On Tuesday, Kochi’s Maker Village hosted a day-long session titled ‘AI-Enabled Transformational Changes- Opportunities, Challenges and Future for Startup Entrepreneurship’. The conclave was attended by industry experts, and focused on the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on startup entrepreneurship in Kerala.
The session was opened by Dr Roshy John (Global Head, Industrial Robotics and Cognitive Systems, TCS) who observed that AI’s role could no longer be ignored in Kerala. The state has a strong startup ecosystem, along with immense support from the government; these factors would prove crucial in extending the use and applicability of AI in day-to-day life. With a nuanced and ever-increasing understanding of AI and machine learning, Dr John observed that the conventional model of startup entrepreneurship is poised to undergo a radical change within a decade, and this will open a plethora of opportunities in the state.
Nearly 67% of Kerala’s land is used for agriculture, a profession that is dependent on nature. The last decade has seen huge changes in climatic and environmental factors, and reports on the changes often come out too late, or do not reach those who truly need the information. AI could change that, reducing the time between sample collection and dissemination of the findings. John’s use of the term “fourth Industrial Revolution” was not a light one.