption is now becoming visible even among MSMEs and traditional sellers. At the same time, the continued growth of Bharat markets on the back of rising internet penetration and growing comfort in online transactions among consumers continue to define the next phase of Indian e-commerce,” said Achint Setia, CEO, Snapdeal.

The report highlights that among sellers already using AI, the most common use case was product listings and content creation, cited by 43% of respondents. Sellers are increasingly leveraging AI tools to generate product descriptions, improve cataloguing efficiency, optimise listings, and enhance discoverability on marketplaces.

Online commerce is now central to seller businesses

The report also highlights how deeply online commerce is now embedded within seller business models across India.

Nearly 46% of respondents said more than three-fourths of their overall business sales now come from online channels, underlining the extent to which digital commerce has become a primary route to market for a large segment of sellers.

Importantly, India’s online seller ecosystem continues to remain strongly manufacturing-led. About 66% of surveyed sellers identified themselves as manufacturers selling directly online, showcasing how marketplaces are increasingly enabling small manufacturers, entrepreneurs, and MSMEs to access customers across the country without relying heavily on traditional distribution networks.

Bharat markets continue to emerge as the key growth engine

The report reinforces a trend that has steadily gathered momentum over the past few years: India’s smaller cities and towns are becoming the biggest growth drivers for digital commerce.

About 51% of sellers said customers from Tier-2, Tier-3, and smaller markets are growing faster for their business compared to metro and Tier-1 consumers.

The findings reflect the widening reach of e-commerce across Bharat, aided by affordable smartphones, improving logistics infrastructure, greater internet penetration, digital payment adoption, and rising comfort with online shopping among consumers in non-metro markets.

Value continues to dominate Indian online shopping behaviour

The report findings also underline the enduring strength of value commerce in India.

While, nearly 49% of sellers said consumers primarily prioritise the best prices and discounts while shopping online, product quality ranked second at 38%, indicating that quality remains a key consideration even for value-conscious consumers.

This trend is also reflected in seller price points. About 66% of respondents operate in categories where the average order value is below ₹500, highlighting the scale and importance of India’s value-conscious consumption economy.

Mitsubishi Chemical Forms AI Joint Venture with Accenture to Transform Operations

Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation and Accenture have launched a new joint venture, RIX Business Partners, to drive AI‑enabled reinvention of corporate operations in Japan. The venture, established on May 1, 2026, will focus on embedding AI into administrative and facility management functions, aiming to boost productivity and sustainability across Mitsubishi Chemical’s offices and manufacturing sites.

Key Highlights of the Joint Venture

• Company Name: RIX Business Partners Corporation
• Date of Establishment: May 1, 2026
• Headquarters: Palace Building, 1‑1‑1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda‑ku, Tokyo
• Equity Structure: Mitsubishi Chemical (81%), Accenture (19%)
• Employees: 255 as of May 1, 2026
• Representative: Shinichi Nakata
• Business Activities: Business support services, including facility management and administrative services

Strategic Objectives

• AI‑Enabled Digital Platform: Build a next‑generation platform to standardize and streamline corporate functions such as general affairs, administrative services, and facilities management.
• Productivity Enhancement: Embed AI into daily operations so employees can focus on higher value‑added tasks in business and manufacturing.
• Sustainability: Create long‑term enterprise value by enhancing visibility, cross‑site management, and adaptability to workforce changes.

Leadership Perspectives

• Isao Yano (Mitsubishi Chemical): Highlighted the philosophy of “connecting” capabilities across operations, people, and data, with a focus on maximizing human capital.
• Mitsuru Nagata (Accenture): Stressed the need to move beyond incremental change, combining operational reassessment with AI to establish new ways of working.

Industry Context

Japan’s chemical industry faces persistent challenges in productivity improvement amid demographic shifts and workforce changes. By partnering with Accenture, Mitsubishi Chemical is aligning with global trends of AI‑driven operational transformation, positioning itself to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving industrial landscape.

Implications

• For Mitsubishi Chemical: Enhanced operational efficiency, sustainability, and workforce adaptability.
• For Accenture: Strengthened presence in Japan’s industrial sector and demonstration of expertise in AI‑enabled reinvention.
• For the Industry: A potential model for other Japanese firms seeking to balance productivity with sustainability through digital transformation.

9 in 10 Indian SMBs Now Bet on AI - With Tier-2 Cities Taking the Lead: Linkedin Study

India’s small and medium businesses (SMBs) are entering their most confident decade yet. New LinkedIn research finds that 9 in 10 SMBs (95.6%) are already investing in or planning AI adoption, indicating how technology has moved from experiment to infrastructure. At the same time 92% of SMB decision-makers expect business growth in the next 12 months - signalling a sector that’s not just hopeful but rebuilding around smarter systems, skilled talent, and trusted digital platforms.

For Indian SMBs, evolution is survival, not optional

Behind their confidence lies urgency. AI is no longer a buzzword, but the new baseline for growth. The research shows that 57% of SMBs view AI and automation as essential to stay competitive, 54% cite operational efficiency as key to protecting margins, and 51% say digital transformation is critical to survival.

Across India, different regions are evolving in distinct ways. SMBs in Delhi (61%) and Pune (60%) lead AI adoption to manage costs, those in Bengaluru (63%) are focusing on operational efficiency, and those in Chennai (62%) are concentrating on building a skilled talent pipeline. Meanwhile, SMBs in some of the fastest growing cities in India such as Chandigarh (100%), Jaipur (94%), and Ahmedabad (94%) are setting new benchmarks for business confidence and technology adoption, often pulling ahead of larger metros in AI readiness and momentum.

Kumaresh Pattabiraman, Country Manager, LinkedIn India said,

Indian SMBs are moving from ‘startup hustle’ to ‘strategic muscle’. Entrepreneurs are reimagining how business is built, using AI to drive efficiency, skills-first hiring to build capability, and trusted digital ecosystems to expand their market footprint. At LinkedIn, our focus is simple - give every entrepreneur, in metro or non-metro cities, the right network, the right clients, and the right talent, all in one place, so they can grow with clarity and confidence in the AI economy.

AI becomes the new operating system for growth

AI has become the engine behind how SMB’s hire, market and grow. Nearly all surveyed businesses say they use it to automate workflows (92%), strengthen analytics and business intelligence (93%), and streamline hiring, marketing, and sales (over 90%).

Hiring models are being rebuilt around capability, not credentials. SMBs now value digital literacy and AI fluency (63%), problem-solving (57%), and data analysis (50%) over traditional qualifications. To find this talent, 65% already use AI hiring tools, citing better assessments and higher engagement.

Marketing and sales, too, are becoming intelligence-driven. 76% of SMBs use AI marketing tools, with three-quarters investing up to half their budgets in them. 74% now rely on AI in sales for sharper targeting and automated follow-ups, allowing them to operate with the sophistication of larger enterprises.

Rahul Karthikeyan, Chief Marketing Officer, Scaler said,

Scaler’s recent campaigns have seen strong performance through precise audience targeting and data-driven optimisation. Sponsored Content, especially vertical formats, delivered a 20% higher lead-to-payment conversion than static formats on other channels. In August alone, LinkedIn generated about 70–80 new payments with a return on spend (RoS) of 2.2. We plan to further scale this high-impact channel while maintaining cost-per-sale efficiency

Trust is the new competitive advantage

Even as they adopt AI at speed, SMBs are discerning about where they place their trust. 95% say platform credibility matters more than cost or convenience. Their top considerations are data security (83%), seamless integration (79%), and clarity on ROI (75%). Together, these shifts signal the rise of a smarter, more resilient SMB ecosystem - one that is not just adapting to the AI era but actively shaping it.

Methodology

LinkedIn commissioned YouGov to conduct an online survey of 1,027 SMB and MSME owners, entrepreneurs, directors, and senior managers across India. The study covered 10 key cities including Delhi NCR, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Pune, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata, distributed across North & Central, West, South, and East regions.

Respondents represented businesses across the Micro (up to ₹10 crore), Small (₹10–100 crore) and Medium (₹100–₹500 crore) turnover segments. Participants were aged 25 to 65 years, capturing perspectives across both emerging and seasoned decision-makers.

About LinkedIn

LinkedIn connects the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful and transforms how companies hire, learn, market, and sell. Our vision is to create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce through the ongoing development of the world’s first Economic Graph. LinkedIn has over 1.2 billion members and has offices around the globe. www.linkedin.com / mobile.linkedin.com

Tech Mahindra and Shipsy Partner to Build AI-Native Supply Chain Ecosystem Across UK and Europe

Tech Mahindra (NSE: TECHM), a leading global provider of technology consulting and digital solutions, has announced a strategic partnership with Shipsy, a Gartner-recognized AI-native transportation management platform, to accelerate AI-led innovation in the UK and Europe’s supply chain sector.

The collaboration aims to address mounting pressures on supply chains—ranging from cost and speed to sustainability and geopolitical uncertainty—by embedding scalable, responsible AI into logistics workflows. This initiative is part of Tech Mahindra’s “AI Delivered Right” strategy, which focuses on delivering transformative, enterprise-grade solutions that enhance visibility, optimize operations, and enable intelligent decision-making.

Our partnership with Shipsy helps customers navigate today’s supply chain challenges by building an AI-native ecosystem that empowers businesses to operate with precision, agility, and resilience, said Harshul Asnani, President and Head – Europe Business, Tech Mahindra.

Shipsy’s platform, recognized in Gartner’s 2024 and 2025 Magic Quadrants for Transportation and Warehouse Management Systems, leverages Agentic AI to drive autonomous logistics transformation for over 150 customers across 30+ countries. The company operates from hubs in London, Amsterdam, Riyadh, Dubai, Singapore, and Sydney, with innovation centers in India.

A key highlight of the partnership is its role in empowering Smiths News, a leading UK distributor of newspapers and magazines, to diversify its early-morning delivery portfolio using AI-driven precision. With the UK ranked as the third-largest e-commerce market globally and projected to reach $927.9 million by 2030, the alliance is expected to deliver significant value to retailers and logistics service providers.

We are delighted to partner with Tech Mahindra to bring AI-native solutions to the European supply chain landscape, said Soham Chokshi, Co-Founder & CEO of Shipsy. This alliance will enable enterprises to scale intelligently, make logistics management autonomous, and deliver exceptional customer experiences.

The partnership underscores a broader industry shift toward intelligent, resilient, and customer-centric supply chain operations—driven by AI and digital transformation.

Ai in Recruitment: How It Will Enable Recruiters to Make Effective Hires

The author of the article is Anuj Agarwal, Founder & CEO at Zyoin

The truth is that, for a hassle-free and comfortable life, we all rely on artificial intelligence in our day-to-day lives. AI has gained prominence in all spheres of life, including the business world, where most Fortune 500 companies currently employ automation in some capacity. One such area where businesses worldwide are implementing AI is recruiting.

A never-before-seen transformation is taking place in the staffing sector, led by AI, which has become more evident in the post-pandemic period, where heated competition for top and right talent is making hiring very difficult. Thus, recruiters are also raising their sleeves and using creative hiring techniques and tools like AI to facilitate hiring processes, entice top talent, enhance employee satisfaction, and attain better key personnel retention.

AI recruitment tools can effectively overcome difficulties with conventional hiring practices, which have always necessitated much effort and time. With the help of AI, massive amounts of data can be processed quickly, boosting efficiency, accuracy, and productivity. Because of this, businesses have started to use AI for recruiting, and in 2023, this trend is expected to continue accelerating.

The staffing sector is anticipated to soar and grow exponentially in the years to come owing to AI's nearly limitless potential. According to estimates, the size of the global AI recruitment market will reach $695 million by 2026, expanding at a CAGR of 5.1% from 2021 to 2026. AI recruiting can streamline various hiring steps and assist hiring professionals in hiring more quickly, intelligently, and without bias.

AI in hiring: The future

Every stage of the hiring process gradually incorporates AI, from sourcing to pre-selection and interviews, reference and background checks, and deciding fair remuneration. AI can streamline the recruitment process by.

Increasing efficiency

AI can effectively scan resumes and documents for relevant keywords and relieve the recruiters from the tiresome work. It can assist recruiters with competent background checks, resume parsing, communication regarding interview steps and offer letters, and other data-driven actionable insights. Actionable insights can help employers to devote greater attention to the most qualified applicants, lowering time and cost-per-hire.

AI can help with the quick processing of applications through the recruitment funnel, easy reach out to applicants, organising the calls and paperwork, 24/7 availability, accomplishing more objective and quality recruitment process, communicating a brand, the virtual presence, and onboarding and training.

Better targeting

AI can benefit recruiters by helping them display highly targeted ads to the ideal candidates at the right time, thus, broadening their target audience beyond the local talent pool. It can help recruiters see beyond a candidate's past employment and recommend roles based on their position and potential future careers.

Filling difficult-to-fit position

AI can be helpful in difficult-to-fill positions cases, where a candidate has good experience in one field but is interested and could pick up the necessary skills for the new position. It can be done using insights into the emotional and cognitive traits of the applicant through innovative tests.

Employing chatbots

Recruitment chatbots like ChatGPT are also making their way into the recruitment industry. Artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing-based intelligent recruitment chatbots can significantly streamline the hiring and onboarding new employees through their star features of real-time updates and personalisation.

The chatbots use a central repository of data and employ both natural language processing and natural language understanding to understand the purpose of a candidate's question and provide appropriate responses.

Minimising biases

Through awareness and transparency, AI can aid in areas of the talent acquisition process where the human brain might be biased.

Personalising the hiring process

Personalisation, search, and insights are three core functionalities powered by AI. AI can help to deliver personalised content throughout the talent lifecycle and power a personalised funnel with matching skills and suitability for recruitment teams. This will automatically allow recruiters to find new talent and reroute previously qualified candidates.

As for candidates, the hiring process can be made more attuned through personalised responses, advice, and information relevant to the applicants.

More than any other technology, the rise of AI has the potential to change the course of human history. With all these advantages, it will undoubtedly be a crucial tool for future hiring. The ability to "hire the right talent at the right time" will be its most substantial advantage. However, two aspects will be central to truly benefitting from AI's advantages in recruitment. First and foremost, extensive data training for AI will be essential. Second, recruiters must assess their hiring requirements to use AI before planning and executing the hiring process.

Also, contrary to popular belief, AI-powered technology will not replace human recruiters but expedite time-consuming manual processes. It cannot replace humans' social, empathy, and negotiating skills. Therefore, it will be restricted to being only a helpful technology for recruiters as they adopt the best hiring practices. Artificial intelligence has much potential in recruitment. However, we are only at the beginning of its development, and associated challenges still need to be overcome for it to be advantageous.

64% Indians Confident That AI Will Make Lives Easier and Society Smarter - Salesforce Research

Salesforce, the Customer Success Platform and world's #1 CRM company, today unveiled findings from new research titled, Artificial Intelligence in Asia: Trust, Understanding and the Opportunity to Re-Skill.

Commissioned across seven Asian markets including Singapore, India, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia, the study explores consumer trust and understanding of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the opportunities for business and government to grow knowledge, re-skill and prepare consumers for the future.

Amongst the markets surveyed, the results reveal that Indian consumers are well aware of AI (78%) and India emerged as the second market (with Indonesia at 68%) with the highest positive outlook towards AI (65%). The majority also believe that AI has the ability to help make society smarter (60%) in the future. Most Indians surveyed (64%) also feel AI will transform the employee space, by providing freedom to work, creating interesting jobs, and many see AI as a way to make society smarter (60%) and life more convenient (58%).

There is a clear correlation between understanding and outlook. As AI permeates the enterprise, it is undoubtedly altering consumer spaces and preferences where respondents who reported a higher level of understanding of AI (78%) were statistically more likely to have a positive outlook towards AI products and services. 54% think the more they understand and are made aware of AI, the more they will trust it. And, with 65% of respondents feeling positive about AI, it’s now the role of businesses to demystify AI for consumers encouraging adoption and educating customers on its benefits.

“Artificial Intelligence (AI) is coming of age. As businesses continue to find new ways to innovate with AI technologies, awareness and education on its benefits for consumers will become increasingly important. By leveraging AI across businesses, we have the opportunity to amplify our human intelligence, connect to our consumers and impact societies like never before,” says Sunil Jose, senior area Vice-President and Country Leader, Salesforce India.

64% of Indians are confident that new jobs will emerge from AI, giving them the opportunity to do better and more interesting jobs. Upskilling will be crucial and 56% of Indians are ready to upskill and make themselves relevant for jobs of the future.

“AI will redefine the skills needed for new jobs, forcing businesses and individuals to re-evaluate what skills are needed to be successful. At Salesforce, we recognise this shift, and are preparing future workers through our online learning platform, Trailhead. Trailhead is empowering everyone to learn the skills needed to be successful in the fourth industrial revolution. The future of businesses is an active partnership between human and machine, and with Trailhead we are ensuring humans are ready for the opportunities to come,” says Sunil Jose, senior area Vice-President and Country Leader, Salesforce India.

In addition to overall AI awareness, the study explores the real-world applications of AI including robo advisors, content recommendations, chatbots, product recommendations, and voice assistants. Consumer trust and awareness vary dramatically across different AI applications, with 86% of Indians opting for AI over humans to recommend them content. The study also reveals that Indians are open to AI managing and optimizing their finances (59%). Additionally, the study found that there is a general openness towards interacting with chatbots (63%) and awareness of voice assistants is the highest amongst all AI applications (83%).

This research was conducted by YouGov, commissioned by Salesforce and covers seven Asian markets: Singapore, Hong Kong, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines with a sample size of 1000 consumers in each market. The survey measures Asian consumers’ awareness, understanding and usage of AI products and services as well as examines their outlook of AI to understand how they feel about AI impacting their lives and the world at large. The survey also explores trust levels of consumers towards six real-world applications of AI – including smart chatbots, self-driving cars and robo-advisors.

Unedited ~ Business Wire India

[Top Image - Andy Kelly on Unsplash]

How Artificial Intelligence is Benefitting Businesses?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the ability of a digital computer or computer-controlled robot to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent beings like speech recognition, learning, planning and problem solving.
Rise of artificial intelligence (AI) systems will power the next great business push. AI is becoming important in the business world and organizations are increasingly adopting AI in their businesses. AI has a significant impact on business activities, including enhancing productivity and efficiency.

Artificial Intelligence is already helping businesses in automating repetitive tasks that sales people, HR department and entrepreneurs used to spend hours each week on. The employees can concentrate more on thoughtful and creative aspects of their work. For example, sales people can use smart CRM to enter data on their behalf which can enable them to give more time on building relationships with customers. HR officials can use smart recruiting solutions to filter job applicants more effectively. AI apps are also available for businesses to give a boost to their operational processes and workflows, allowing them to focus more on growing their businesses.

Many businesses are using AI to act as virtual customer service representatives and front-desk receptionists. Speech recognition software allows clients to receive customer service by phone without even talking to a person. Clients can benefit greatly from AI applications in business. For example, people can check the activity of their bank and credit card accounts by phone without ever talking to anyone. They simply have to talk to the artificially intelligent system on the other end that understands their words. AI provides virtual assistance allowing you to speak into a phone to search for answers to basic questions. Businesses also deploy chatbots for various uses including customer service.

Today, robots are able to work alongside humans in factories. Artificial intelligence is thus quickly automating routine cognitive processes. Artificial apps can dynamically adjust marketing campaigns to signals from your audience, and some apps can analyze customer buying behavior.

AI can also be used in business intelligence and analysis, where organizations can get a chance to think differently generating new solutions for business growth. It can take in billions of data points and analyze them in minutes. The benefit is they can also learn from the data and get better over time. The reason why AI systems are powerful is that unlike statistical approaches, they can learn. This makes them adapt to the changing market behavior as well as continuously improve performance as more data comes in.

[Top Image - Shutterstock]