The Observation Engine

AI tools are no longer futuristic experiments; they're becoming standard equipment for professionals worldwide. A recent LinkedIn Workforce Confidence Index highlights this shift, noting that professionals in India are now 1.8 times more likely to use AI products daily or weekly for their jobs compared to 18 months ago. ​ Why the Rapid Adoption in India? Several factors drive this acceleration. AI tools have grown cheaper and more accessible, lowering barriers for small businesses and freelancers. Ansh Mehra, founder of Cutting Edge Group, attributes this to companies finding it "easier to move on to these new AI tools" as costs drop and interfaces simplify. In a competitive market like India's freelance and tech sectors, tools for tasks such as data research, content curation, and media monitoring provide an edge without requiring steep investments. ​ This trend aligns with global patterns, where UK professionals are three times more likely to use AI daily. For freel...

The recent debut of Tilly Norwood, an AI-generated actress created by Eline Van der Velden’s UK-based studio Particle6, has ignited a fierce debate within Hollywood and beyond about the future of acting, creativity, and the role of artificial intelligence in entertainment. The Controversy First “AI Actress” Signing: Tilly Norwood made headlines when Van der Velden revealed at the Zurich Summit (September 27) that a talent agency was in talks to represent the synthetic character for acting roles. Hollywood Reactions: Emily Blunt called the move “terrifying,” urging agencies to stop “taking away our human connection.” Simu Liu responded sarcastically, blasting the idea of movies starring only AI versions of people. Whoopi Goldberg said AI actors have an “unfair advantage,” given the vast digital libraries they draw from. Actors Union Response: SAG-AFTRA (the U.S. actors union) condemned the trend, stating that creativity must “remain human-centered” and arguing ...

Contrary to widespread fear and numerous headlines, a new study from Yale University’s Budget Lab finds that since the release of ChatGPT in November 2022, AI technology has not yet disrupted job numbers or workforce composition in the United States . Key Findings: Stability, Not Disruption No Major Changes in Job Exposure: The study analyzed workforce data over 33 months, grouping workers by their exposure to AI (high, medium, low). If AI were eliminating jobs, the share of high-exposure workers would have gone down, but the data show those shares have barely changed. Labor Force Composition Unchanged: Yale researchers compared recent trends to historical shifts during the computer boom of the 1980s and the internet tech surge of the late 1990s. Unlike those earlier tech revolutions, AI’s impact on America’s labor force so far appears minimal. Young Worker Analysis: Tracking the spread of jobs among recent college graduates (ages 20–24) and comparing them to older cohorts...

A new study published on September 24 in PLoS One has shown that average listeners can no longer reliably tell apart AI-generated “deepfake” voices from real human voices. Study Findings: AI vs. Human Voices Voice Cloning vs. From-Scratch AI: While generic AI voices made from scratch can still be spotted by most listeners (only 41% fooled), AI voice clones trained with real human samples are nearly indistinguishable : 58% of these deepfake voices were rated as genuine, compared to 62% for actual human voices. Minimal Data Needed: Researchers created convincing voice clones using as little as four minutes of audio and basic commercial software, requiring minimal expertise and cost. Security and Ethics Risks: Sophisticated deepfake voices make it easy for criminals to bypass voice authentication systems at banks, impersonate loved ones, or even fabricate public statements from politicians and celebrities. Example: A victim gave $15,000 after being tricked by a “daughter’s...

India’s smartphone exports hit new highs in August 2025, surging 39% year-on-year to $1.53 billion , with shipments to the United States (its largest market) nearly tripling compared to last year. This boom marks India as the world’s third-largest mobile exporter , reaffirming the success of government policies and the growing appeal of “Made in India” electronics. Key Export Highlights Overall Exports: August 2025 exports rose from $1.09 billion (August 2024) to $1.53 billion. US Market: Shipments to the US rose from $388 million to $965 million. a 148% year-on-year jump . For April–August FY26, exports to the US reached $8.43 billion, comprising nearly 80% of FY25's full-year total. Long-Term Growth: In 2018, India exported just $0.2 billion in phones. By 2025, annual exports will have hit $24.1 billion , a 119-fold increase, putting India ahead of Vietnam in mobile phone exports. Major Drivers: Apple continues to lead, with Indian-assembled iPhone exports grow...

India’s software and IT exports are racing ahead overall, but the country’s top listed IT giants are losing ground in the export race. New data show a widening gulf between headline software export growth and the performance of established publicly listed firms, raising important questions for investors, policymakers, and the tech industry at large. The Numbers: The Export Race India’s software exports grew 12.7% in FY25 , reaching $180.6 billion, according to RBI data. Listed IT companies (the major players on the stock market) reported only 3.8% growth in foreign exchange revenues , totaling $69.6 billion, their lowest market share in 14 years. The share of listed IT firms in total software exports has shrunk from 55% in FY19 to 38.5% in FY25 , against a backdrop of accelerating growth from unlisted firms and Global Capability Centres (GCCs) of multinational corporations. What’s Fueling the Divergence? Rise of Unlisted Players & GCCs Unlisted Indian IT firms an...