As artificial intelligence (AI) begins to transform user experiences across devices and apps, ‘Apple Intelligence’ now aims to puts powerful generative models at the core of iPhone, iPad, and Mac systems, which will be part of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia this fall in beta.

Claiming to set a new standard for privacy in AI, ‘Apple Intelligence’ understands personal context to deliver intelligence that is helpful and relevant. ChatGPT will also come to iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia later this year, powered by GPT-4o.

This is how this new AI is going to change the way people use devices to communicate, work and express themselves.

First of all, the generative models have been infused with personal context to deliver intelligence that’s incredibly useful and relevant.

According to the company, with Private Cloud Compute, it has set a new standard for privacy in AI, with the ability to flex and scale computational capacity between on-device processing and larger, server-based models that run on dedicated Apple silicon servers.

AI-powered writing tools will help you rewrite, proofread, and summarise text.

With the ‘TextView’ delegate API, you can customize how you want your app to behave while writing tools is active — for example, by pausing syncing to avoid conflicts while Apple Intelligence is processing text.

Using the Image Playground API, you can add the same experience to your app and enable your users to quickly create delightful images using context from within your app.

Since images are created entirely on device, you don’t have to develop or host your own models for your users to enjoy creating new images in your app, according to Apple.

While emoji are represented as text, Genmoji will be represented as inline images.

‘Apple Intelligence’ also provides Siri with enhanced action capabilities. Developers can take advantage of predefined and pre-trained App Intents across a range of domains to not only give Siri the ability to take actions in your app, but to make your app’s actions more discoverable in places like Spotlight, the Shortcuts app, Control Center, and more.

With ‘App Entities’, Siri can understand content from your app and provide users with information from your app from anywhere in the system.

In the Notes and Phone apps, users can now record, transcribe, and summarise audio. When a recording is initiated while on a call, participants are automatically notified, and once the call ends, Apple Intelligence generates a summary to help recall key points.Searching for photos and videos becomes even more convenient with Apple Intelligence. AGENCIES

 In another bid to ensure healthcare for all, the government has unveiled three new initiatives which will play a major role in improving the quality of healthcare services in the country.

These initiatives include virtual National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) assessment for Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAM); a new dashboard which will help health institutions in quickly monitoring compliance with respect to Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS); and a spot food licence and registration initiative for food vendors.

Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Prataprao Ganpatrao Jadhav, said the government has established over 1.73 lakh AAMs, doubled the number of medical colleges since 2014, increased the number of AIIMS from seven to 23 and more than doubled the number of PG and MBBS seats since 2014.

“The government is committed to strengthening the healthcare system with more skilled human resources and quality infrastructure that can tackle both present and future medical challenges”, the minister noted.

Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Anupriya Patel, said that the launch of the virtual NQAS assessment and dashboard “will lead to improvement in providing quality of healthcare in public health facilities while the launch of the spot food licence will enhance the Ease of Doing Business in India”.

NQAS for Integrated Public Health Laboratories (IPHL) will improve the quality and competence of management and testing systems, which will positively impact the reliability of test results.

The launch of the spot food licence initiative is a ground-breaking new functionality for the instant issuance of licences and registrations through the Food Safety and Compliance System (FoSCoS).

FoSCoS is a pan-India IT platform designed to address all food safety regulatory needs.

Minister Patel said the government is working hard on building a robust and quality healthcare infrastructure by 2047, in accordance with Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s vision. AGENCIES

The development of ‘Made in India’ sovereign cloud infrastructure will enhance national security and resilience, industry experts have said, as the data centre capacity in the country is likely to double from 870 MW in FY22 to about 1,700-1,800 MW by FY25.The country currently has more data in India than the US and China put together.

“Average data consumption which was just about 300 MB a few years back had already become 25 GB per month, and by 2028, we will become the largest in the world in terms of per user data consumption at almost 62 GB per user per month, said Sunil Gupta, Chair, Assocham National Council on Datacenter.

“The digital pervasiveness is only becoming bigger, making India a digital-first economy leapfrogging us beyond every single largest global economy,” he said.

From about 200 megawatts in 2013-14, India has grown to 1200 megawatt.

“By 2027 we are expected to go to 2,000 megawatt. A sovereign cloud ensures that data generated within India remains within the country’s borders and also protected completely by local law and regulation,” said Gupta, also the Co-Founder, MD and CEO of Yotta Data Services.

By 2025, the Indian software-as-a-service (SaaS) market is expected to grow to $35 billion, with data centres contributing to this growth.

“Growth is imperative as far as the country is concerned. The paradigm that we really need to focus on is to make the lives of individual Indians better,” said Niranjan Hiranandani, Past President Assocham and CMD, Hiranandani Group of Companies.

According to Surajit Chatterjee, Co-Chair, Assocham National Council on Datacentre, Mumbai is leading the pack in terms of the largest data cenrtre market share, followed by Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore.

“We are now moving into tier 2 and tier 3 markets,” he added. AGENCIES

GIFT Nifty, which are traded on the National Stock Exchange (NSE), recorded a new milestone of achieving an all-time high monthly turnover of $95.55 billion (about Rs 7,97,714 crore) as on June 27.This surpassed its previous record of $91.73 billion set in May. The benchmark achieved its highest-ever monthly turnover of 21,23,014 contracts in June.

“This milestone reflects the growing global interest and trust in the GIFT Nifty as a benchmark for India’s growth story,” NSE said.

“We are glad to witness the success of GIFT Nifty and express our sincere gratitude to all the participants for their overwhelming support and for making GIFT Nifty a successful contract,” it added.

Trading turnover on NSE IX has been growing exponentially since commencement of the full-scale operation of GIFT Nifty on July 3, 2023.

Since the first day of full-scale operations, GIFT Nifty has witnessed a total cumulative volume of over 21.06 million contracts with a total cumulative turnover of $881.26 billion till June 27, 2024. AGENCIES

 The shared (public) cloud infrastructure market reached $26.3 billion in the first quarter of this year globally, up 43.9 per cent compared to a year ago, according to a new report.

The shared (public) cloud infrastructure is expected to grow 30.4 per cent (year-over-year) to $108.3 billion for the full year, according to an IDC report.

For 2024, IDC forecasts overall cloud infrastructure spending to grow 26.1 per cent compared to 2023 to $138.3 billion.

Spending on dedicated cloud infrastructure is also expected to have double-digit growth in 2024 at 12.8 per cent, reaching $30 billion for the full year.

“The subdued growth forecast for non-cloud infrastructure at 8.4 per cent in 2024 reflects that even though most of the growth will come from cloud spending, general non-cloud dedicated systems are set to recover this year,” the report mentioned.

According to the report, the shared cloud infrastructure category continues to hold the largest share of spending compared to dedicated (private) cloud deployments and non-cloud spending.

In the January-March period, shared cloud accounted for 56.1 per cent of total infrastructure spending.

Cloud infrastructure spending growth continues being driven by the explosion of AI-related investments, which not only impact servers but also started to have positive influence on enterprise storage as well,” said Juan Pablo Seminara, research director for IDC’s Worldwide Enterprise Infrastructure Tracker. AGENCIES

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI) on Saturday launched an eSankhyiki portal with the objective of establishing a comprehensive data management and sharing system for ease of dissemination of official statistics in the country.

The portal (https://esankhyiki.mospi.gov.in) aims to provide timely inputs for planners, policy-makers, researchers and the public at large. The eSankhyiki Portal has two sections facilitating easy access and re-use of data, the Ministry said.

The first section is a Data Catalogue that lists the National Accounts Statistics, Consumer Price Index, Index of Industrial Production, Annual Survey of Industries, Periodic Labour Force Survey and Household Consumption Expenditure Survey in one place.

The second covers Macro Indicators. The section includes time series data of key macro indicators with features for filtering and visualisation. It also allows users to download custom datasets, and visualisations and enables access to them through APIs, thereby increasing the re-usability of data. At present, this section includes National Accounts Statistics, Consumer Price Index, Index of Industrial Production, and Annual Survey of Industries, encompassing the data of the last 10 years.

Statistics Day is celebrated in the country In recognition of the notable contributions made by Professor (late) Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis in the fields of statistics and economic planning.

The main objective of celebrating Statistics Day is the creation of public awareness, especially among the younger generation, on the role and importance of statistics in socio-economic planning and policy formulation for the development of the country.

The theme for Statistics Day, 2024 is “Use of data for decision-making”. The concept of data-driven decision-making is important for making informed decisions in any field.

The Chief Guest on the occasion, Arvind Panagariya, Chairman, of the 16th Finance Commission highlighted the role of Prof. P.C. Mahalanobis in shaping the Indian Statistical System. He also urged that India should continue its data-driven policy-making in order to move along its development trajectory.

Prof. Rajeeva Laxman Karandikar, Chairman of the National Statistical Commission emphasized the need to make the data more accessible and usable. He also stressed the need for the interoperability and linking of databases generated by various agencies through coordination among stakeholders.

Saurabh Garg, Secretary, MoSPI while addressing the audience highlighted the recent initiatives of the Ministry for reducing time-lag in survey data like Computer-Aided Personal Interview (CAPI), new surveys, user engagement exercise and the newly launched eSankhyiki portal.

Luis Felipe Lopez-Calva, Global Director for the World Bank Group’s poverty and equity global practice made a presentation on the global experience of using data for decision-making. He emphasised that data is an essential infrastructure for effective policy-making while sharing prevalent global practices.

Based on the updated Sustainable Development Goals – National Indicator Framework (SDGs- NIF), MoSPI released three progress reports on SDGs with time series data. These reports can be accessed at the MoSPI’s website AGENCIES

IT major IBM and the Gujarat government on Saturday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish and promote an artificial intelligence (AI) Cluster in the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT city), leveraging IBM’s ‘watsonx’ technology solutions to foster innovation and collaboration among financial institutions.As part of this collaboration, financial institutions will gain access to ‘AI Sandbox’, assistance in providing proof of concept, AI literacy programmes and digital assistant solutions.

“This MoU with IBM will help Gujarat to lead the country in efforts to adopt AI and drive digital transformation,” said Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel.

IBM will provide software technologies and platforms over a cloud environment enabling financial institutions to customise and fine-tune large language AI models in a sandbox environment.

“This collaboration is a significant step in our continued association with the Government of Gujarat to accelerate the digital transformation of the state,” said Sandip Patel, MD, IBM India and South Asia.

“By establishing this AI cluster, our aim is to make the latest AI solutions easily accessible to the vibrant and growing number of financial institutions in GIFT city,” he added.

The IT major will also aim to build a digital assistant-based solution that facilitates the onboarding and integration of these customised large language models for financial institutions.    Aligned with its commitment to skill 30 million people by 2023 and train 2 million learners in AI by the end of 2026, the company said it will develop an AI curriculum for schools and universities across the state. AGENCIES

Infinix on Saturday launched a new laptop — the Zero Book Ultra AI PC, with generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) capabilities to create an ecosystem of future-forward laptops in India.

The Infinix Zero Book Ultra AI PC will be available in three variants — Ultra 5 (16GB+512GB) at Rs 59,990, Ultra 7 (16GB+512GB) at Rs 69,990, and Ultra 9 (32GB+1TB) at Rs 84,990 — starting from July 10 on Flipkart.

“With India’s rapid adoption of AI, this laptop will be a game-changer, striking a chord with consumers through its affordability, user-friendly interfaces, and future-forward features, perfectly aligned with their demand for advanced AI capabilities,” Anish Kapoor, CEO, Infinix India, said in a statement.

The new device comes powered by Intel (NASDAQ:INTC)’s Core Ultra Processor, the first truly ready AI processor that combines exceptional performance with revolutionary AI capabilities, the company said.

The laptop features a 15.6-inch display that boasts a peak brightness of up to 400 nits, ensuring exceptional visuals with vibrant colours and deep contrasts.

In addition, the Zero Book Ultra AI PC offers unparalleled connectivity options, including the latest WiFi 6E protocol with 6GHz support, providing up to an astonishing 9.6 Gbps throughput and seamless Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity.

Furthermore, the laptop also includes “PC Connection” that enables Android to Windows features.

Infinix on Saturday launched a new laptop — the Zero Book Ultra AI PC, with generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) capabilities to create an ecosystem of future-forward laptops in India.

The Infinix Zero Book Ultra AI PC will be available in three variants — Ultra 5 (16GB+512GB) at Rs 59,990, Ultra 7 (16GB+512GB) at Rs 69,990, and Ultra 9 (32GB+1TB) at Rs 84,990 — starting from July 10 on Flipkart.

“With India’s rapid adoption of AI, this laptop will be a game-changer, striking a chord with consumers through its affordability, user-friendly interfaces, and future-forward features, perfectly aligned with their demand for advanced AI capabilities,” Anish Kapoor, CEO, Infinix India, said in a statement.

The new device comes powered by Intel (NASDAQ:INTC)’s Core Ultra Processor, the first truly ready AI processor that combines exceptional performance with revolutionary AI capabilities, the company said.

The laptop features a 15.6-inch display that boasts a peak brightness of up to 400 nits, ensuring exceptional visuals with vibrant colours and deep contrasts.

In addition, the Zero Book Ultra AI PC offers unparalleled connectivity options, including the latest WiFi 6E protocol with 6GHz support, providing up to an astonishing 9.6 Gbps throughput and seamless Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity.

Furthermore, the laptop also includes “PC Connection” that enables Android to Windows features. AGENCIES

Meta-owned Instagram on Saturday suffered a major outage globally, including in India, as thousands of users were unable to load Reels and access other options.

As per website outage tracking website Downdetector, over 6,500 users reported issues with accessing the platform in India at the peak of an outage at around 12.02 p.m.

About 58 per cent reported problems with the feed, 32 per cent with the app, and 10 per cent with server connection.

Users from Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, and others faced issues with the app.

Users took to X to vent their frustration as they were unable to log in to the app, load Reels, and others.

“Everyone going towards Twitter to check if Instagram is down,” a user wrote.

“I thought my Instagram got hacked cuz there’s no way my fyp looks like this. It’s all brain rot usually #instagramdown,” another user said.

One more user stated, “Me going to Twitter to check if it’s only my Instagram that’s down, or we all are suffering #instagramdown”. AGENCIES

Myntra collaborates with Masaba Gupta – the acclaimed fashion designer, beauty entrepreneur and actor as the brand ambassador for Myntra Home.

In this role, she will bring her creative vision to the platform, curating an inspiration-driving home selection that caters to trend-first customers who are building homes that best reflect their personalities. As part of this association, she will also be seen in the ‘Curated by Masaba’ campaign that shines a spotlight on Myntra’s premium home selection.

“Home is where we freely express ourselves, adorned with our roots, beliefs, and culture. Becoming the brand ambassador for Myntra’s Home Category is about transforming home decor into a bold statement of self-expression. For me, this collaboration is an opportunity to merge the intimate journey of home-making with inspiring aesthetics,” said Gupta.

Masaba Gupta is a formidable creative force, who has proven her prowess by resonating with diverse demographics through her distinctive aesthetics and design sensibilities across fashion and beauty. Now, she brings her signature quirk and creative brilliance to Myntra Home.

Myntra Home’s portfolio includes fine and elegant home furnishing, trendy art & decor pieces, lamps & lighting, kitchen & dining, bath, and bed linen and appliances from leading brands including M&S Homes, H&M Homes, India Circus, My Trident (NS:TRIE), Urban Space, Elementary, D’Decor and Nestasia.

Since recently intensifying its focus on the home category, Myntra has significantly expanded its offerings, boasting a rich catalogue of over 4 lakh styles from more than 1,500 renowned domestic and global brands.

Over the years, the rise in time spent by individuals at home, with a notable increase in hybrid work and work-from-home becoming norms, has instilled practices of aesthetics that have resulted in consumers investing more in their home furnishings and decor. Some of the sub categories like kitchen, wall clocks and serverware are clocking over 100% year-on-year (YoY) growth in demand.

“We are delighted to welcome the creative force, Masaba Gupta, as the brand ambassador for Myntra Home. Home is an important part of one’s lifestyle and hence the category expansion fits well into Myntra’s commitment of democratising fashion and lifestyle. Masaba’s distinctive design acumen is well-known globally, and we are thrilled to bring her keen sense of aesthetics by way of her curated collections, themes and looks, to inspire our customers,” said Sunder Balasubramanian – CMO, Myntra.

Like fashion, home decor is a natural extension of one’s distinct taste. Focused on design and aesthetics, the curated collection on Myntra aims to transform homes into chic havens of comfort by offering mood-boosting, theme-based decor inspirations, also reflected in the premium catalogue imagery.

For example, the ‘Cozy Bedroom’ selection features ceramic diffusers, minimalist lamps, and neutral-shaded furnishings. Similarly, the ‘Lovely Living Room’ offers tropical cushions, ceramic planters, textured ottomans and woven hangings.

The ‘Curated by Masaba’ campaign will showcase the tasteful ‘Myntra Home’ selection. It emphasizes the core proposition of top-notch design aesthetics, enabling customers to seamlessly discover handpicked products and brands to elevate their homes.

“We felt that the ‘Home Decor’ category needed fresh storytelling and when it was for Myntra, it had to be fashionable too. Featuring Masaba as the brand ambassador, we’ve created super fun films where the creative take is ‘curated home decor products & themes so good, you’ll be tempted to lie about it’ – both films showcasing the width of inspiring themes and unique products one can choose from on Myntra Home,” said Ira Gupta, Chief Creative Officer, Toaster India.

The ad film stars Masaba Gupta, as well as popular content creator Kusha Kapila, showcasing curated home and living looks and products as the focal point. Set against the backdrop of a lively party, Kapila, the hostess, revels in the admiration her meticulously curated home decor receives from guests.

She improvises her responses to suggest that her decor is personally sourced from exclusive crafts worldwide. However, Gupta appears in the scene, knowing the truth about the home decor Kapila is happily showing off is from Myntra’s extensive home selection.

Playfully pointing to a small vase, she questions Kapila about that purchase, prompting Kapila to awkwardly admit it’s from Myntra before hastily excusing herself mid-conversation. The campaign thus puts the spotlight on Myntra’s handpicked, unique and trendy home selection to refresh every corner of the house and let the homes do the talking.

AGENCIES