Citing real-world market successes and failures, Ritesh Gauba, CEO of Epigamia, said that despite all the advanced tools of data collection and Artificial Intelligence now used to understand consumer behaviour, no product or service can succeed unless human instinct is involved.
Speaking during ‘Global Management in the Age of AI: Future Pathways’ organised at the city-based Institute for Development and Communication’s (IDC) Centre for Advanced Studies in Social Sciences and Management (CASSM), Gauba said Indians — not just the younger generation — are becoming increasingly health-conscious, thanks to a surge in freely available information. “One can now see what an elite athlete eats and how he trains on social media, for free. You just need to feed in your body weight and other parameters, and AI will draw up a plan for you,” he said.
Addressing the MBA and MA (Economics) students, Gauba urged them to stay curious and keep redefining boundaries. “To survive in this cut-throat world, you must challenge yourself every day. And for that, you need discipline.”
Amit Dhaka (IAS), CEO of Invest Punjab, said several fundamentals remain the same across the corporate and public sectors. A product of a government school and college himself, Dhaka told students, “What really matters is your confidence and skill-set. Even in civil services, you have to prove yourself every day. Never undermine yourself.”
Stressing that a degree alone does not guarantee success, he called on students to build the skill-sets that give them an edge. “Your learning must never stop — whether it comes from teachers, peers or juniors,” he added.
On the growing use of technology in government departments, he remarked, “I trust my technical team completely, but framing citizen-friendly policy also means keeping your ear to the ground.”
Dr Pramod Kumar, Chairperson, IDC, said, “The world is changing fast with AI, but that cannot undermine basic human intelligence and reasoning. It’s a pleasure to have experts like Gauba and Dhaka interact with our students. We plan to hold such sessions regularly to expose the latter to real-world problems and solutions.”
Dr. Gary Malhotra, Chancellor, University Business School Sydney (UBSS), Australia elaborated on the opportunity for CASSM students to study tailor-made courses in Australia, thanks to a unique collaboration between IDC and UBSS.
Prof Alan Bowen-James and Dr. Mrigakshi from UBSS joined the session from Australia (online).
