Google on Wednesday said it is working with MeitY ‘Startup Hub’ to train 10,000 startups in artificial intelligence (AI), as the tech giant expanded access to its AI models and introduced new language tools for the developers in the country.

At its ‘I/O Connect’ event here, the company unveiled a range of tools, programmes and partnerships to empower Indian developers and startups to be at the forefront of the global AI revolution.

The company said that developers in India now have expanded access to Google’s powerful AI models with the two million token context window in Gemini 1.5 Pro and Gemma 2, the next generation of open models.

“We’re committed to empowering Indian innovators to harness AI’s full potential, creating solutions that not only address India’s unique needs but also shape the future of AI globally,” said Ambharish Kenghe, Vice President, Google.

The opportunities with multimodal, mobile, and multilingual AI are immense, and we’re thrilled to be a part of India’s AI journey, he added.

“The fastest way to build with Gemini is through its developer platform Google AI Studio, and India has one of the largest developer bases on Google AI Studio today,” said the company.

The Google DeepMind India team has expanded Project Vaani, in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), which provides developers with over 14,000 hours of speech data across 58 languages, collected from 80,000 speakers in 80 districts.

The team also introduced IndicGenBench, a comprehensive benchmark to evaluate the generation capabilities of LLMs on Indic languages, and open-sourced CALM (Composition of Language Models).

The company said it is introducing Google Wallet APIs to simplify the integration of loyalty programs, tickets, and gift cards.

For developers using the Google Maps Platform, India-specific pricing is being introduced with up to 70 per cent lower costs on most APIs.

Google is also collaborating with the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), offering developers building for ONDC up to 90 per cent off on select Google Maps Platform APIs.

“From consumer experiences to agriculture, to social enterprises, AI has the power to address some of the biggest challenges of our time across many sectors and industries,” said Seshu Ajjarapu, Senior Director, Google DeepMind.

The company will also soon launch the Agricultural Landscape Understanding (ALU) Research API, a limited availability tool designed to make agricultural practices more data-driven and efficient. AGENCIES

As millions of people remain concerned about the safety of their data when they browse the web, Apple has revealed how data tracking is still all-pervasive and browsers can expose users to it without their permission — tracking their behaviour for advertising purposes.

The threats are multiple — data companies can track you across multiple websites, your location data can be collected without your permission, web extensions can violate your privacy and even if you go into private mode, your protections are limited.

In contrast, according to Apple which has released a new film on browser safety, Safari prevents cross-site tracking; helps you protect your location data; has privacy-preserving web extensions; and a state-of-the-art Private Browsing mode with real protections.

Some websites include 100 or more trackers from different companies on a single page.

Data companies are also constantly evolving new techniques to track people, so Apple has gone beyond just blocking cookies by creating ‘Intelligent Tracking Prevention’.

The company uses machine learning to learn which domains are used to track you, and then it immediately isolates and purges the tracking data from your device.

“If you want to see what Intelligent Tracking Prevention is protecting you from, you can look at the Safari Privacy Report,” according to the tech giant.

Safari also hides IP address from known trackers.

“This is important, because your IP address can be used to identify you across websites and sessions, and it can reveal your precise location,” according to Apple.

However, new techniques known as fingerprinting even go so far as to track your system configuration, your fonts and your plug-ins that have been installed.

Even your screen resolution can be used as part of a fingerprint.

This allows them to combine these characteristics of your device to create a “fingerprint” to track you online.

To combat fingerprinting, Safari presents a simplified version of the system configuration to trackers so more devices look identical, making it harder to single one out, Apple informed.

Safari also supports the official WebExtensions standard, so it’s easy for developers to offer extensions from other browsers.

“With Safari, users are informed about the information the extension can access before they enable it. And they can restrict the access an extension has to just a day or to just specific websites,” said the company.

Safari was the first browser to introduce a Private Browsing mode, back in 2005.

The additional privacy protections of Private Browsing in Safari 17.0, Safari 17.2 and Safari 17.5 set a new bar for user protection. AGENCIES

Indian exports remained resilient in the first quarter of current fiscal (FY25), as core export goods such as drugs and pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, organic and inorganic chemicals and readymade garments exhibited positive growth, a report showed on Wednesday.

In the labour-intensive exports category, growth in carpets, handloom products, man-made products, plastic and linoleum and readymade garments was positive, but slower than the previous month, according to a Crisil report.

Other categories such as handmade carpets, and jute manufacturing, including floor covering, leather and leather products recorded contraction.

Petroleum exports fell 18.3 per cent on-year and 18.5 per cent on-month in June.

While oil exports fell, oil imports were positive to meet domestic demand at a time when local refineries are operating above their capacity.

Oil imports rose 19.6 per cent in June compared with 28 per cent in May.

Among imports, fruits and vegetables, non-ferrous metals, project goods, textiles, yarn fabric made-up articles and wood and wood products saw an increase in growth compared with the previous month. AGENCIES

India’s domestic air passenger traffic rose by 5.8 per cent to 1.32 crore in June this year from 1.24 crore in the same month last year, according to the latest data released by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Low-cost airline IndiGo flew 80.86 lakh passengers during the month to register a market share of 60.5 per cent, followed by Tata Group’s Air India with 17.47 lakh flyers accounting for 13.1 per cent share of the market pie.

Vistara, a 51:49 per cent joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines, was ranked third with 12.84 lakh passengers and a market share of 9.6 per cent during the month. The third Tata Group airline IX Connect (erstwhile AirAsia India) carried 7.70 lakh passengers in June to clock a market share of 5.8 per cent.

The three Tata Group airlines cumulatively clocked a 28.5 per cent market share.

Ajay Singh-led SpiceJet carried 7.02 lakh passengers during the month while Akasa Air, which was launched two years ago, flew 5.9 lakh passengers during the month with a 4.4 per cent market share.

The data also show that Akasa Air led its competitors with the highest on-time performance (OTP) — 79.5 per cent — at Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad airports during June 2024, while SpiceJet recorded the lowest OTP at 46.1 per cent among the major airlines.

AGENCIES

 Meta on Wednesday introduced verified subscription plans for businesses on Facebook and Instagram in India.

The Meta Verified for businesses will offer them with a verified badge, enhanced account support, impersonation protection, and additional features to support discovery and connection.

The plan starts at as little as Rs 639 for a single app per month and goes up to Rs 21,000, which is an introductory discounted rate for two apps per month, said the company.

Meta Verified now offers four subscription plans to give businesses increased options for selecting a plan that’s best suited to their needs.

The subscription plans in India are available for purchase only via iOS or Android at this time for businesses on Facebook, Instagram, or WhatsApp.

“Businesses have an option to either purchase Meta Verified for Facebook or Instagram or WhatsApp or do a bundled purchase for Facebook and Instagram,” said the company.

Meta last year began with a small test to learn how it can offer the most valuable subscription toolkit to help businesses achieve their goals on its apps.

Earlier this year, Meta also announced the expansion of the initial test from one subscription plan to four.

Last month, the company followed it up with the launch of Meta Verified for businesses on WhatsApp.

The expanded Meta Verified business offering on Facebook and Instagram includes the verified badge along with enhanced account support, impersonation protection, and additional features to support discovery and connection. AGENCIES

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will be meeting Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday to press his case for a bigger allocation of funds for the state in the Union Budget which will be presented in Parliament on July 23.

Naidu, who is on a two-day visit to the national capital, met Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday and discussed the issue of a larger share of funds for Andhra Pradesh on the ground that the state was in dire financial straits.

In a post on X, Naidu said: “I met with the Hon’ble Union Home Minister, Shri @AmitShah Ji, to apprise him of the devastating condition of finances that Andhra Pradesh had slipped into over the past five years. I also discussed the findings of the four White Papers released, outlining the staggering debt accumulated between FY 2019-24 that spiralled our State’s finances out of control. Economic incompetence, gross mismanagement, and rampant corruption by the previous government have caused irreparable damage to our State.”

During the meeting at Amit Shah’s residence, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president emphasised that Andhra Pradesh continues to face the aftermath of the “unjust bifurcation” in 2014 and the previous administration’s “miserable governance,” according to sources.

Naidu is also likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as per the sources.

This is Naidu’s second trip to Delhi in nearly a fortnight. On July 4, he presented a seven-point development agenda to the Prime Minister, aimed at addressing the state’s post-bifurcation challenges.

Naidu’s advocacy for increased funding comes on the heels of a similar move by JD(U) national working president Sanjay Kumar Jha, who met the Finance Minister on Monday seeking a higher allocation of funds for Bihar in the forthcoming Union Budget.

Both TDP and JD(U) are key partners of the BJP-led NDA and are keen to leverage their alliance for a bigger financial package for their states in the Union Budget 2024-25. AGENCIES

The landscape of wearable technology is undergoing a transformative shift, fueled by the rise of artificial intelligence (AI).

While wearables initially gained popularity for features like fitness tracking and notifications, consumer interest waned as these became commonplace. This sparked a demand for more advanced capabilities, paving the way for AI to revolutionise the industry.

This mirrors a larger trend across the business world: AI is no longer a futuristic concept but a vital asset for tech brands to remain competitive.

The AI wearable market is experiencing significant growth, projected to reach $62.7 billion in 2024. This surge is driven by increasing consumer interest in health, fitness, and personalised technology. Forward-thinking brands are recognising this shift and investing in intuitive AI solutions to meet evolving consumer demands and capture market share.

However, the term “AI” is often used loosely, with many wearables incorporating only basic algorithms rather than true artificial intelligence. To truly evolve, AI in wearables needs to transcend its current form and offer genuinely intelligent interaction.

This means moving beyond simple data collection and analysis towards providing personalised insights, predictive capabilities, and seamless integration with our lives. Brands that can successfully implement truly AI-driven solutions early on stand to gain a significant advantage in this rapidly evolving landscape.

realme recognises the need for true AI integration in wearable technology and is taking a significant leap forward with its upcoming realme Watch S2.

Known for disrupting the tech industry with its smartphones and AIoT products, realme has a history of making cutting-edge technology accessible to all. The brand’s latest endeavour embodies this spirit, aiming to provide users with a seamlessly connected and intelligent lifestyle.

Building upon its success in integrating AI into smartphones, realme is now expanding its AI ecosystem to encompass the AIoT segment, starting with the Watch S2.

The brand plans to go beyond simply incorporating AI features and instead build a robust AI ecosystem across all its devices.

This means integrating advanced AI capabilities into more product plans, allowing for seamless interconnection and intelligent experiences across the realme ecosystem.

The Watch S2 will serve as a key stepping stone in this strategy, showcasing the potential of realme’s AI vision to democratise AI and make it accessible to a wider audience.

The realme Watch S2 is poised to be more than just a smartwatch; it’s designed to be a distinctive smart personal assistant powered by a robust AI engine.

The Super AI Engine makes interacting with the Watch S2 incredibly intuitive, allowing users to converse with the watch directly using their voice or engage with the realme Link app for text-based queries.

This innovative approach to AI integration, coupled with realme’s commitment to a connected ecosystem, positions the Watch S2 as a paradigm shift in wearable technology. It’s not just about fitness tracking or notifications; it’s about harnessing the power of true AI to create a personalised, intuitive, and stylish companion for the wrist, offering a glimpse into the future of AI-powered living.

Be on the lookout for this new smartwatch as it launches on July 30th. AGENCIES

Samsung has launched an energy management service for Tesla electric vehicles in the United States as part of their strategic partnership aimed at enhancing connectivity at home, industry sources said on Wednesday.

Samsung’s ‘SmartThings Energy’ platform is now available for Tesla drivers in the U.S., allowing them to monitor and control the charging status of their EV batteries and the power generated by solar panels, according to the sources.

Synced with the Tesla app’s Powerwall “Storm Watch” function, the AI-powered SmartThings connectivity platform alerts users on their connected Samsung TVs and mobile devices in case of extreme weather conditions, such as hurricanes and heavy snowfall.

The new service is part of the new alliance between the South Korean and U.S. tech giants, which was announced at CES 2024, a global IT exhibition, earlier this year.

The Samsung-Tesla collaboration focuses on integrating Samsung Electronics’ SmartThings Energy with Tesla’s energy product lineup, including the Powerwall home battery, Solar Inverter, Wall Connector charging solutions and electric vehicles.

Samsung Electronics said it plans to expand the service outside the US in the future. AGENCIES

 Three new airports are planned in Andhra Pradesh, said MP and state BJP president Daggubati Purandeswari.

“With NDA in power, both in the Centre and in the state, we are able to plan new airports at Kuppam, Dagadarthi and Mulapet,” she posted on ‘X’.

The Rajahmundry MP said that positive developments have been made in Andhra Pradesh. “This development not only enhances connectivity, but also propels economic progress,” she said.

Kuppam in Chittoor district is the Assembly constituency of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, whose Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is a key partner in the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.

The other two airports are planned at Dagadarthi in Nellore district and Mulapeta in Srikakulam district.

The work on the international airport at Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram district also gathered pace after NDA came to power in the state.

With K. Rammohan Naidu of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) becoming the civil aviation minister, the works at Bhogapuram are in full swing.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu also visited Bhogapuram last week and directed GMR to complete the construction of the international airport by June 2026.

The developer has assured that it will try to complete the project by December 2026.

CM Naidu stated that early completion of the airport was on top of the government’s agenda, as it would act as a growth catalyst and ensure speedy progress in both Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts, besides Visakhapatnam. AGENCIES

A highly technical Android malware campaign by Vietnamese hackers is targeting Indian users through fake traffic e-challan messages on WhatsApp, according to a report on Wednesday.

Researchers from CloudSEK, a cybersecurity firm, identified the malware as part of the Wromba family.

It has infected more than 4,400 devices and led to fraudulent transactions exceeding Rs. 16 lakh by just one scam operator, they said.

“Vietnamese threat actors are targeting Indian users by sharing malicious mobile apps on the pretext of issuing vehicle challan on WhatsApp,” said Vikas Kundu, Threat Researcher, CloudSEK.

Scammers are sending fake e-challan messages impersonating the Parivahan Sewa or Karnataka Police and tricking people into installing a malicious app.

The app steals personal information and also facilitates financial fraud.

Clicking the link within the WhatsApp message would lead to the download of a malicious APK disguised as a legitimate application.

Once installed, the malware requested excessive permissions, including access to contacts, phone calls, SMS messages, and the ability to become the default messaging app.

It then intercepts OTPs and other sensitive messages, which enables attackers to log in to victims’ e-commerce accounts, purchase gift cards, and redeem them without leaving a trace.

Kundu explained that once the app gets installed, it extracts all the contacts to scam more users.

Further, all the SMSes will be “forwarded to the threat actors thus allowing them to log in to various e-commerce and financial apps of the victim,” he added.

Using proxy IPs, the attackers avoid detection and maintain a low transaction profile.

Using the malware, attackers have accessed 271 unique gift cards, conducting transactions worth Rs 16,31,000, according to the report.

Gujarat has been identified as the most affected region, followed by Karnataka.

To protect against such malware threats CloudSEK urged users to stay vigilant and adopt security best practices installing apps only from trusted sources like Google Play Store; limiting app permissions and regularly reviewing them, maintaining updated systems, and enabling alerts for banking and sensitive services. AGENCIES