D-Talks:Bulletin#331 – Top Digital Media Updates For CXOs

India Surpasses US and China in AI Downloads

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman recently highlighted India’s rapid progress in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI), noting that the country has surpassed the US and China in AI-related app downloads. Speaking at the convocation ceremony of IIIT Kottayam, she emphasized that India recorded an impressive 3 billion AI-related app downloads in 2024, outpacing the US’s 1.5 billion and China’s 1.3 billion.

Sitharaman referenced a powerful statement from Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who referred to India as the “use case capital of AI.” She praised this remark, emphasizing that it demonstrates India’s commitment not just to researching AI, but also to implementing it on a large scale.

India’s quick commerce to grow 75-100% YoY, outpacing traditional retail

The quick commerce in India is set to grow at an impressive rate of 75-100 per cent year-on-year (YoY), significantly outpacing traditional retail, which is expected to grow at a much lower rate, says a report by Bernstein.

The report attributes this growth to quick commerce’s advantages in proximity, pricing, and product selection. It said, “Quick commerce is uniquely positioned across proximity, pricing & selection & will continue to grow at 75-100 per cent YoY vs retail at low teens.”

The report indicated that quick commerce is advancing faster than other internet-based retail channels in India. By 2025, the sector is expected to further establish itself as a dominant force. The top 40-50 cities in India collectively account for a grocery market worth around $250 billion, and quick commerce is well-positioned to capture a substantial share of this market. It stated “2025 will see amplification of quick commerce vs other channels. Top 40 – 50 cities constitute approx. $250 bn of the overall grocery market”.

OpenAI expands roll out of its Operator AI agent in India

OpenAI has expanded the availability of its AI-powered agent, Operator, to several major markets beyond the United States. The autonomous AI tool, which can perform complex online tasks based on user prompts, is now accessible to ChatGPT Pro users in Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, the UK, and most other regions where ChatGPT is available.

First introduced in January, Operator is powered by OpenAI’s Computer-Using Agent (CUA), an advanced AI model that combines computer vision from GPT-4o with enhanced reasoning capabilities from OpenAI’s proprietary AI models. This post-trained reinforcement learning-based AI agent allows users to automate tasks online with minimal manual intervention.

The AI agent is designed to interact with graphical user interfaces (GUIs), including buttons, menus, and text fields, much like a human using a computer. Equipped with a dedicated browser, it can execute actions independently, allowing users to focus on other tasks while it completes complex multi-step operations.

Shoppers from tier 2, 3 markets to drive 4X ecommerce growth by 2035

The reasons for the increase in e-commerce participation include rapidly growing smartphone adoption and increased internet penetration

India’s e-commerce market has seen rapid growth over the past decade, as more and more shoppers flocked to platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra and many others. This is no more an urban phenomenon. As more people from tier 2 and 3 markets take the online route, the market is expected to quadruple over the next ten years, according to a report.

The report released by consulting firm Anarock and ETRetail projects India’s e-commerce market will clock a 15 per cent compounded annual growth of 15 per cent to touch $550 billion by 2035 from an estimated $125 billion in 2024. In contrast, the overall retail industry in the country will be at around $2.5 trillion, growing at a 6 per cent compounded growth from $1.2 trillion in 2023.

Instagram Tests AI-Based Tasks via DMs

The next stage of generative AI is AI agents, or chatbot tools that will also be able to undertake projects or functions on your behalf.

OpenAI recently took its first steps towards this, with the launch of its “Operator” app, which will be able to initiate web-based activities at your request.

And now, Meta looks to be experimenting with early elements of the same, with a new task assignment add-on based on your DMs.

It’s not quite to the same level as OpenAI’s Operator system, but the principle is the same, expanding AI chatbots beyond just text-based responses, and shifting them into actual tasks, and initiating activities at your request.

The full utility of such process is still a way off, as AI agents still have some teething problems to work out (one user found out that AI agents are not great at finding the best prices, while others have had the systems order various unwanted items on their behalf). But eventually, the idea is that AI tools, powered by devices like Meta’s Ray Ban glasses, will enable you to simply ask the assistant to do things for you, and the system will be attuned to your personal preferences, budget, and other specifics.

X revolutionizes advertising with Grok AI

X (formerly Twitter) announced the launch of two groundbreaking AI-powered advertising features, “Prefill with Grok” and “Analyze Campaign with Grok,” designed to transform how brands connect with their audiences. Leveraging Grok, X’s advanced AI, these tools offer end-to-end AI-driven advertising capabilities, simplifying ad creation, audience targeting, and performance analysis.

“We are thrilled to introduce these innovative features that will empower advertisers of all sizes,” stated a spokesperson for X. “By integrating Grok’s intelligence, we are streamlining the advertising process, enabling brands to achieve their marketing goals with unprecedented efficiency.”

Instagram Adds Text-Only Testimonials To Partnership Ads

Instagram’s rolling out a new element within its Partnership Ads that will enable brands to showcase a creator endorsement within a sponsored comment on a Partnership post.

Indeed, Instagram says that 40% of people use creator recommendations on Instagram when they’re shopping, which could make these direct, personalized acknowledgments a powerful way to drive more interest, and sales, in the app.

Testimonials will be limited to 125 characters, so creators will need to keep it brief, and brands will only be able to include one testimonial comment per Partnership post at this stage.

LinkedIn adds email analytics for Newsletters

LinkedIn has added email analytics for Newsletters, introducing two metrics: Email Sends and Email Open Rate. These metrics provide insights into newsletter performance via email. While basic and potentially inaccurate, they assist with comparisons to other platforms. However, the inability to access subscriber emails limits the effectiveness of LinkedIn Newsletters. Further improvements in analytics are expected, but more features are needed for a complete solution

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