There will be very few who will disagree that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the biggest disruption after Cloud in the world of IT and business models at large globally.

AI has been evolving over many years now with an ever-increasing set of terminologies:

To add to these AI-related vocabulary, there are also 7 commonly agreed Types of Artificial Intelligence (Source Credit: Sunny Betz)

While AI has been evolving rapidly with huge progress wrt technology and theory, the practical aspects of AI (How to Use AI) however has mostly not landed firmly on the ground yet. If one asks a CXO or a CIO about AI, almost all will enthusiastically say “YES, we are Using AI”, but when probed further most will get into generalizations without getting into the specifics of What, Why, How, etc.

It’s like a “déjà vu” moment with what happened with “Digital Transformation” – everybody started talking about it, but there was no common articulation or set process of “How to Do Digital Transformation”.

The fact remains that no matter how disruptive or revolutionary a new technology may be, until and unless it adds demonstrable, repeatable and significant value to businesses (through business cases, ROI, etc.) wrt Business Growth/Transformation/Modernization, it will just end up being another hype or jargon.

In this article, I (while upfront declaring that I am no expert on AI) will attempt to filter out all the hype, hoopla and noise about AI/Gen AI – while laying out my viewpoint about a simple, common-sensical and business-contextual “2-Steps” way of adopting this useful technology evolution by enterprises, irrespective of their size, geography spread and industry vertical. I will also elaborate on a potential low-hanging fruit which can be the first use case for Gen AI adoption.

STEP 1: PROOF OF THE PUDDING (The Appetizer)

Identifying the first use case (aka low hanging fruit) for GenAI adoption while ticking off the following considerations:

Once a use case is identified applying the aforesaid criteria, a thorough Business Case needs to be documented and approved through the organization’s approval/stage gate processes. The business case needs to cover the following:

STEP 2: ROLLOUT ROADMAP & EXECUTION (The Main Course with Dessert)

With the first proof point successfully delivered (after business case re-validation, post the implementation), next logical step would be to:

The goal and outcome would be to effectively enable the enterprise’s Business Transformation initiatives with Digital Transformation through new tech adoption

IDENTIFYING THE “LOW HANGING FRUIT” (First GenAI Use Case)

WHAT

WHY

HOW

BENEFITS

Disclaimer: The contents of this article are purely written in an individual capacity based on the personal opinions of the author. The author does not claim to be a SME on the topic covered in this article.  Data sources and image credits have been duly cited, as and where applicable.

About the Author :

Mr. Subham Sarkar
Strategic Advisor,
Celebal Technologies
Agilitz Technologies
Netlabs Global IT Services
Jumpstart Ninja Technologies

Mr. Subham Sarkar is a business strategist, technology evangelist, thought leader and mentor.

Mr. Subham Sarkar is a senior leadership professional with around three decades of running career in the IT industry.

Mr. Subham Sarkar is on the Advisory Board of a few exciting early- and late-stage start ups.

Mr. Subham Sarkar With an MBA and Engineering education background, he had a passion for keeping himself abreast of the macro economics and dynamics of the global economy, how geo-politics and the ever evolving technology landscape are opening up newer possibilities and challenges for the present and the future.

Mr. Subham Sarkar‘s Persona Descriptor :

Strategy Advisor, Rainmaker, Mentor

Mr. Subham Sarkar‘s Career Goals (for my remaining work years):

To help early- & late-stage IT start-ups scale their businesses globally and contribute to the IT Services eco-system of both consumers and providers

Mr. Subham Sarkar‘s Life Goals:

To be known & respected as a professional & a good human being in my sphere of influence – contributing meaningfully to my profession, to the society I live in and most importantly, my family

Mr. Subham Sarkar‘s Passions / Interest Areas:

Business & Corporate Strategy, New & Emerging Technologies, Geo-Politics & Geo Economics, Alliances & Partnerships, Articles & Blog Writing, Mentoring & NGOs, Personal Finance & Investments, Nature & Travel, Crosswords Solving & Kishore Kumar Songs, Thriller & Superhero Movies, Cricket & Football, Indian Non-Veg Cuisine & Jamaican Beverages

Check out Mr. Subham Sarkar Blog
https://subhamsarkarmusings.blogspot.com

Mr. Subham Sarkar‘s earlier New & Emerging Technology Articles Published :

GenAI – A Case of Running with the Hare and Hunting with the Hounds ?

” Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) – An AI & ML based Future ”

” Quantum Computing – This Hype is for Real! ”

“India – World’s Digital Economy Leader”

” Future of Transportation ”

” How Artificial Intelligence is gaining greater levels of trust in elderly care ”

“All you need to know about Sentiment Analysis ”

“ Intelligent Automation in it’s Early Teens “

Mr. Mr. Subham Sarkar can be Contacted at :

Mobile : +91-81476 52280

Email | LinkedIn

Also read Mr. Subham Sarkar‘s earlier articles:

The post GenAI for Enterprises – Don’t Hype, Simply Adopt appeared first on Industry4o.com.

“Computers”, “Internet” and “Cloud” have undoubtedly been the three biggest inventions that have disrupted the technology landscape globally in the past few decades, thereby transforming human lives from a “physical” world to a “digital” world.

Another striking similarity amongst all these three was when each of these got introduced, global debates invariably ensued about whether they are good or are they bad! But finally, they were destined to be here to stay for good, fully entwined with our daily lives and still “mostly” under human control. The initial fear of job losses, privacy & security concerns, etc. were out-weighed by the overall benefits and the safeguards put in place like cyber security, data protection legislations, etc.

However, in the recent years there has come another such super disruptor – “Artificial Intelligence” (AI). The sheer name itself said it all, resulting in debates around fear of job losses, to privacy & security concerns, to even religion! (are we trying to become God?). Further by feeding it more and more data related to human knowledge, experiences, intelligence, emotions, behavioural patterns, contextual learnings, etc. while esoterically naming these inputs as “Large Language Models” (LLMs), we are all going gaga about “Generative AI” (GenAI) with its “Deep Learning” capabilities.

Predictably, there are also voices that are getting louder around whether we are trying to bite more than we can chew and creating a Frankenstein? The rising incidents of “deepfakes” in the recent past wrt celebrities globally and the “layoffs” news that are being announced by the tech and ‘born in the cloud’ companies clearly shows that perhaps this time humans are not yet fully in control of what we are unleashing? Even, major governments worldwide and big tech companies are all feeling uncomfortable and everyone seems to be talking of setting up parallel guardrails, but nothing concrete has come out yet. Only time will tell.

This sets the context for which of these 2 below phrases is more apt for a debate on GenAI?

1. “Run with the hare and hunt with the hounds” is a phrase meaning try to support both sides of an argument/conflict/dispute.

OR

2. “Hold with the hare and run with the hounds” is a phrase meaning to deceitfully purport to remain on good terms with both sides in a conflict.

This also leads us to remember the moral of ‘The Hound and the Hare’ fable by Aesop (circa 600BC) – A Hound scared and chased a Hare but gave up after some distance. Asked why, the Hound cited motivation: Hound ran for supper, Hare ran for life. Motivation is everything.

Write off humans at your own peril! Whenever there is a challenge or a problem thrown at humans, we always seem to come up with a workable solution! COVID-19 pandemic rings a bell?

A Blog Series on New & Emerging Technologies

Disclaimer: The contents of this article are purely written in an individual capacity based on the personal opinions of the author. Data sources and image credits have been cited duly as and where applicable.

Banner Image Credit : Christopher Furlong

About the Author :

Mr. Subham Sarkar
Chief Strategy Officer,
Netlabs Global IT Services,

Mr. Subham Sarkar is a business strategist, technology evangelist,  thought leader and active blogger. He is a Senior leadership  professional with around three decades of running career in the IT  industry. He is also on the Advisory Board of a few exciting early- and  late-stage start ups.

With a MBA and Engineering education background, Mr. Subham Sarkar have  a passion for keeping himself abreast of the macro economics and  dynamics of the global economy, how geo-politics and the ever evolving  technology landscape are opening up newer possibilities and challenges  for the present and the future.

Mr. Subham Sarkar core goals in life are to be known and respected as A)  a professional continuously striving for excellence while evolving with  changing times and B) a good human being in his sphere of influence,  contributing meaningfully to his profession, to the society he live in and most importantly his family.

Mr. Subham Sarkar interests are in Business Strategy, New & Emerging Technologies, Geo-Politics & Geo-Economics, Alliances & Partnerships, Articles & Blog Writing, Mentoring & NGOs, Personal Finance & Investments, Nature & Travel, Kishore Kumar Songs, Thriller & Mystery Movies, Cricket & Football, amongst others.

Check out Mr. Subham Sarkar Blog
https://subhamsarkarmusings.blogspot.com

Mr. Subham Sarkar can be Contacted at :

Mobile : +91-81476 52280

Email | LinkedIn

Also read Mr. Subham Sarkar‘s earlier articles:

The post GenAI – A Case of Running with the Hare and Hunting with the Hounds? appeared first on Industry4o.com.

The past couple of months saw two global events which squarely positioned India as a key global geo-political player.

First was the BRICS Summit in South Africa, where 6 new member countries were added to BRICS and their choices show a strong India imprint (despite of China)! Also, the successful Moon South Pole landing during the event (first ever in human history), was like India had choreographed the BRICS event with PM Modi like a global statesman dedicating this success as for the entire world (and not just for India)!

Second was the much bigger and grander G-20 Summit in India. Bamboozling the naysayers (external and internal pundits to politicians) to subversions (like a particular Head of State of a new superpower skipping the event), India under PM Modi proved everyone wrong with a successful G-20.

Be it from India inviting some key friendly countries as observers (guests) to ensuring a G-20 permanent member seat for the African Union (AU) to signing of the strategic India-Middle East-Europe Transport Corridor (apt answer to China’s Belt & Road Initiative) to signing of the Bio-Fuel Alliance (strong enabler for Environment & Sustainable Energy Goals) to the adoption of the Digital Public Infra Initiative (based on the India Stack) to the final signing of the G-20 New Delhi Declaration (which many had written off as an impossibility), amongst many others – India led with thoughts, India led with execution, India led with consensus building, India led as the spokesperson of the Global South.

Global leaders and global media bore testimony of this stupendous success. One example, the current rotating head of the African Union (Head of Comoros) gleefully called out “India as the fifth superpower” and “ahead of China”.

Second example, The Telegraph UK headlined “Why India is poised to become the centre of the New World Order”.

Third example, all important countries called out the India-led event a success – from the US to Russia, from Europe to even China!

This author had already opined that in the foreseeable future (maybe within a decade), there will be 3 superpowers in the global stage viz, the US, China & India!

Its time the current 2 superpowers (and the rest of the world) recognize this sure fact and factor in a strong India relationship in their key global strategic calculus! The US is already showing some signs of accepting this reality and its high time China climbs down from its high horse, and start honestly collaborating with India as equal partners in all areas.

Therein will lie the future of a new world order!

A Blog Series on Geo-Economics & Geo-Politics

Disclaimer: The contents of this article are purely written in an individual capacity with data available in the public domain and based on the personal opinions of the author. Data sources and image credits have been cited duly as and where applicable.

About the Author :

Mr. Subham Sarkar
Chief Strategy Officer,
Netlabs Global IT Services,

Mr. Subham Sarkar is a business strategist, technology evangelist,  thought leader and active blogger. He is a Senior leadership  professional with around three decades of running career in the IT  industry. He is also on the Advisory Board of a few exciting early- and  late-stage start ups.

With a MBA and Engineering education background, Mr. Subham Sarkar have  a passion for keeping himself abreast of the macro economics and  dynamics of the global economy, how geo-politics and the ever evolving  technology landscape are opening up newer possibilities and challenges  for the present and the future.

Mr. Subham Sarkar core goals in life are to be known and respected as A)  a professional continuously striving for excellence while evolving with  changing times and B) a good human being in his sphere of influence,  contributing meaningfully to his profession, to the society he live in and most importantly his family.

Mr. Subham Sarkar interests are in Business Strategy, New & Emerging Technologies, Geo-Politics & Geo-Economics, Alliances & Partnerships, Articles & Blog Writing, Mentoring & NGOs, Personal Finance & Investments, Nature & Travel, Kishore Kumar Songs, Thriller & Mystery Movies, Cricket & Football, amongst others.

Check out Mr. Subham Sarkar Blog
https://subhamsarkarmusings.blogspot.com

Mr. Subham Sarkar can be Contacted at :

Mobile : +91-81476 52280

Email | LinkedIn

Also read Mr. Subham Sarkar‘s earlier articles:

The post INDIA – The New World Order appeared first on Industry4o.com.

In my previous two articles on this topic of Rare Earth Metals “The War for World Domination” dated July 28, 2022 and “The Race is Very Much On” dated May 2, 2023), I had focused on China and India, respectively.

For those who missed them or wants a refresher, here are the links – https://industry4o.com/2022/07/28/rare-earth-metals-the-war-for-world-domination/ and https://industry4o.com/2023/05/02/rare-earth-metals-the-race-is-very-much-on/, respectively.

I had concluded my previous article of this series (Episode 2) with “In my next article of this series (Episode 3), I plan to cover further developments in this sector which I will be tracking, with a focus on what the US has been planning and doing. Watch this space!”

Well, I felt given the rapid pace at which this race is unfolding, it’s time to keep abreast with the momentum with a follow-on article to take stock on recent developments – especially when the race is being run on multiple realms – Earth, beneath the Oceans and in Space!

In this third episode of the series on Rare Earth Metals Race, I will be focusing on the United States of America – the original global leader in rare earth elements, who somehow managed to lose the plot to China in the past few decades, but is now clawing back with a vengeance to reclaim its lost empire!

The Rise (and Reign) of the Rare Earth’s Empire of the USA!

Through the 1950s until the 1980s, the Mountain Pass rare earth mine in California’s Mojave Desert near the Nevada border, made the United States the leading producer of rare earths. Before that rare earths were known to be available only in South Africa and India!

As per the Science History Institute, in the early 1950s rare earths like europium, cerium, lanthanum, neodymium, and praseodymium were extracted from this Mountain Pass mine. This mine, owned then by the Molybdenum Corporation of America, or Molycorp, dominated world rare earth production and exports from about 1960 until 2000.

The arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War (1945 to 1991) led to huge increases in government-funded research and development in many areas, including the rare earth elements. Corporate and industrial research further generated new products for consumers based on batteries, magnets and semi-conductor chips that use rare earth elements.

All these made the United States the world’s leading exporter of manufactured goods throughout most part of 20th century (from late 1940s to the 1990s). The Empire was thus born, and the US ruled!

The Fall of the Rare Earths Empire of Uncle Sam!

There were primarily two factors that led to the fall of the US from its place of pre-eminence in Rare Earths, viz, Globalisation and Rise of China!

Globalisation – As governments around the world reduced restrictions on trade and as global shipping and communications costs decreased, American manufacturing companies began to set up factories wherever goods could be produced most cheaply. Beginning in the 1980s and accelerating through the 1990s, many American firms relocated their manufacturing to countries like China, Japan, Mexico and the Asian Tigers (Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam) that paid much lower wages and had fewer health and safety protections for workers and less stringent environmental regulations. These actions reduced the price of goods for American consumers but led to the closing of factories and loss of jobs in the United States!

Rise of China – Between 1978 and 1995 China’s annual production of rare earth elements increased by an average of 40% per year. During the 1990s its exports of rare earth elements also increased rapidly, causing prices for these metals around the world to decline sharply. As prices dropped, competing producers either went out of business or steeply reduced their production, unable to meet the so-called “China price”. Beginning in the 1990s companies owned by the Chinese government sought to buy controlling shares in rare earth companies located in other countries. I have already covered in some detail about China’s meteoric rise in Rare Earths space as the undisputed leader in the 21st century in the aforesaid Episode 1 of this article series.

The Empire Strikes Back!

It’s since about the last decade that the US finally got to understand the Chinese threat of rare earths hegemony! To address this challenge, the game plan of the US seems to hinge on 2 main strategies, viz, a) Domestic Rejuvenation and b) Global Alliances.

Domestic Rejuvenation – As per some reports, it was since the Donald Trump administration that the US initiated some serious affirmative actions towards fighting back against the Chinese hegemony in rare earths space, by boosting funding for domestic US firms. The Joe Biden administration has taken things further by incorporating rare-earth projects into its Defense Production Act and expanding its rare-earth stockpile.

Incentivisation efforts like the Rare Earth Magnet Manufacturing Production Tax Credit Act of 2023 that would offer tax credit for establishing rare-earth magnet production in the U.S. locally are also underway. Another related landmark legislation has been the Chips and Science Act that provides for $52bn in subsidies and incentives to develop semiconductor manufacturing capacity in America.

MP Materials Corp. has been tasked to revive the Mountain Pass mine and USA Rare Earth has announced that it expects to produce nearly half of the critical minerals listed in the US Geological Survey’s revised list of raw materials deemed crucial for national security and the economy.

In another frontier, deep beneath the Pacific Ocean, in an area of about 2 million square miles of ocean between Hawaii and Mexico, it has been estimated that there is a staggering rare earths potential reserve ranging from $8 to more than $16 trillion. U.S. companies are increasingly seeking to engage in seabed mining for minerals such as rare earth elements and cobalt that are critical to the broad U.S. economy and used in producing defence assets.

USA seems to be finally getting its together in the “final frontier” of Outer Space too. NASA’s Perseverance rover has just returned to Earth after exploring the Martian soil after about a 2-year mission. Further, last month NASA announced its plans to mine the Lunar soil for oxygen and water by 2032. It also stated that they aim to expand this to iron and rare earths in the future. The US seems to be determined to not let China steal the race in outer space, at least!

Global Alliances – I had covered the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) in the Episode 2 of this article series. This US-led alliance includes Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Sweden, the UK, and the European Union. I had mentioned then that India was trying to join the MSP. Now during PM Narendra Modi’s recent US state visit, India has now formally joined the MSP. With India’s existing reserves and its recent discoveries of Lithium and a few other rare earths, it made sense for the US to rope in India to make this MSP alliance more powerful.

A similar alliance led by the US to cover Outer Space is the Artemis Accords, which also includes countries like Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, UAE, and the UK. In the recent past more countries like Spain, Ecuador and India have also signed up. Formulating and upholding the Principles for Cooperation in Civil Exploration and Use of
the Moon, Mars, Comets, and Asteroids for Peaceful Purposes, is the mandate of the Artemis Accords.

Further, in terms of the Poles (both Arctic and Antarctica), the US is shoring up its existing set of Western Alliance/G7 partners, with other partners like South Korea, A&NZ, India, Argentina, Chile, etc through alliance formats like the Arctic Council and the Antarctic Treaty.  The US wants to ensure that China (and also to some extent Russia), do not have a free run wrt the potentially rare earths resource-rich Arctic Ocean and the South Pacific & South Atlantic Oceans.

In Conclusion

The race for rare earth metals is getting more interesting every day. Countries like the US and India, individually and in alliance (bi-lateral and/or multi-lateral formats), are trying to reduce their risky over-dependence on China for rare earths and its derivative outputs like batteries, magnets, semi-conductors, ceramics, glasses, etc. Multiple fronts in all frontiers have thus been opened up to build internal capacities & capabilities, and also a supply chain resilience that excludes China. “Taming the Dragon” seems to be the common mantra!

To summarise this rare earth article series of 3 episodes:

• China is losing some steam like the “Aging Emperor”
• US is finding back its mojo like “Uncle Sam is Back”
• India is swashbuckling like the “New Kid in the Block”
• ROW (EU, ANZ, Japan, South Korea, Russia, Chile,) is scrambling like “We Matter Too”

I will be keenly tracking further developments in this sector and maybe there will be an Episode 4 in the near future! Watch this space!

Banner Image Credit : SeekPNG

Disclaimer: The contents of this article are purely written in an individual capacity with data available in the public domain and based on the personal opinions of the author. Data sources and image credits have been cited duly as and where applicable.

About the Author :

Mr. Subham Sarkar
Chief Strategy Officer,
Netlabs Global IT Services,

Mr. Subham Sarkar is a business strategist, technology evangelist,  thought leader and active blogger. He is a Senior leadership  professional with around three decades of running career in the IT  industry. He is also on the Advisory Board of a few exciting early- and  late-stage start ups.

With a MBA and Engineering education background, Mr. Subham Sarkar have  a passion for keeping himself abreast of the macro economics and  dynamics of the global economy, how geo-politics and the ever evolving  technology landscape are opening up newer possibilities and challenges  for the present and the future.

Mr. Subham Sarkar core goals in life are to be known and respected as A)  a professional continuously striving for excellence while evolving with  changing times and B) a good human being in his sphere of influence,  contributing meaningfully to his profession, to the society he live in and most importantly his family.

Mr. Subham Sarkar interests are in Business Strategy, New & Emerging Technologies, Geo-Politics & Geo-Economics, Alliances & Partnerships, Articles & Blog Writing, Mentoring & NGOs, Personal Finance & Investments, Nature & Travel, Kishore Kumar Songs, Thriller & Mystery Movies, Cricket & Football, amongst others.

Check out Mr. Subham Sarkar Blog
https://subhamsarkarmusings.blogspot.com

Mr. Subham Sarkar can be Contacted at :

Mobile : +91-81476 52280

Email | LinkedIn

Also read Mr. Subham Sarkar‘s earlier articles:

The post Rare Earth Metals – “The Empire Strikes Back!” appeared first on Industry4o.com.

Is Quantum Computing the Big Leap for Mankind? Will it take us to “Where no man has gone before”?

“The world has been changing even faster as people, devices, and information are increasingly connected to each other. Computational power is growing and quantum computing is quickly being realized. This will revolutionize artificial intelligence with exponentially faster speeds. It will advance encryption. Quantum computers will change everything, even human biology.” ― Stephen Hawking

The field is however relatively new! David Deutsch (now aged 69), became known as the “father of quantum computing” after proposing an exotic machine to test the existence of parallel universes! His paper in 1985 paved the way for the rudimentary quantum computers scientists are working on today.

Big Tech as usual moved in pretty much quickly and wants a big share of the quantum pie! IBM, Google, Nvidia, Microsoft, Amazon, Intel, Honeywell, amongst others are the ones to track. In November 2022, IBM unveiled its latest quantum computer (Osprey), a new 433 qubit processor that is three times more powerful than its predecessor built only in 2021.

And so do Governments! In April 2023, the Indian government launched its National Quantum Mission (NQM) with a budgetary outlay of ₹ 6,003.65 crore from 2023-24 to 2030-31. The outlay though may seem modest for a mission with “far-reaching implications”, but with this India became the 6th country in the world with a dedicated mission like this. Before this only the US, Austria, Finland, France and China had similar missions.

But why does Quantum Computing have “far reaching implications”? Depending on who you ask, the answers can range from extremes like “it will break the internet” to “it will solve the climate crisis”!

What is Quantum Computing?

While there are many definitions of Quantum Computing, I found the following definition from Amazon quite comprehensive yet simple:

Quantum computing is a multidisciplinary field comprising aspects of computer science, physics, and mathematics that utilizes quantum mechanics to solve complex problems faster than on classical computers. The field of quantum computing includes hardware research and application development.

Quantum Computing Examples and Difference with Supercomputing

Multiplying two prime numbers, A and B, to find the product C is a simple task for any computer. But with C only being given, finding A and B is a bit more complicated. This problem becomes more complex to solve once A and B as data sets become very large. The complexity of this problem forms the basis of how sensitive data like our credit card numbers are protected from being stolen when used for online transactions.

Another example can be cited from quantum mechanics (QM), the branch of physics that studies the universe or multiverse (which one can relate with the more recent Marvel movie “Quantumania” or the quintessential sci-fi series “StarTrek”) at the microscopic scale of atoms and electrons. With the help of a computer, we can easily solve QM equations for a hydrogen atom, which contains one proton and one electron, or a hydrogen molecule, which contains two hydrogen atoms. But if we have a more complex molecule, like the ubiquitous Aspirin medicine (which has 9 carbon atoms, 8 hydrogen atoms, and 4 oxygen atoms), the QM equations are impossible to solve even if we use the most powerful computer available today.

That’s where supercomputers cannot compare to the speed and power of quantum computers. Supercomputers can handle a greater variety of jobs, but they can only handle one at a time. Quantum computers however can handle several computations at once, so they are perfect for handling challenging issues that call for processing enormous amounts of data efficiently.

How do quantum computers work?

From smartphones to the most powerful supercomputers, these operate on the same principle of binary codes. Essentially, the chips in our computers use tiny transistors that function as on/off switches to give two possible values (0 or 1), otherwise known as bits (short for binary digits). These bits can be configured into larger and more complex units, essentially long strings of 0s and 1s encoded with data commands that tell the computer what to do, like display a video or show a Facebook post pr play an mp3; let you type an email, etc.

Quantum computing machines however function in an entirely different way. Unlike the bits in a classical computer, the basic unit of information in quantum computing is a quantum bit, or qubit. These are typically subatomic particles like photons or electrons. The key to a quantum machine’s advanced computational power lies in its ability to manipulate these qubits.

Quantum computing is based on 2 key properties, as below:

1. Superposition – in qubits means that unlike a binary system with its two possible values, 0 or 1, a qubit in superposition can be 0 or 1 or 0 and 1 at the same time. Let’s understand this with the analogy of a coin. When it is stationary a coin has 2 sides (heads or tails). But when we flip or spin a coin, in a way it is both heads and tails at the same time until it lands and one can measure it.

2. Quantum Entanglement – When 2 qubits are generated in an entangled state there is a direct measurable correlation between what happens to one qubit in an entangled pair and what happens to the other, no matter how far apart they are. This phenomenon has no equivalent in the classical world and is a somewhat mysterious feature of quantum mechanics that even baffled Einstein in his time who declared it “spooky action at a distance”. Incidentally, the Nobel Prize for physics in 2022 was awarded to three scientists (Alain Aspect, John Clauser, and Anton Zeilinger), for their experiments on entanglement and advancing the field of quantum information.

What does India’s NQM entail?

As per India’s Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh, this mission targets developing intermediate scale quantum computers with 50-1000 physical qubits in eight years in various platforms like superconducting and photonic technology. Satellite-based secure quantum communications between ground stations over a range of 2000 km within India, long distance secure quantum communications with other countries, inter-city quantum key distribution over 2000 km as well as multi-node quantum network with quantum memories are also some of the deliverables of the mission.

The mission will help develop magnetometers with high sensitivity in atomic systems and atomic clocks for precision timing, communications and navigation. It will also support design and synthesis of quantum materials such as superconductors, novel semiconductor structures and topological materials for fabrication of quantum devices. Single photon sources/detectors, entangled photon sources will also be developed for quantum communications, sensing and metrological applications. The mission would greatly benefit communication, health, financial and energy sectors as well as drug design, and space applications.

Let me conclude with this quote – “‎By 2100, our destiny is to become like the gods we once worshipped and feared. But our tools will not be magic wands and potions but the science of computers, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and most of all, the quantum theory.” – Michio Kaku

Is Quantum Computing the Big Leap for Mankind? Will it take us to “Where no man has gone before”? Time will surely tell….

A Blog Series on New & Emerging Technologies

Banner Image Credit : GMO Research

Disclaimer: The contents of this article are purely written in an individual capacity with data available in the public domain and based on the personal opinions of the author. Data sources and image credits have been cited duly as and where applicable.

About the Author :

Mr. Subham Sarkar
Chief Strategy Officer,
Netlabs Global IT Services,

Mr. Subham Sarkar is a business strategist, technology evangelist,  thought leader and active blogger. He is a Senior leadership  professional with around three decades of running career in the IT  industry. He is also on the Advisory Board of a few exciting early- and  late-stage start ups.

With a MBA and Engineering education background, Mr. Subham Sarkar have  a passion for keeping himself abreast of the macro economics and  dynamics of the global economy, how geo-politics and the ever evolving  technology landscape are opening up newer possibilities and challenges  for the present and the future.

Mr. Subham Sarkar core goals in life are to be known and respected as A)  a professional continuously striving for excellence while evolving with  changing times and B) a good human being in his sphere of influence,  contributing meaningfully to his profession, to the society he live in and most importantly his family.

Mr. Subham Sarkar interests are in Business Strategy, New & Emerging Technologies, Geo-Politics & Geo-Economics, Alliances & Partnerships, Articles & Blog Writing, Mentoring & NGOs, Personal Finance & Investments, Nature & Travel, Kishore Kumar Songs, Thriller & Mystery Movies, Cricket & Football, amongst others.

Check out Mr. Subham Sarkar Blog
https://subhamsarkarmusings.blogspot.com

Mr. Subham Sarkar can be Contacted at :

Mobile : +91-81476 52280

Email | LinkedIn

Also read Mr. Subham Sarkar’s earlier articles :

The post Quantum Computing appeared first on Industry4o.com.

In my previous and first article on this topic (Rare Earth Metals – “The War for World Domination”, dated July 28, 2022), I had focused on how China was galloping away towards the winner’s podium of the Rare Earth Metals Race. For those who missed it or wants a refresher, here is the link : https://industry4o.com/2022/07/28/rare-earth-metals-the-war-for-world-domination/

 In that article I had however also concluded that “It will be interesting to see how countries like the US, Russia, Japan, the EU, India, etc. (in isolation or in alliances) will play out their parts in this resource war. More on that, in another blog”.

Well, I felt it is time for a follow-on article to take stock on how the race has been shaping up over the past year. In this second episode of the series on Rare Earth Metals Race, I will be focusing on India – the proverbial elephant who seems to be waking up from a deep slumber, and maybe a bit groggy still?

An Alliance Was Indeed Born!

As part of the global ‘China-plus-one’ strategy adopted due to the massive supply-chain disruptions post the Covid-19 pandemic, a group of western nations initiated a cooperation to develop alternatives to China to ensure key industrial supplies. Last year around June 2022, a US-led partnership of 11 nations (the Minerals Security Partnership or MSP) – Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Sweden, the UK, and the European Union – was created to form an alternate supply chain to counter China (having 70% share of global production) in Rare Earth Elements (REEs). A briefing note on the same was also released to the media by the US Department of State (https://www.state.gov/minerals-security-partnership/).

As per the MSP website, there are currently 31 member countries, 4 accession countries (including Chile) and 11 associate countries (including India and China). India is not yet a full member of this arrangement, but India is keen to be so.

The MSP grouping aims to bolster the supply chains of critical minerals such as cobalt, lithium, nickel, gallium, and 17 Rare Earth minerals.

Countering the Chinese Hegemony in Critical Minerals

According to the US Geological Survey, 38 per cent of world production of rare earth minerals in 1993 was in China, 33 per cent in the US, 12 per cent in Australia, and five per cent each in Malaysia and India. However, China accounted for more than 90 per cent of the world production of rare earth minerals in 2008. By 2011, China accounted for 97 per cent of world production of rare earth minerals! So much dependence on one country became alarming and sent shockwaves across the world capitals.

Chinese companies over the years have been making discreet investments in overseas assets in Chile, Indonesia, and Australia. Since 1990, supplies of rare earth minerals became an issue because the Chinese government began to change the amount of rare earth minerals it allows to be produced and exported, and also started limiting the number of Chinese and Sino-foreign joint venture companies that could export rare earth minerals from China. According to the International Energy Agency, complex supply chains could increase the risks that might arise from trade restrictions or other developments in major producing countries.

Hence the “China Plus One” strategy and the MSP. The MSP is aimed at reducing dependency on China for rare earth minerals, end its hegemony and pre-empt any chances of “critical minerals blackmail” (ala, nuclear blackmail!). To jog our memories, in 2019 China did make implicit threats to curb exports of rare earth metals to the US (and Japan), as were suggested by the Chinese state-owned media itself then!

Is India in the Race?

Though India has 6% (fifth-largest) of the world’s rare earth reserves, it only produces 1% of global output, and meets most of its requirements of such minerals from China!

India (like other countries) needs to mitigate the perilous over-dependence on China on a war footing. The applications of critical minerals (including the rare minerals set) are diverse and endless – mobile phones, computers, tablets, flat screen monitors, televisions, semiconductors, fibre-optic cables, electric vehicles, wind turbines, solar panels, stainless steel, rechargeable batteries, magnets, power grids, defence, aerospace, medical applications, and the list goes on.

Recently some good news has been making the headlines with regards to new discoveries. On Feb. 9, the GOI announced a discovery of an untapped 5.9-million-ton stash of lithium reserves located in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir. This has led to renewed efforts to go after establishing commercial feasibility of the lithium reserves found between 2020 and February 2021 in Mandya district of Karnataka. Further, in April 2023, scientists at the CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) discovered large deposits of Light Rare Earth Elements in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh. The elements include those in the lanthanide series including allanite, ceriate, thorite, columbite, tantalite, apatite, zircon, monazite, pyrochlore euxenite and fluorite.

However, the not so good news is that the resources found in India are of “significantly lean grade” as they have been found alongside radioactive elements, thus making their extraction long, complex and expensive. Heavy Rare Earth Elements have not yet been found in extractable quantities in India. Moreover, India unfortunately does not yet have the requisite technology, skills and resources for effective commercial extraction and processing/refining of such minerals!

How should India Play its Cards?

With the GOI’s renewed focus on Manufacturing (Make in India and Self-Reliant India/ Atmanirbhar Bharat), based on the relative importance of particular minerals to our industrial needs and the strategic assessment of supply risks, India needs to develop its own list of critical minerals and strategy for the same.

My sense is India wants to adopt a multi-modal / hybrid strategy to become a serious player in this global race, but at this point in time is yet to firm up a coherent strategy and an action plan with adequate budgetary outlays for the same (like it has already done with other initiatives/missions/sectors).

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) had suggested that such minerals should not be held captive to India’s civil nuclear programme alone. The industry body had further recommended that the public sector firm Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL), administered by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), should be split into two entities. While IREL primarily focuses on Thorium and Uranium, CII had suggested that the second entity could pursue other critical minerals.

In layman terms, there are broadly 2 stages involved in successful mining and exploitation of critical and rare earth minerals:

Stage 1: Exploration-Discovery-Commercial Feasibility

For this India seems to be going the self-driven way at this time, with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-India) project called SHORE (Shallow Subsurface Imaging of India for Resource Exploration) and the Deep Ocean Mission.

India can also leverage the expertise of friendly countries like Australia, Chile, Finland, Norway, US, amongst others. This apart from getting the required expertise (along with technology and knowledge transfers), will also help India explore & establish commercial feasibility faster and at scale.

Further (like China so successfully did), India can look at other countries for such critical mineral resources sourcing (buying, ownership though investments, etc.). Towards the same, the Ministry of Mines has created a Joint Venture company Khanij Bidesh India Ltd (KABIL) with participating interest of NALCO, HCL and MECL. KABIL has already shortlisted a select set of source countries with whom engagements are underway such as Australia, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile etc. for exploring possibilities of mineral asset acquisition abroad.

Stage 2: Extraction-Refining-Commercialisation

Here India definitely needs external help! Alliances and collaboration will be the fastest and most effective way to access the required expertise (through technology and knowledge transfers), till India builds its self-reliance capabilities.

For this, India is already working towards joining the multi-lateral MSP alliance as a priority. In parallel, exploring bilateral and multi-lateral collaborations can be another route.

A good example of the same is the Australia-India Critical Minerals Investment Partnership which is an investment partnership that is set to unlock mutual benefits for India and Australia from Australia’s world-leading critical minerals sector. In March 2022, the Australian Government allocated $5.8 million to the three-year Australia-India Critical Minerals Investment Partnership.

As part of this partnership, Australia will partner with India to supply critical minerals, export services and technology to process, refine, recover, and recycle critical minerals, help with mineral exploration in India, carry out joint research projects, and support India’s mining-related environmental management.

In Feb 2023, Norway’s Minister of Trade and Industry indicated that Norway will explore export of rare earth metals to India. Similarly, on April 3, 2023, Chile (home to the world’s largest Lithium reserves), said it is keen to partner with India in exploring the possibilities offered by the discovery of the estimated 5.9-million-tonne reserve of lithium in Jammu and Kashmir. Chile further said it is “willing” to engage in technology transfers and help India build up its industrial capacity in Lithium exploration so that the country can become a major player in the metal’s supply chain.

It is however intriguing that the US had kept India out from the MSP alliance! Why? is a loaded question that possibly has many answers, which I plan to elucidate in the next episode of this series! However, for its own interests, India (despite its Atmanirbhar Bharat / Self Reliant India push), should also work closely with the US, both on a bi-lateral basis through the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) and through multi-lateral forums like Indo-Pacific Economic Forum (IPEF) and the QUAD grouping, and also MSP (in future when India becomes a full member). End of the day, both countries cannot keep depending on China forever!

The Seven Imperatives for India

It makes sense for the GOI to set up an integrated ‘India Rare Earths Mission’ helmed and manned by professionals/technocrats (and not public sector bureaucrats) – like the India Semiconductor Mission, the India Stack, etc.

The Rare Earths Mission can be included as a key component of the over-arching Make in India & Self-Reliance India As part of that process, extending the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) concept to this sector will also encourage private players (both domestic and foreign collaborators) to mine such minerals.

Critical minerals exploration needs to be designated CSFs of the Deep Ocean Mission plan of the GOI. Similarly, ISRO needs to be mandated along with funding, to explore rare earth metals in space, like is being done by NASA and China.

Opening up the sector for private sector (including foreign) participation is the need of the hour. This may mean bringing in some much-needed and much-delayed reforms in the mining sector.

The country’s skill development programme needs a long-term plan executed in a mission mode to build internal expertise (both technology and process skills) in this emerging field. This should include revamping relevant professional education streams (like geology, applied sciences, mining & metallurgy, etc.) and institutes (Engineering Colleges, ITIs and Polytechnic Institutes). This is a classic case of irony wherein while there is huge demand for skilled professionals (employment opportunities) in this sector, but India does not have adequate skilled manpower supply for the same and unemployment is always a big issue for the country! This just cannot a Ministry of HRD mandate alone to tackle, the revamp should be done as part of the India Rare Earths Mission initiative, with more effective minds deployed on the job!

Leveraging collaborations and alliances (both bilateral and multi-lateral) to address current deficits, access tech and skills transfer, and scale faster. Mapping the MSP member countries and working on them consistently and in a target-oriented manner is the way to go!

Finally, India should not decouple from China (not in the near term for sure) in this key sector! Like its dependence on China for APIs for its Pharmaceutical sector, till the time there is a credible alternative formed based on its hybrid strategy of “self-reliance + alliances”, India has to do business (read import) and be dependent on China, till the India Rare Earths Mission starts delivering.

In my next article of this series (Episode 3), I plan to cover further developments in this sector which I will be tracking, with a focus on what the US has been planning and doing. Watch this space!

Banner image credit : www.huntingfishing.com

Disclaimer: The contents of this article are purely written in an individual capacity with data available in the public domain and based on the personal opinions of the author. Data sources and image credits have been cited duly as and where applicable.

 About the Author :

Mr. Subham Sarkar
Chief Strategy Officer,
Netlabs Global IT Services,

Mr. Subham Sarkar is an experienced senior management and leadership professional in the IT services industry with close to three decades of running career working for IT services & startup firms. He is also on the Advisory Board of a few exciting early-and late-stage start ups.

Backed with a MBA and Engineering education background, he has a passion for keeping himself abreast of the macro economics and dynamics of the global economy, how geo-politics & economics and the ever evolving technology landscape is opening up newer possibilities for both enterprises and consumers.

From Mr. Subham Sarkar work experience he has assimilated what are the key business drivers of various industry types and how technology can be leveraged to conceptualize an executable long-term strategy for the growth of an IT services or a startup organization, while incubating, executing and mentoring these with the various stakeholders and teams.

Mr. Subham Sarkar basic goal in life is to be known and respected as a professional and a good human being in his sphere of influence – one who continuously strives for excellence, while contributing meaningfully to his profession, to the society he live in and most importantly his family.

Mr. Subham Sarkar interests are in Business Strategy, New & Emerging Technologies, Geo-Politics & Geo-Economics, Alliances & Partnerships, Articles & Blog Writing, Mentoring & NGOs, Personal Finance & Investments, Nature & Travel, Kishore Kumar Songs, Thriller & Mystery Movies, Cricket & Football, amongst others.

Mr. Subham Sarkar is Bestowed with the following Licenses & Certifications :

https://www.linkedin.com/in/subham-sarkar-519b7114/details/certifications/

Mr. Subham Sarkar can be Contacted at :

Mobile : +91-81476 52280

Email | LinkedIn

Also read Mr. Subham Sarkar‘s earlier articles:

The post Rare Earth Metals – “The Race Is Very Much On!” appeared first on Industry4o.com.

“India’s Digital Infrastructure Worth Emulating by Many Nations: IMF Paper” – This was a headliner in many newsfeeds recently. This is based on a IMF working paper published during July, 2021

This IMF shoutout is another example of how India’s vision of last mile financial (and also non-financial) inclusion, technology prowess and soft power can not only benefit the world’s most populous and largest democratic country, but also serve as a replicable and reusable template for other countries worldwide.

As per Insider Intelligence report India is by far the world leader in digital payments with 46.8 billion real-time transactions in 2021 (which is estimated to have risen to 70 billion in 2022). China (18.5 billion), Thailand (9.7 billion), Brazil (8.7 billion), South Korea (7.4 billion), Nigeria (3.7 billion), UK (3.4 billion) and US (1.8 billion), round up the Top 10 in 2021.

I will attempt below to lay down the basic building blocks of The India Stack (and beyond), its mammoth scope and coverage, the benefits – all backed with data. Numbers do not lie!

What is “The India Stack”?

The India Stack is a comprehensive digital infrastructure built on a comprehensive digital identity, payment, and data-management system. The beauty of it has been that it took just about a decade to conceptualise and roll-out this “digital revolution” to more than a billion people in India.

What are the components of this Stacks?

The India Stack foundationally covers the following layers:

Layer 1 – Digital Identification

The first step for this was to provide a unique biometric-based digital ID to every resident Indian citizen, which is basically the ubiquitous Aadhaar scheme. The UIADAI Portal (at the time of writing this article), showed 1,366,716,787 (equivalent to 1.367 billion) as total registered users in the enrollment dashboard. Considering the entire world’s population of 8.03 billion, this roughly translates to a whopping 17%.

The second step was to mandate linking bank accounts with Aadhaar. As per UIDAI data (June 2021), 86% of 140 crores (1.4 billion) bank accounts were seeded with Aadhaar. This number would have risen much more by now in April 2023. This is to ensure that targeted benefit transfers can be done seamlessly to intended beneficiaries.

The third step was the launch of the ambitious Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, as part of GOIs financial inclusion and development policy. There were primarily two objectives of this viz.,

The fourth step was to link PAN (Permanent Account Number) with Aadhaar. As per CBDT, more than 51 crore (0.51 billion) PANs have already been linked with Aadhaar till June 30, 2022. This is to ensure taxation related identifications, tracking and compliance.

Layer 2 – Interoperable Payments 

While the first layer was more of Govt-to-Citizen (G2C) initiatives, this second layer involves the govt., citizens, and also private players like banks, NBFCs and fintech firms like digital wallets and mobile money. A new layer was introduced to the retail payment system, known as the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), whereby banks could exchange messages and payment orders with non-bank firms and also individuals.

This unleashed a digital payments eco-system revolution which mushroomed players like Paytm, PhonePe, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, etc. The GOI initiatives of BHIM UPI, BharatQR and RuPay Debit Cards (328.8 million issued till April 5, 2023), have further accelerated India’s move towards a digital economy. The RuPay payment gateway is also India’s alternative to the global duopoly of MasterCard and Visa credit cards.

An enabler for this has been the telecom revolution in India with a total of 1.10 billion cellular mobile connections active in India in early 2023, equivalent to about 77.5% of the total 1.42 billion population of India. Of these, there were 659 million smartphone users (2^nd largest in the world), comprising 46.5% of the total population. The average mobile Internet download speed in India was recorded at 30.96 Mbps in February 2023, according to Ookla’s Speed test Global Index.  India ranks 69 globally now in internet speed and is expected to significantly improve further with the ongoing nationwide 5G rollouts (and 6G in near future). Further, the mobile and internet data costs in India are amongst the lowest in the world.

Leveraging the banking sector inclusion initiative of Jan Dhan Yojana and the deep penetration of the telecom sector, it’s very rare now to find in India a street vendor or a small corner shop or a household service provider not using UPI. Digital payments are now ubiquitous across societal strata with UPI accounting for 68% of all payment transactions by volume.

These days dignitaries from Germany, US, ME and elsewhere laud India for leapfrogging the developed countries in the digital economy race, while lamenting they are lagging behind with cash and cheque-based transactions! Further evidence is borne out from the fact that Indian digital payment systems are available in Singapore, UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland, among others. India has already signed MoUs with 13 countries that want to adopt the UPI interface for digital payments.

Layers 3 & 4 – Trust through consent

With “data being the new oil” (or if I may say “fuel of the digital economy”), the third “paperless layer” of the stack (DigiLocker) allows for verification of digital documents that can replace traditional paper equivalents, increasing efficiency and integrity. Apart from the financial sector, it’s usage can cover other sectors like Transport (e.g. storage and retrieval of car related documents for inspection), Education (e.g., Degree Certificates), Govt ID Proofs (Aadhaar, PAN, Voter ID, UAN, DL, Land Records, etc.) and many more.

The fourth and final layer of the India Stack (which is not yet fully operational) is Account Aggregator, formed of aggregators that intermediate the flow of financial data between individuals and financial firms. Roughly 4.5 million individuals and companies have benefited from easier access to financial services through the Account Aggregator, since it was first launched in August 2021, and adoption is increasing rapidly.

What are the Benefits?

• The India Stack is widening access to financial services in an economy where retail transactions are heavily cash based.
• Together they enable online, paperless, cashless, and privacy-respecting digital access to a variety of public and private service.
• Millions of people (across societal strata) in the formal and vast informal economy can now make & accept payments, settle invoices, and transfer funds anywhere in the country with just a few screen taps.
• Contactless digital payments for small transactions came as a boon as people try to protect themselves from the COVID virus.
• A digital ID card like Aadhaar dramatically lowers the cost of confirming people’s identities. These biometric checks reliably verify the identity of the holder, thus reducing the likelihood of false identities and fraudulent claims.
• Open-access and interoperable software standards facilitate digital payments between banks, fintech firms, and digital wallets.
• Access to people’s personal data is controlled through consent, thus ensuring data privacy.
• It has helped stabilize incomes in rural areas and boost sales for firms in the informal sector. The use of digital payments has expanded the customer base of smaller merchants, documented their cash flows and improved access to finances.
• Direct transfer of government benefits paid into the bank accounts, with people accessing the funds conveniently through RuPay/other debit cards or smartphones. It helped facilitate the transfer of social safety net payments directly from the government treasury’s accounts to beneficiaries’ bank accounts, helping to reduce leakages, curb corruption and providing a tool to effectively reach households to increase coverage.
• As per GOI estimates, from FY15 up to March 2021, a whopping INR 2.73 trillion (about 1.1 percent of GDP) in expenditure was saved by the direct beneficiary transfer (DBT) process enabled by The India Stack digital infrastructure and other governance reforms.
• Funds transfer can be done instantly to anyone if the recipient also has a digital wallet. Earlier transfers would take days or even weeks and would likely involve depositing cash at a distant bank branch/post office and paying hefty transfer fees.
• India Stack has been used as a platform to foster innovation and competition; expand markets; close gaps in financial inclusion; boost government revenue collection; and improve public expenditure efficiency.
• Digitalization has also supported formalization of the economy, as around 8.8 million new taxpayers registered for the GST between July 2017 and March 2022, contributing to buoyant government revenues in recent years.
• The India Stack has digitized and simplified Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures and lowered costs. Banks that use e-KYC lowered their cost of compliance from $12 to 6 cents. The decrease in costs made lower income clients more attractive to service and generated profits to develop new products.

Is there more to The India Stack?

A few other large-scale GOI initiatives that can be included to expand The India Stack story are:

1. Health Stack – In 2018, the GOI announced its plans to implement the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM). The National Health Stack (NHS) is a cloud-based service which will contain all of the data being used in the NDHM. It combines data from public health programs as well as socio-demographic data systems

and aims to “bring all the health verticals existing at the central and state govt. levels under one roof”. Further, in 2018, the Digital Information Security in Healthcare Act (DISHA) was drafted which aims to provide citizens with the rights to privacy, confidentiality, and security of their health data. The Health Stack has seen 2 big offshoots till date:

About the Author :

Mr. Subham Sarkar is an experienced senior management professional in  the IT services realm with a flair and good understanding of the macro  economics and dynamics of the world economy, how the ever evolving  technology landscape is opening up newer possibilities for both  enterprises and consumers, key business drivers of various industry  types – and how all these can be assimilated to conceptualise an  executable strategy for the growth of an IT services organisation, and  also incubating and executing on these with the various stakeholders and  teams.

Mr. Subham Sarkar core basic objective is to be known and respected as a professional and a good human being in his sphere of influence – one who  continuously strives for excellence, while contributing meaningfully to  his profession, to the society he live in and most importantly his  family.

Mr. Subham Sarkar is Bestowed with the following Licenses & Certifications :

https://www.linkedin.com/in/subham-sarkar-519b7114/details/certifications/

Mr. Subham Sarkar can be Contacted at :

Mobile : +91-81476 52280

Email | LinkedIn

Also read Mr. Subham Sarkar‘s earlier articles:

The post INDIA – World’s Digital Economy Leader appeared first on Industry4o.com.

“The reality about transportation is that it’s future-oriented. If we’re planning for what we have, we’re behind the curve” – Anthony Foxx

Most inventions in real life are born out of necessity or from the creative imagination that we get to visualise in futuristic movies!  Let’s look at some of the top emerging and new trends in the world of transportation that will transform the way we travel and transport goods.

# Autonomous Vehicles is a major trend in transportation that is catching up and being mainstreamed. Tesla by far has the top-of-the-mid recall, however there are other start-ups who are also innovating in this space.

Indian star-tup Minus Zero develops fully autonomous cars for tricky roads. It uses nature-inspired AI algorithms for image recognition on roads. The algorithms predict the behaviour of surrounding objects in real-time and accordingly plan suitable routes. Intuitive decision-making ensures vehicular safety and reduces accidents due to negligence.

Canadian start-up NuPort Robotics automates trucking via its proprietary navigation system. It equips trucks with high-tech sensors that prevent accidents and enable fuel monitoring. It incorporates an autopilot feature for conventional trucks, which increases driver and vehicle safety on roads.

# Green Energy in transportation is another trend that holds promise for a sustainable future, as fossil fuels get phased out over time based on the climate goal commitments of various countries world over. Eco-friendly vessels and vehicles have precedence over conventional versions because of reduced emissions of greenhouse gases. Electric Vehicles (EVs) are more mainstream now. China has already recently run its first hydrogen-fuelled train. India is going to follow suit soon.

German start-up Unleash Future Boats develops CargoOne, a zero-emission electric truck on water! The truck solves the problems of transport with low water levels and allows the transportation of large quantities of goods without harmful emissions. Further, the start-up builds FutureOne, an electric boat for the transport of people and products. It is powered by green hydrogen and fuel cell technology.

German start-up Tracks offers digital tracking of vehicular fuel consumption using AI. It creates a digital twin of trucks that analyses and predicts their fuel consumption. Moreover, it measures Scope 3 emissions, which are a business’s indirect emissions such as those from suppliers or business trips. These contribute to the majority of a business’s carbon footprint but are difficult to measure. This way, the start-up ensures carbon visibility in the supply chain.

# Electric vehicles (EVs) emit fewer greenhouse gases (GHGs) and air pollutants as compared to petrol or diesel cars. With the increased adoption of electric cars, focus is also on improving the charging infrastructure. Vehicle-to-grid (V2G), fast-charging, mobile charging, new battery innovations, etc. will hopefully soon replace the ubiquitous petrol & diesel pumps.

US-based start-up Faction makes small-sized driverless electric vehicles for micro-delivery and micro-mobility, making them suitable for the traffic-congested urban roads and no parking worries.

Norwegian start-up Infinite Mobility manufactures solar-powered electric vehicles for urban mobility and last-mile delivery. It designs right-sized vehicles to tackle traffic congestion with a minimal space footprint. The EV also enables charging when stuck in traffic, thereby enhancing passenger convenience!

# Delivery drones are fast gaining acceptance and logistics industry is leading the pack. Delivery drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) used to transport packages for use cases that include medical supplies, fresh food, or other goods. Delivery drones are typically autonomous and electric, and operated as a part of a fleet. We’ve already seen cargo drones delivering in backyards and taking medications to inaccessible locations. There are even UAVs transporting parts from one side of the warehouse to another.

# Flying cars! Anyone? Daily transportation via electric air taxi may have sounded far-fetched just a few years ago, but thanks to steady investment and technological advancements, the concept is getting closer to reality. They are expected to revolutionize the way we travel in and around cities, with people (4-6 passengers per flying car) bypassing traffic and flying directly to their destination at more than 200 miles per hour.

Toyota-backed Joby Aviation has been one of the early players in the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft space. Joby Aviation has also tied up with Skyports Infrastructure for a moveable passenger terminal called a “Living Lab,” which is a vertiport infrastructure that delivers a zero-wait check-in experience for customers.

Boeing-backed Wisk Aero has unveiled what it calls the “world’s first self-flying, all-electric, four-passenger” eVTOL air taxi. Air-mobility company Volocopter announced they have completed the first crewed eVTOL test flights in Italian airspace. Air Asia announced a deal with Avolon to lease 100 eVTOL aircraft to provide advanced air mobility to passengers. South Korea-based MintAir ordered up to 40 U-based Jaunt eVTOL aircraft.

# Hyperloop trains, another Musk brainchild, was first mentioned by him as the “fifth mode of transport” in 2012, when he described it as being immune to bad weather, run no risk of collisions, travel twice as fast as an airplane, and benefit from low fuel consumption. Between 2012 and 2013, a group of engineers at Tesla and SpaceX began working on the first ever Hyperloop models. Today, Hyperloop between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, or the Hyperloop in Italy between Rome and Milan, are characterized as oven-ready projects. While Elon Musk, Richard Branson (Virgin Hyperloop) and Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HTT) are global leaders in this space, in India the Indian Railways and IIT Madras are collaborating to developing India’s own Hyperloop!

# In military applications too, technology advancements and innovations are driving new trends. Drone swarms, 6th-generation fighter aircraft, Stealth-based Future Submarines, Future Vertical Lift (FVL) Helicopters, amongst many others will revolutionize the armed forces of the future.

# Similarly, for the other final frontiers of space and the ocean bed, significant focus and investments are being made in terms of space transportation and submersibles.

Technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Digital Twins, Robotics, Block Chain, etc. are all big force multipliers, revolutionizing the world of transportation today and for the future.

Banner Image credit : Terrafugia

Disclaimer: The contents of this article are purely written in an individual capacity with data available in the public domain and based on the personal opinions of the author. Data sources and image credits have been cited duly as and where applicable.

About the Author :

Mr. Subham Sarkar is an experienced senior management professional in  the IT services realm with a flair and good understanding of the macro  economics and dynamics of the world economy, how the ever evolving  technology landscape is opening up newer possibilities for both  enterprises and consumers, key business drivers of various industry  types – and how all these can be assimilated to conceptualise an  executable strategy for the growth of an IT services organisation, and  also incubating and executing on these with the various stakeholders and  teams.

Mr. Subham Sarkar core basic objective is to be known and respected as a professional and a good human being in his sphere of influence – one who  continuously strives for excellence, while contributing meaningfully to  his profession, to the society he live in and most importantly his  family.

Mr. Subham Sarkar is Bestowed with the following Licenses & Certifications :

https://www.linkedin.com/in/subham-sarkar-519b7114/details/certifications/

Mr. Subham Sarkar can be Contacted at :

Email : ssubham@yahoo.com

Mobile : +91-81476 52280

LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/subham-sarkar-519b7114/

Also read Mr. Subham Sarkar‘s earlier articles:

The post Future of Transportation appeared first on Industry4o.com.

According to the most recent data available from the United Nations Statistics Division, below is the list of the Top 10 countries based on global manufacturing output in 2019:

Top 10 Manufacturing Countries in the World
1. China – 28.7% Global Manufacturing Output
2. United States – 16.8% Global Manufacturing Output
3. Japan – 7.5% Global Manufacturing Output
4. Germany – 5.3% Global Manufacturing Output
5. India – 3.1% Global Manufacturing Output
6. South Korea – 3% Global Manufacturing Output
7. Italy – 2.1% Global Manufacturing Output
8. France – 1.9% Global Manufacturing Output
9. United Kingdom – 1.8% Global Manufacturing Output
10. Indonesia – 1.6% Global Manufacturing Output

India is also the third most sought-after manufacturing destination in the world and has the potential to export goods worth US$ 1 trillion by 2030. India, with a population of 1.38 billion plus, is slated to overtake China and become the world’s most populous country next year in 2023.

Let’s first take a look at India’s demographic dividend. As per Wikipedia, in 2022 the median age of an Indian was 28.7 years,compared to 38.4 for China and 48.6 for Japan! Also, by 2030, India’s dependency ratio will be just over 0.4, where dependency ratio is defined as an age-population ratio of those typically not in the labour force and those typically in the labour force. It is used to measure the pressure on the productive population.

Let’s next take a look at India’s size of middle class. The share of the middle class, with an annual household income of INR 5 lakh – INR 30 lakh, more than doubled from 14% in 2004-05 to 31% in 2021, and is projected to rise to 63% by 2047, according to a survey by economic research outfit PRICE (People Research on India’s Consumer Economy).

Let’s now take a look at India’s unemployment rate. Here there is indeed a major cause for concern! With the burgeoning size of India’s young population, the Indian education system is rapidly churning out graduates in large numbers every year. More than 30 million students are enrolled in Indian higher education system with approximately 10 million graduating annually and 2 million of them are engineers, stand alone.As per World Bank data, India’s unemployment rate in 1992 was 5.73%, in 2019 it was 5.27%, in 2020 it shot up to 8% (owing to COVID related shutdowns) and in 2021 it was 5.98%. Addressing unemployment is thus a major focus area for the Indian government and policy makers.

Let’s also take a look at India’s employment numbers sector-wise. As per a publication by Statista Research Department, dated Sep 13, 2022, below is the list:

1. Agriculture – 151.79 million
2. Non-Financial Services – 136.34 million
3. Real Estate & Construction – 53.69 million
4. Manufacturing – 27.39 million
5. Public Administrative Services – 7.91 million
6. Financial Services – 5.79 million
7. Mining – 0.88 million

It’s therefore a no-brainer that there is tremendous scope for addressing India’s unemployment challenges, and also increasing India’s GDP and exports, with a renewed focus and push on Manufacturing.

With around 17% of the nation’s GDP and almost 27.4 million workers, the manufacturing sector plays a significant role in the Indian economy. Through the implementation of different programmes and policies, the Indian government plans to have 25% of the economy’s output come from manufacturing by 2025. India has potential to become a global manufacturing hub and by 2030, it can add more than US$ 500 billion annually to the global economy.

So, what’s been happening on the ground? Below are some data points collated from India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF) on the investments being made and the government policies and allocations towards India’s big push to Manufacturing. These will also go a long way towards India garnering the maximum share of the China+1 strategy of the post-COVID world(for more on this one can refer the previous article by this author “Rebooted Global Supply Chain – A China Plus One Strategy”).

INVESTMENTS

According to Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), India received a total foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow of US$ 58.77 billion in FY 2021-22.

Between April 2000-March 2022:

• • The automobile sector received FDI inflows of US$ 32.84 billion.
  • The chemical manufacturing sector (excluding fertilisers) received FDI inflows worth US$ 19.45 billion.
  • The drug and pharmaceutical manufacturing sector received FDI inflows worth US$ 19.41 billion.

In June 2022, the combined index of eight core industries stood at 143.4 driven by production of coal, cement, electricity, refinery products, fertilizers, steel, and natural gas.

In June 2022, outputs increased for coal by 31.1%, electricity (15.5%), refinery products (15.1%), fertilizers (8.2%), cement (19.4%), natural gas (1.2%).

In October 2021, information technology major Zoho, announced that it will invest Rs. 50–100 crore (US$ 6.7–13.4 million) and form a new company, that will focus on research and development (R&D) in the manufacturing sector.

In August 2021, Wistron Corp. collaborated with India’s Optimus Electronics to manufacture products such as laptops and smartphones, giving a major boost to the ‘Make in India’ initiative and electronics manufacturing in the country.

In April 2021, Samsung started manufacturing mobile display panels at its Noida plant and plans to ramp up manufacturing IT display panels soon.Samsung Display Noida, which has invested Rs. 4,825 crore (US$ 650.42 million) to move its mobile and IT display manufacturing plant from China to Uttar Pradesh, has received special incentives from the state government.

In April 2021, Bharti Enterprises Ltd. and Dixon Technologies (India) Ltd., formed a joint venture to take advantage of the government’s PLI scheme for the manufacturing of telecom and networking products.

As per a Reuter’s report of Nov 13, 2022, Apple supplier Foxconn is planning to increase the size of its workforce in India four times over the next two years. Foxconn plans to recruit 53,000 more workers over the next two years and expand its workforce to around 70,000.

Vedanta is considering a second chip and display manufacturing facility in India, even as it announced a $20-billion (₹1.54 trillion) investment plan for its first such venture in Gujarat, in collaboration with Foxconn.

In Oct 2022, PM Modi laid the foundation stone for a plant of the Tata – Airbus consortium in Gujarat’s Vadodara. At least 15,000 skilled jobs are expected to be generated with the project. This is the first aircraft manufacturing facility in the private sector in India.

GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES

In the Union Budget 2022-23:

• • • Around 70% of the defence budget of US$ 67.66 billion has been reserved for the domestic defence manufacturing industry. Contracts worth Rs. 54,000 crore (US$ 7.1 billion) have already been signed for domestic procurement.
    • Rs. 2,403 crore (US$ 315 million) allocated for Promotion of Electronics and IT Hardware Manufacturing.

The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) for semiconductor manufacturing is set at Rs. 760 billion (US$ 9.71 billion).

The PLI scheme for 16 plants for key starting materials (KSMs)/drug intermediates and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs)would result in a total investment of Rs. 348.70 crore (US$ 47.01 million) and generation of ~3,042 jobs. The commercial development of these plants is expected to begin by April 2023.

The PLI scheme for the textiles sector (man-made fibre (MMF) apparel, MMF fabrics and 10 segments/products of technical textiles) is at an estimated outlay of Rs. 10,683 crore (US$ 1.45 billion).

In July 2021, the government launched six technology innovation platforms to develop technologies and thereby, boost the manufacturing sector in India to compete globally.

To propagate Make in India, in July 2021, the Defence Ministry issued a tender of Rs. 50,000 crore (US$ 6.7 billion) for building six conventional submarines under Project-75 India.

The PLI scheme worth Rs. 18,000 crore (US$ 2.47 billion) for production of advanced chemical cell (ACC) batteriesis expected to attract investments worth Rs. 45,000 crore (US$ 6.18 billion)

The Mega Investment Textiles Parks (MITRA) scheme to build world-class infrastructure will see seven Textile Parks being established over three years.

In May 2020, a package of Rs. 2,000,000 crore (US$ 262 billion), equivalent to 10% of India’s GDP, was announced for providing policy and financial support to the MSMEs and cottage industry of India.

With the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), India has become a common market with a GDP of US$ 2.5 trillion along with a population of 1.38 billion people, which is a big draw for investors. Further, with the strong impetus on developing industrial corridors, world-class infrastructure (roads, ports, airports, etc.), industry and investment friendly policies (e.g., Gati Shakti, Atmanirbhar Bharat, etc.), green initiatives and smart cities, India is well on track to achieve its goals.

While the government is leading the way with massive public sector capital investments, as our Hon.Finance Minister of India Mrs. Nrimala Sitharaman said, it’s also time for the Indian private sector to “unleash their animal spirits”. Apart from the fabled Indian IT and Pharmaceutical industries and the big boys (like the Ambani’s, Adani’s, Tata’s, etc.), now even the Indian start-up industry eco-system is coming of age. Signs are good.

Currently the entire world economy is in doldrums, with leading countries like the US, the UK and the EU facing recessionary challenges and slowdown of the mighty Chinese economy. India however is standing apart as “a beacon of hope”. It’s up to each one of us citizens now to do our bits to realise this great once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that India has found for itself. As the saying goes, “Make Hay While the Sun Shines” and “Let’s Not Miss the Bus, again”!

A Blog Series on Geo-Economics

Disclaimer :The contents of this article are purely compiled in an individual capacity and based on the personal opinion of the author Mr. Subham Sarkar. Data sources have been cited duly.

About the Author :

Mr. Subham Sarkar is an experienced senior management professional in  the IT services realm with a flair and good understanding of the macro  economics and dynamics of the world economy, how the ever evolving  technology landscape is opening up newer possibilities for both  enterprises and consumers, key business drivers of various industry  types – and how all these can be assimilated to conceptualise an  executable strategy for the growth of an IT services organisation, and  also incubating and executing on these with the various stakeholders and  teams.

Mr. Subham Sarkar core basic objective is to be known and respected as a professional and a good human being in his sphere of influence – one who  continuously strives for excellence, while contributing meaningfully to  his profession, to the society he live in and most importantly his  family.

Mr. Subham Sarkar is Bestowed with the following Licenses & Certifications :

https://www.linkedin.com/in/subham-sarkar-519b7114/details/certifications/

Mr. Subham Sarkar can be Contacted at :

Email : ssubham@yahoo.com

Mobile : +91-81476 52280

LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/subham-sarkar-519b7114/

Also read Mr. Subham Sarkar‘s earlier articles:

The post INDIA’s BIG MANUFACTURING Push Towards Industry 4.0 appeared first on Industry4o.com.

A Blog Series on Geo-Politics & Geo-Economics

The line between disorder and order lies in logistics… – Sun Tzu

Over the past few decades China’s spectacular rise in the world stage in all spheres of life – be it geopolitics, economy, military, culture, sports, science, space, etc. has changed the global world order. From China becoming the “factory of the world” of almost every manufactured product, the world has also “silently” acquiesced to China’s stranglehold on the global supply chain for finished products, sourcing of raw materials, minerals, etc. One cannot blame China for it, except grudgingly accept it! They stuck to their strategy of ruling the roost of the “globalisation” drive of the past three decades by prioritising investments in building infrastructure and manufacturing capabilities at unprecedented scale and speed. They further focused on execution based on their strengths, while plugging their weaknesses (not necessarily with fair play in this aspect though, while the rest of the world cut China a slack and looked the other way!).

However, of late two phenomena have made the world sit up and do things differently, viz.,

a) COVID pandemic–while the entire world is still learning to live with it and counting the costs of the havoc unleashed by this pandemic, the jury is still out there with regards to its source/origins, and intentions!

b) Geopolitical upheavals– Trade war between the US vs China, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and China’s utter disregard of treaties and pacts demonstrated by its by gobbling up of Hong Kong + browbeating Taiwan on a daily basis + “salami slicing” tactics of encroaching territories of its neighbours like India, Nepal, Bhutan, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, etc. + “debt trap diplomacy” coercion of smaller countries like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, African countries, Pacific Island nations,etc.

The two aforesaid phenomena have disrupted the existing global supply chain in an unprecedented way. China’s authoritarian approach of COVID handling by completely shutting down its affected cities and factories(even when cases were/are not necessarily in big numbers) meant large-scale supply chain disruptions of all kinds of goods and commodities. Similarly, with the Russia-Ukraine war and the US-China trade frictions & the resultant enforced sanctions on Russia and unwritten ones on China, there have been further disruptions in the global economy and supply chain.

The world (countries, companies, people) hence has come to a conclusion that there cannot be dependence on only China for everything. This has led to major economies of the world coming together and working out an alternative global supply chain strategy called “China plus one” or “Plus one”.

This strategy entails global companies/MNCs (with heavy investments made in China) changing the rules of the game by pulling out part of their manufacturing bases in China and diversifying their sourcing options &rerouting their supply chain to other countries, thereby decoupling and reducing their over-dependence on China.

Some examples of such a rebooted supply chain are as below:

1. Japan is encouraging their companies who have made large-scale investments in China, to move their plants outside China to countries like Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Bangladesh, etc. That Japan is serious in this regard is borne out by the fact that they are also giving fiscal support to such companies by setting aside around US$ 2.2 billion for this purpose!

2. With regard to some high-tech sectors like Telecom, Aerospace, Automotive, etc., countries like the US, European Union, South Korea, Japan etc. are nudging their companies to look beyond China and set up plants and units in India, Vietnam, Indonesia and other countries (e.g., Apple/Foxconn, Google, Samsung, LG, Nokia, Ericsson, Sharp, Sony, Nintendo, Zoom, Dell, HP, Microsoft, Intel, Boeing, Hyundai, Kia Motors, etc.).

Details can be found here https://www.lovemoney.com/galleries/98705/big-multinational-companies-moving-out-of-china?page=1

3. Specific to Chips (semi-conductors), to reduce China’s strategic hegemony and control on the global supply chain of chips,the US has come up with its CHIPS bill with a budgetary allocation of a whopping US$ 52.7 billion for incentivising companies to manufacture semi-conductors in the US. Similarly, India has its own Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for semi-conductor manufacturing in India with a budgetary outlay of INR 76,000 crores (roughly US$ 10 billion)

4. In sectors like Apparels, Footwear& Toys, large global players and retailers (e.g., GAP, Zara, H&M,Under Armour, Nike, Adidas, Puma, Hasbro etc.) are shifting their sourcing from China to countries like Vietnam, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Philippines, etc.

5. With regard to some low-tech sectors with polluting industries, even China themselves are pushing out companies to other countries in Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, etc.), Pakistan (CPEC investments!), Cambodia, Laos, etc. This is being ostensibly done with China saying that it now needs to focus on the higher end of the value chain!

6. Apart from shifting out of manufacturing bases/capacities, multi-lateral trading blocs like the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) are also keeping out China. Smaller but significant blocs like the QUAD grouping (Australia, India, Japan and the US) and the I2U2grouping (India, Israel, UAE and the US) also have their own supply chain strategies that are planned to reduce dependence on China

7. India is making its supply chain and trading routes resilient with investments in ports like Chabahar in Iran (on the Arabian Sea), another Indian deep-sea port to be developed in West Bengal by the Adani’s (Tajpur on the Bay of Bengal) and the India-Arab-Mediterranean corridor, India is keeping its trading route options open with Central Asia, ASEAN, and ME & Europe, respectively

8. To take advantage of this Plus One strategy and strengthen its infrastructure & business environment, India has also recently unveiled its National Logistics Policy, with four pillars viz., Integration of Digital System (IDS), Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP), Ease of Logistics (ELOG), and System Improvement Group (SIG)

All these show that the world has realised that it is NOT a wise strategy to “keep all eggs in one basket” – albeit belatedly but “better late than never”.

Whether this Plus One strategy will be a success depends on execution on the ground and also how China devises its own counter-strategies. Only time will tell!

PS : For anyone interested, it should also be useful to read the article authored by Foo Check-Teckon “Exploring thinking from antiquity in managing logistics, supply and resources: Chinese Sun Tzu, Indian Kautilya and supply chain management”.

A pdf version of this article is available for download at : https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Exploring-thinking-from-antiquity-in-managing-and-Check-Teck/6d4fee9af197c44892af81f622237eca45911602

Disclaimer: The contents of this article are purely in an individual capacity and based on the personal opinions of the author.

About the Author : 

Mr. Subham Sarkar
Chief Strategy Officer

Netlabs Global IT Services Pvt. Ltd.

Mr. Subham Sarkar is an experienced senior management professional in  the IT services realm with a flair and good understanding of the macro  economics and dynamics of the world economy, how the ever evolving  technology landscape is opening up newer possibilities for both  enterprises and consumers, key business drivers of various industry  types – and how all these can be assimilated to conceptualise an  executable strategy for the growth of an IT services organisation, and  also incubating and executing on these with the various stakeholders and  teams.

Mr. Subham Sarkar core basic objective is to be known and respected as a professional and a good human being in his sphere of influence – one who  continuously strives for excellence, while contributing meaningfully to  his profession, to the society he live in and most importantly his  family.

Mr. Subham Sarkar is Bestowed with the following Licenses & Certifications :

https://www.linkedin.com/in/subham-sarkar-519b7114/details/certifications/

Mr. Subham Sarkar can be contacted at:

Mobile : +91 81476 52280, +91 97404 44009

E-mail : ssubham@yahoo.com / subham.sarkar@netlabsglobal.com

LinkedIn : https://in.linkedin.com/in/subham-sarkar-519b7114

Netlabs Global IT Services – Social Media Links:

LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/netlabsglobal

Twitter : https://twitter.com/netlabsglobal

Website : http://netlabsglobal.com  

Also read Mr. Subham Sarkar‘s earlier articles:  

The post A “China Plus One” Strategy appeared first on Industry4o.com.

Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) – “An AI & ML based Future”

What are Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs)?

In layman terms,“GANs are a system that pits two neural networks against each other to improve the quality of their results”. A GAN is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Machine Learning (ML) -based generative model that is trained using two neural network models. One model is called the “generator” or “generative network” model that learns to generate new plausible samples. The other model is called the “discriminator” or “discriminative network” and learns to differentiate generated examples from real examples. The two models are set up in a contest or a game (in a game theory sense) where the generator model seeks to fool the discriminator model, and the discriminator is provided with both examples of real and generated samples.After training, the generative model can then be used to create new plausible samples on demand.

For example, a GAN trained on photographs can generate new photographs that look at least superficially authentic to human observers, having many realistic characteristics.

As per Wikipedia, generative adversarial network (GAN) was first designed by Ian Good fellow and his colleagues in June 2014, as a class of machine learning frameworks. Two neural networks contest with each other in a game, in the form of a zero-sum game, where one agent’s gain is another agent’s loss.

GANs are similar in concept to “mimicry” in evolutionary biology, with an evolutionary arms race between both networks. GANs are one of the most interesting new concepts to appear in the AI & ML field in recent years and one can expect to see many exciting new applications based on it, in the near future.

What is a recent popular example of GAN – based application?

Marvel’s Avengers fans would already be familiar about GANs! GANs were in full display in the popular Avengers movie (Age of Ultron), where in Tony Stark aka Iron Man’s Jarvis ( “good” neural network) was pitted against Ultron (“evil” neural network). As with “mimicry” in evolutionary biology, Ultron evolved from Jarvis by learning from it and ended up becoming a stronger but evil version.

Jarvis (Just A Rather Very Intelligent System) was the first AI program created by Tony Stark, for taking care of the overall security of him and his home. Later Tony Stark also created Ultron as a peacekeeping AI program, with the hope that it could replace the Avengers and fulfil the role they have in protecting the Earth. Unfortunately, Ultron kept learning from Jarvis,quickly became corrupt and attacked Jarvis, severely crippling it and then escaped through the Internet!

What are the application areas of GANs?

GANs based applications are found in areas of Movies,Music, Video Games, Fashion, Art, Photography, Advertising, Science, Defence, Cyber Security, Medicine, Interior & Industrial Design, Manufacturing, Smart Cities, Mapping & Imagery, amongst many others.

A GAN system was used to create the 2018 painting Edmond de Belamy, which sold for US$ 432,500.

In May 2019, researchers at Samsung demonstrated a GAN-based system that produces videos of a person speaking, given only a single photo of that person.

In August 2019, a large data set consisting of 12,197 MIDI songs each with paired lyrics and melody alignment was created for neural melody generation.

In May 2020, Nvidia researchers taught an AI system (termed “GameGAN”) to recreate the game of Pac-Man simply by watching it being played.

In context of Defence applications, GAN can be used for blurry target classification (e.g., tanks, aircrafts, drones, etc.), involving a generator to directly generate large high-resolution images of these from small blurry ones and a discriminator to distinguish not only real images vs fake images but also the class of targets.

A very interesting and exciting aspect of application of GAN is in the emerging field of Digital Twins. GAN is a suitable candidate for Digital Twin development due to its efficiency at inference time and the generative nature of the model.

What are the risks associated with GANs?

There are concerns about the potential misuse of GAN-based human image synthesis for illegal and immoral purposes, e.g., to produce fake, possibly incriminating photographs and videos. GANs can also be used to generate unique, realistic profile photos of people who do not exist, in order to automate creation of fake social media profiles.

In 2019, the State of California considered] and passed on October 3, 2019, the bill AB-602, which bans the use of human image synthesis technologies to make fake pornography without the consent of the people depicted, and bill AB-730, which prohibits distribution of manipulated videos of a political candidate within 60 days of an election. Both bills were authored by Assembly member Marc Berman and signed by Governor Gavin Newsom. The laws went into effect in 2020.

The US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA’s) Media Forensics program studies ways to counteract fake media, including fake media produced using GANs.

Disclaimer:The contents of this blog are authored purely in an individual capacity and based on the personal opinions of the author.

About the Author : 

Mr. Subham Sarkar
Chief Strategy Officer

Netlabs Global IT Services Pvt. Ltd.

Mr. Subham Sarkar is an experienced senior management professional in  the IT services realm with a flair and good understanding of the macro  economics and dynamics of the world economy, how the ever evolving  technology landscape is opening up newer possibilities for both  enterprises and consumers, key business drivers of various industry  types – and how all these can be assimilated to conceptualise an  executable strategy for the growth of an IT services organisation, and  also incubating and executing on these with the various stakeholders and  teams.

Mr. Subham Sarkar core basic objective is to be known and respected as a professional and a good human being in his sphere of influence – one who  continuously strives for excellence, while contributing meaningfully to  his profession, to the society he live in and most importantly his  family.

Mr. Subham Sarkar is Bestowed with the following Licenses & Certifications :

https://www.linkedin.com/in/subham-sarkar-519b7114/details/certifications/

Mr. Subham Sarkar can be contacted at:

Mobile : +91 81476 52280, +91 97404 44009

E-mail : ssubham@yahoo.com / subham.sarkar@netlabsglobal.com

LinkedIn : https://in.linkedin.com/in/subham-sarkar-519b7114

Netlabs Global IT Services – Social Media Links:

LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/netlabsglobal

Twitter : https://twitter.com/netlabsglobal

Website : http://netlabsglobal.com  

Also read Mr. Subham Sarkar‘s earlier articles:

The post Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) – “An AI & ML based Future” appeared first on Industry4o.com.

From “Oil is Black Gold” to “Data is the Next Oil,” the new geo-political & economic buzzword is “Rare Earth Metals.” And there is a war being strategized and fought for the same on multiple fronts – on the Earth, below the Earth, and even on the Moon!

To set a bit of a background, Oil & Gas rich regions &nations in the Middle East, West Asia, North Africa and the likes of Venezuela, Russia, USA etc. over the past many decades shaped the dynamics of the world economy and geo-politics (leveraging their abundant oil reserves as a tool through the OPEC cartel). And at the receiving end of their cartel games, were big net oil importers like China, India, Japan, South Korea, Europe and to some extent even the US.

Two factors have now re-shaped the world, viz., a) dwindling oil and gas reserves, and b) the evolution of high-tech and knowledge-based sectors and economies. The traditional oil rich countries have hence been forced to pivot. Examples being UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, etc. who all are investing in non-Oil sectors like Finance, Retail, Manufacturing, even IT!

What Are Rare Earths and Why are they so important, especially now?

Rare earth metals (REM), rare earth elements (REE), and rare earth oxides (REO) are terms for 17 elements on the periodic table. Examples being Lanthanum, Cerium, Yttrium, Terbium, Scandium, Erbium, etc.

Despite their name, rare earth elements are relatively plentiful in Earth’s crust. E.g., Cerium is the 25th most abundant element in the world (even more than copper!). Because of their geochemical properties, rare earth elements are typically dispersed and not often found concentrated in rare earth minerals. Hence, commercially feasible / economically exploitable ore deposits are sparse (possibly the main reason why they are called “rare”!).

In terms of their usage, compounds containing rare earths have diverse applications in electrical and electronic components, lasers, glass, ceramic, magnetic materials, and industrial processes.

In today’s context, it is these rare earth metals that go into making the chips and other applications which are used in various fields, viz, computers & accessories, cars, rockets & satellites, aeroplanes & missiles, ships & submarines, mobiles & telecom towers, retail super market kiosks & checkout counters, plants & machineries, X-ray machines & lasers, EV cells & LED bulbs, et al.

Its therefore a no-brainer that countries“already having” or “finding a way to own” the lion’s share of these rare earth metals and control their supply chain, will drive the future geo-political & economic landscape and be the next big superpower(s).

Which Nations are Having &Producing the bulk of the Rare Earth Metals?

As per an article published in Rare Earth Investing on June 16, 2021, the total global rare earths reserve amounts to 120 million MT.

Of these reserves, the top countries are: 1) China (44 million MT, 2) Vietnam (22 million MT), 3) Brazil (21 million MT), 4) Russia (12 million MT), 5) India (6.9 million MT), 6) Australia (4.1 million MT), 7) US (1.5 million MT), 8) Greenland/Denmark (1.5 million MT)

However as covered earlier, commercial extraction of rare earths is a tough proposition. Along with that, quality of the rare earth (soft or hard) is another big factor in defining who are the actual leaders in rare earths.

The below table shows the actual production side of the story, and it also shows the telling impact of China’s prowess in the rare earths field.

A closer look at China, and What is China up to?

Though the first 4 rare earth elements were discovered in Sweden starting way back in the late 18^th century, it was China who first foresaw the long-term strategic value of rare earths and has been early in the game. Since the last decade China has built up anear-monopoly in the extraction, production, and supply of rare earths. This is at the cost of most other countries with sizeable rare earths reserve who are still struggling to master the technology to economically extract these rare earths!This has enabled China to project its power ambitions and capabilities globally, to the extent of threatening the US & it’s allies to cut off supply of their rare earth metal requirements, as per its whims.

However, like with Oil, Rare Earths are also a finite resource. China’s own rare earths reserve and production capability have also been steadily declining over the years. This has led it to smartly “invest”(again earlier than other countries!) in other rare earths-rich countries like Madagascar, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Greenland, etc., to ensure its continued access to the sourcing of rare earths. All these investments possibly are being made under the garb of China’s Belt & Road (BRI) / One Belt One Road (OBOR)initiatives which is now increasing being called out and seen as its infamous Debt-Trap diplomacy (Sri Lanka is a glaring and unfortunate current example!)

Further, amongst all the various news that China makes that impacts the world, one recent key one has been its steady outreach and long-term embrace of the Pacific Island Countries (PIC) Network, comprising of tiny island nations viz., Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Republic of Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

China is now working overtime to sign an umbrella agreement of partnership with the PIC Network. While its military objectives vis-à-vis the US, Australia & Japan are being ascribed and reported as the prime motive of China behind this move, another key objective however remains hidden! The Pacific Ocean bed is another rich rare earth metals source (with reserves yet unknown), which is yet to be tapped. China wants to again leapfrog other countries, and how easier can it get done than by getting the PIC Network sign aninnocuous deep-sea mapping and mineral exploration agreement with China?

If we thought all the above strategies were the most that China can do to ensure continued and predictable supply of rare earth metals for themselves, we would be wrong! Recently a news snippet caught my attention. NASA purportedly claimed that China’s investments and explorations in the space domain (especially its Permanent Space Station, the Moon landings, Anti-Satellite missile tests/ASATs, etc.) are all about China’s efforts to colonise the Moon in the long run and ensure that the Moon is out of bounds for other countries! It was also further reported that the Chinese official spokesperson of course vehemently denied the same.

Who will Win the Race?

To conclude, the war for Rare Earth Metals is in full swing. The battles are being conceptualised and fought on the Earth, beneath the Oceans &on the Moon! China has an undeniable decisive lead at this juncture and is running away fast to claim the spoils of this war!

It should be a rude wake-up call for other countries to prioritise their strategies, collaborations and investments on Rare Earth Metals, before China towers as the only superpower dominating the world in almost all aspects of life, till the foreseeable future and/or till the next big-ticket innovation / disruption / evolution.

It will be interesting to see how countries like the US, Russia, Japan, the EU, India, etc. (in isolation or in alliances) are and will play out their parts in this resource war. More on that, in another blog.

Disclaimer : The contents of this blog are purely in an individual capacity and based on the personal opinions of the author.

Rare Earth Metals (Episode 2) – “The Race Is Very Much On!”

About the Author :

Mr. Subham Sarkar is an experienced senior management professional in  the IT services realm with a flair and good understanding of the macro  economics and dynamics of the world economy, how the ever evolving  technology landscape is opening up newer possibilities for both  enterprises and consumers, key business drivers of various industry  types – and how all these can be assimilated to conceptualise an  executable strategy for the growth of an IT services organisation, and  also incubating and executing on these with the various stakeholders and  teams.

Mr. Subham Sarkar core basic objective is to be known and respected as a professional and a good human being in his sphere of influence – one who  continuously strives for excellence, while contributing meaningfully to  his profession, to the society he live in and most importantly his  family.

Mr. Subham Sarkar is Bestowed with the following Licenses & Certifications :

https://www.linkedin.com/in/subham-sarkar-519b7114/details/certifications/

Mr. Subham Sarkar can be Contacted at :

Email : ssubham@yahoo.com

Mobile : +91-81476 52280

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The post Rare Earth Metals – The War for World Domination appeared first on Industry4o.com.

COVID-19 had taken the wind out of the sail for firms globally across sectors and sizes. This was an uncertainty of gigantic proportions that no one had anticipated and hence were unprepared for. The governments world over struggled to find their own ways of managing COVID-19. Micro-Small and -Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) were disrupted the most, with many such firms across sectors shutting down especially in many Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and even in Emerging Economies like India.

Over the past two and half years of managing the virus waves/variants and vaccinations, most firms have now more or less found a way to live with COVID, while conducting their business operations. Technology has been a key enabler with firms experimenting and working with flexible work options like Work from Home (WFH), Hybrid Model, etc. Now with the dust arising out from COVID yet to settle down anytime soon (with more virus variants/mutations expected in the near-to-medium term future), comes the double whammy of the Russia-Ukraine War! And as an immediate aftermath of the war, came the over-arching range of sanctions on Russia from Western countries and their alliance partners worldwide.

Both Russia and Ukraine, apart from being large in size (Russia being world’s largest country and Ukraine being Europe’s largest country), are significant forces in terms of their respective military power and also economic clout. Specific to world economy, apart from military equipment, both countries are leading global suppliers of wheat, barley, corn, iron & steel, chemicals, mining products, amongst others. Apart from these, Russia is also a key oil & gas player, being a leading Oil Producing and Exporting Countries (OPEC) member and also the largest supplier of oil & gas to Europe (catering to almost 40% of gas needs of countries like Germany & Netherlands). The immediate fallout of the war has on one side been the disruption of Ukraine’s export capabilities, driven by destruction of their factories, ports, airports, roads, logistics facilities, and above all manpower who are almost all engaged in fighting Russia. Similarly, owing to the sanctions slapped on Russia (Russian politicians, UHNIs/oligarchs, banks, firms, transport sector, etc), Russia’s export capabilities have been significantly curtailed.

While no one could have predicted that the war will really happen and when, however the war clouds have been hovering over this region since quite a few years. Unlike COVID, which came unannounced and without any significant warning and was thus aptly named the “novel” corona virus, there were however tell-tale geo-political signals and also warnings from a few global analysts that the Russia-Ukraine decades’ long spat over Crimea and Donbas region could spill over into a full-fledged war.

What is the impact on firms globally induced by this disruption of geo-politics (war and sanctions)?

Answer would be, almost all-pervasive like stock markets crash / volatility, banking and currency markets fluctuations, oil prices shooting through the roof, global commodities disruption of key items like food grains (wheat, corn, etc.) & industrial products (iron, steel, mining, chemicals, etc.), soaring inflation levels, travel-tourism-hospitality sector disruption, education sector upheaval (vivid images of Indian students being evacuated from Ukraine), shutting down of operations of various MNC firms in Russia, amongst many others.

Even the IT sector is not spared. An example of how deep emotions are running is that of Rishi Sunak (UK’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, equivalent of Finance / Treasury Minister) was questioned about his links with Infosys through his wife Akshata Murthy, daughter of Infosys’ Co-Founder Narayana Murthy, that Infosys had business links in Russia. It forced Infosys to come out and announce that they only have a few support staff in Russia. On the other side of this however there are opportunities. For OPEC countries, with Russian oil under sanctions, they can jack up the prices of oil & gas at their will, by not increasing production. For US, apart from the recent gas deal signed with EU (to wean them away from Russian dependence), there are opportunities for their defence sector to shore up arms exports to Ukraine and NATO countries in Europe. For India, opportunity is to buy Russian oil at cheap rates, as Russia is sanctioned by Western countries and Indian oil firms like IOC, GAIL, BPCL, HPCL are being nudged by the government to leverage this opportunity. On the supply side, there is the big opportunity for India to export wheat beyond its traditional markets. Here again Indian govt is encouraging wheat producers and exporters to scale up and grab this opportunity to fill in the gap in the world market of both Russian and Ukrainian wheat. This will also be a boon for the government as farmers income will rise.

How can the private sector firms manage such war and sanctions-driven disruption?

One way is just being reactive, while scouting for a way out or looking for opportunities! Cost of such a strategy can however be severe, if the specifics of the war (countries, suppliers, products/services, customers, shipping routes, etc) directly impact these firms adversely.

The recommended ‘no-brainer” way to is to bring in strategic thinking in their business strategies and operations, especially with regards to supply chain resilience and stable export markets.

Some of the proactive, forward-thinking steps that can be taken by these firms are as below (but not in any specific order) :

1) Mainstreaming of geo-political thinking and external advisory in corporate boardrooms

2) Contingency planning to formulate responses for an array of adverse events/scenarios

3) Leveraging financial strategies like working capital management, cost optimisation, currency hedging, etc

4) Periodic re-validations of upstream (customer) and downstream (supplier) contracts, and building in contingency clauses

5) Establishing alternate supply chains, shipping routes and payment (currency) mechanisms

6) Impact analysis &identifying workarounds during sanctions regimes

7) Coordination mechanisms and forums with industry bodies, governments and local authorities

8) Collaboration with competitors (!) to present unified industry/sector stands

9) Think-tank based approach to identify opportunities in crises and reviewing investment and geo-expansion strategies over time horizons (near-term, mid-term and long-term)

10) Forming a crack team comprising of Advisory Board, CEO, COO, CFO, Chief Strategy Officer, Legal Head, Supply Chain Head, Sales Head, etc. – to formulate strategies

11) Forming Quick Response Teams (QRTs) comprising of operational leaders – to implement these strategies

12) Effective, proactive communications and feedback/inputs loop with various stakeholders – employees, investors, advisors, lenders, customers, suppliers, partners, regulatory authorities, etc.

In conclusion,

Russia and Ukraine while being significant economies, they are surely not economic superpowers. However, in the event of a war between the superpower economies of today (viz, USA and China, with European Union expected to back USA), one can shudder to think of the impact on the global economy! Firms should adopt a strategy of “Hope for the Best and Prepare for the Worst”.

It’s not a hypothetical scenario, with Xi Jinping and his Politburo comrades of China closely watching and learning from the 3^rd parties’ war (Putin and Zelensky) and how the USA and its allies in Europe, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea etc. are reacting. These learnings will be factored in their eventual decision on the Taiwan question, with the choppy South China seas and Indo-Pacific as the potential future theatres of war between the two incumbent superpowers of current times (a declining US and a resurgent China). Apart from such an event potentially becoming the dreaded World War III with the accompanying global catastrophe, strictly for business firms this can become an existential question. Can they prepare themselves for such geo-politics driven geo-economic fallout?

About the Author:

Mr. Subham Sarkar
Chief Strategy Officer

Netlabs Global IT Services Pvt. Ltd.

He can be contacted at:

Mobile : +91 81476 52280, +91 97404 44009

E-mail : ssubham@yahoo.com / subham.sarkar@netlabsglobal.com

LinkedIn : https://in.linkedin.com/in/subham-sarkar-519b7114

Netlabs Global IT Services – Social Media Links:

LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/netlabsglobal

Twitter : https://twitter.com/netlabsglobal

Website : http://netlabsglobal.com

Disclaimer: The contents of this article are purely based on the personal opinions of the author and not in the official capacity of Netlabs Global.

Also read Mr. Subham Sarkar other Articles:

The post How Can Firms Manage Business Disruptions Amidst Uncertainties? appeared first on Industry4o.com.

The post AI-The road ahead for Manufacturing appeared first on Industry4o.com.

From AI (robotic) “cats” that remind patients to take their prescription drugs to robotic “seals” meant to provide therapeutic services for people with dementia are some fine examples proving that AI is fast becoming one of the most sought-after technologies for elderly care.

AI can help in detecting impairments early.

Researchers found that AI can play a critical role in helping residents become more socially engaged, minimizing the risk of cognitive decline or dementia. Researchers at IBM and the University of California have dedicated a $16 million budget to a 5-year study to test how AI can be implemented to detect mild cognitive impairment earlier. This helps in providing the required treatment before it becomes too late.

“Wireless AI” to monitor elderly patients.

Modern healthcare companies are experimenting with a new technology called Wireless AI solution. Here, Wi-Fi signals are used to map closed spaces. The wireless radio waves in a room generate an invisible “wave pool,” which can monitor ripples that indicate disruptions. From far away, one could detect when a person quickly transitions from standing to lying on the floor (without the need of a camera or motion sensors) and can promptly alert nearby caretakers or family members.

Subtle variations in data streams help reveal granular changes in the person’s activity, breathing, and sleeping patterns. Contactless caregiving through AI

The ongoing pandemic made it difficult and more challenging to see patients in person, especially the elderly. As a result, health care facilities have become warier and are turning to technology to overcome this challenge. AI technology is considered to be not just beneficial but a much-needed alternative in these scenarios.

AI-based sensors, apps, and bots are helping health experts to monitor elderly patients without being too invasive effectively and yet provide all the nurturing and confidence the elderly patients receive from human caregivers. Today, AI care is becoming more human and less robotic in delivering patient care.

AI-powered GPS can help track elderly patient movements

Tracking elderly patients using AI is not new, but it has evolved significantly, reaching new horizons. Today, AI-powered GPS systems are increasingly deployed in home monitoring for the elderly.

Advanced algorithms like Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL) are fed with patient data to understand and provide support accordingly. The algorithms can detect anomalies in patients’ activity through GPS and wearable gadgets and quickly notify their family members. It can even calculate and record the amount of time the elderly person has been away from the house.

Helps collect detailed patient health data

Patient health data is the backbone of any healthcare provider. Using AI, healthcare companies can automate several repetitive and tedious tasks such as scheduling and billing. It can collect, sift through and organize vast amounts of data in just minutes. This frees up nurses from mundane time-consuming administrative tasks and enables them to engage with their patients more frequently, which results in better patient care.

Many of today’s AI apps for smartphones could monitor health data in a less intrusive fashion, such as daily activities, food, and even the senior’s lifestyle. They could also do a more in-depth assessment of their blood pressure or even monitor their EKG. With privacy issues given more prominence today, AI-enabled solutions can be programmed to be less intrusive.

Endnote

With the growing numbers of the aging population, we may be able to leverage technology like Artificial Intelligence to assist us in caring for our elderly. Many believe that AI may replace humans in the future. It need not be. The personal touch is still the most critical aspect when it comes to senior healthcare. So, AI and other innovations such as machine learning and deep learning must be viewed as a supplement to people rather than a complete replacement.

Netlabs Global is a leader in providing Robotics Process Automation, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning solutions to help organizations successfully and effortlessly implement intelligent automation to their business processes. Talk to us today to learn more about how our solutions and services can help transform your business.

About the Author

Mr. Subham Sarkar
Chief Strategy Officer

Netlabs Global IT Services Pvt. Ltd.

He can be contacted at

Mobile : +91 81476 52280, +91 97404 44009 or

E-mail : subham.sarkar@netlabsglobal.com

https://in.linkedin.com/in/subham-sarkar-519b7114

Netlabs Global IT Services – Social Media Links

https://www.linkedin.com/company/netlabsglobal

https://twitter.com/netlabsglobal

Also read Netlabs Global earlier articles

The post How Artificial Intelligence is gaining greater levels of trust in elderly care appeared first on Industry4o.com.

What is Sentiment Analysis?

Sentiment analysis is a machine learning tool designed to automatically analyze the context of texts to understand if they are positive, negative, or neutral. With this analysis, businesses can learn the intent, reactions, and sentiments of users and act accordingly.

How does sentiment analysis work

The sentimental analysis tool is made up of Natural Language Processing (NLP) and machine learning algorithms to go beyond definitions and understand the underlying meaning of the text, such as context, appreciation, sarcasm, etc.

There are three types of algorithms used in sentiment analysis models depending on the volume of data, and the accuracy needed:

Automatic: In this method, the sentiment analysis relies on machine learning processes instead of manually crafted rules. It takes the classification approach, where a text is fed to the classifier, and it returns a category, like positive, negative, or neutral. It involves a training and prediction process and feature extraction from text.

Rule-based: It employs a set of human-crafted rules to identify polarity, context, or the subject in an opinion. These rules include various natural language processing techniques such as lexicons, parts of speech, parsing, tokenization, and stemming.

Then it compares two sets of polarized words. Positive: good, best, excellent, etc. Negative: bad, worse, disappointed, etc. If the positive words appear more than the negative words, it tags it as a positive statement, and vice versa.    

Hybrid: As the name implies, the system combines both rule-based and automatic, clubbing best elements from both worlds to bring out the desired result. The hybrid algorithm is widely considered to be more accurate than the other two.

Sentiment analysis: Application and Example

Sentiment analysis is widely applied and can be used in almost any industry. Here are some  areas where sentiment analysis can be effectively used:

• Customer service
• Market research
• Brand monitoring
• Social media monitoring
• Chat and Email analysis

An example of how sentiment analysis gleans, analyzes, and produces results from a customer’s text.

Source: Monkeylearn

Sentiment Analysis Tools

If you wish to have a sentiment analysis for your business, there are two ways to get it. One is to build it yourself using an open-source platform, and another way is to buy it from outside, that is, as a SaaS – product.

Using open-source: Well-positioned open source libraries in languages like Java and Python help you build your sentiment analysis tool. However, since it heavily leans on data science, NLP services, and machine learning, you are required to have a good team of data scientists and ML experts on board. Apart from resources, you also need to have a good amount of time and money to build your own tool.

SaaS Product: If you don’t have data science or a relevant development team, you can opt for a ready-to-implement sentiment analysis tool. The SaaS product offers several other advantages: You can implement the product with little or no coding knowledge. You do not require a data scientist or an engineering team, thus saving you an enormous amount of time and money.

Sentiment analysis is more than a hi-tech analysis tool. It is becoming one of the all-important and critical technologies that would redefine the way businesses analyzed public opinion and understood the sentiments of their potential customers. 

About the Author

Ms. Subham Sarkar
President & COO

Netlabs Global IT Services Pvt. Ltd.

He can be contacted at Mobile : +91 81476 52280, +91 97404 44009 or
e-mail : subham.sarkar@netlabsglobal.com

Also read Netlabs Global earlier articles

The post All you need to know about Sentiment Analysis appeared first on Industry4o.com.