The emergence of generative AI (gen AI) is fundamentally reshaping the landscape of data and marketing technology in India, compelling leaders in these fields to reevaluate and revamp their existing platforms. This transformative technology is not just an incremental improvement but a paradigm shift that promises to revolutionize how Indian businesses interact with data, engage customers, and drive innovation. The impact of gen AI extends beyond just technological considerations. It’s prompting a fundamental rethinking of business models and value creation strategies. Forward-thinking leaders are exploring how gen AI can not only optimize existing processes but also enable entirely new products, services, and customer experiences.
In India, the impact of gen AI on data platforms is particularly significant. Traditional data architectures, which were primarily designed for storage and basic analytics, are now being challenged to support the immense computational demands and real-time processing requirements of gen AI models. Indian data leaders are finding that their existing infrastructure may not be sufficiently scalable or flexible to harness the full potential of this new technology.
One of the key areas where gen AI is forcing a rethink in the Indian context is data integration and management. Gen AI models require vast amounts of high-quality, diverse data to function effectively. This is pushing Indian organizations to break down data silos and create more unified, accessible data ecosystems. Companies are now prioritizing the development of robust data pipelines that can feed gen AI models with a continuous stream of up-to-date, relevant information, including data in multiple Indian languages.
The Indian IT industry, a cornerstone of the country’s $245 billion tech market, is confronting the gen AI challenge. Major players are arming their workforce with cutting-edge training and delving deeper into clients’ needs to stay competitive in this new landscape. These companies are not just adapting to gen AI but are actively working to turn it into an advantage.
In the realm of marketing technology, gen AI is catalysing a shift from rule-based systems to more dynamic, context-aware platforms in India. Marketing services providers like Hansa Cequity are reimagining customer engagement strategies, leveraging gen AI to create personalised, interactive experiences at scale. This shift necessitates a reevaluation of existing martech stacks, with a focus on integrating AI-powered tools that can generate content, analyze customer behavior, and automate complex marketing workflows.
The ability of gen AI to understand and generate human-like text in multiple Indian languages is particularly transformative for content marketing and customer communication in India. Marketing platforms are being upgraded to incorporate natural language processing capabilities, enabling more sophisticated chatbots, personalized email campaigns, and dynamic content generation tailored to India’s diverse linguistic landscape.
According to a report by EY India, gen AI is poised to reshape industries in India by revolutionising operating models, transforming value chains, and altering economic dynamics. The report suggests that India could experience a substantial boost in its GDP over seven years (2023-24 to 2029-30), with the cumulative impact ranging from US$1.2 trillion to US$1.5 trillion.
However, the integration of gen AI into existing platforms in India is not without challenges. Data and marketing leaders are grappling with issues of data privacy, model transparency, and the need for human oversight. There’s a growing recognition that while gen AI can augment human capabilities, it should not entirely replace human judgment, especially in sensitive areas of decision-making.
To address these challenges and capitalise on the opportunities presented by gen AI, Indian organizations are adopting several key strategies:
- Investing in scalable, cloud-based infrastructures that can handle the computational demands of gen AI models.
- Implementing robust data governance frameworks to ensure the quality and ethical use of data in AI applications, with a focus on protecting user privacy in the Indian context.
- Developing cross-functional teams that bring together data scientists, marketers, and ethicists to guide the responsible implementation of gen AI.
- Focusing on upskilling and reskilling employees to work effectively alongside AI systems, with a particular emphasis on bridging the AI skills gap in India.
- Prioritizing use cases that offer the greatest value creation opportunities for the Indian market, balancing efficiency gains with innovation potential.
In the realm of customer service, gen AI is enabling more natural, context-aware interactions in multiple Indian languages. Hansa Cequity is revisiting their customer support platforms to incorporate AI-powered assistants that can understand and respond to complex queries in various regional languages, dramatically improving response times and customer satisfaction.
In the manufacturing and supply chain sectors, early adopters of gen AI in India are leveraging the technology to enhance demand forecasting, optimize inventory management, and create more resilient supply networks. These applications go beyond simple automation, using AI’s predictive and generative capabilities to drive strategic decision-making in the context of India’s complex and diverse market.
The financial services industry in India is another sector where gen AI is driving significant platform revisions. Banks and insurance companies are exploring how gen AI can enhance risk assessment, detect fraud more effectively, and provide personalized financial advice at scale, considering the unique characteristics of the Indian financial landscape.
Looking ahead, the full potential of gen AI in India is yet to be realized. As technology continues to evolve, data and marketing technology leaders must remain agile, continuously adapting their platforms to leverage new capabilities as they emerge. This may involve embracing new AI models, exploring multimodal AI that can process various data types simultaneously, and finding innovative ways to combine gen AI with other emerging technologies like blockchain or the Internet of Things.
The Indian government recognizes the economic potential of AI and is considering developing gen AI systems as Public Goods. This could involve investing in the creation of structured and unstructured datasets, especially for local Indian languages, which can be opened to the public. Such initiatives could significantly accelerate the adoption and impact of gen AI across various sectors in India.
The emergence of gen AI is indeed forcing data and marketing technology leaders in India to fundamentally revisit their platforms. This goes beyond mere technical upgrades; it involves a holistic reconsideration of how data is collected, managed, and utilized, and how customer interactions are designed and executed. As organizations navigate this transformative period, those that successfully adapt their platforms to harness the power of gen AI will likely find themselves at a significant competitive advantage, able to deliver more personalized, efficient, and innovative solutions to their customers in India’s rapidly evolving digital landscape.s leaders in the new automotive era.
