Demand for prompt engineers stalling as companies seek broader skill sets

The industry is seeing a plateauing in the demand for prompting engineers. But compared to the last three quarters, there is a slight rise in the active demand. More and more employers are looking for candidates with skill sets across the AI spectrum including broader understanding of foundational models and large language models, AI ethics, responsible AI, security and governance, data and cloud AI services.

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Mutual help: AssetPlus and ZFunds receive venture capital support

According to two people in the know, ZFunds is in talks with Elevation Capital to lead a Rs 25 crore equity funding round, which will be its first institutional funding round. AssetPlus, which had previously raised equity funding from Rainmatter and InCred, has secured Rs 50 crore in another institutional funding round led by Eight Roads Ventures, a global investment firm backed by Fidelity.

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Quick commerce taps identity verification companies to curb frauds amid ramp-up

Gig economy workers have always been required to submit identity documents before joining a platform, but companies such as Swiggy, Zepto, Blinkit, and Zomato are now increasingly collaborating with ID verification firms that utilise advanced technology to authenticate these documents and assess applicants’ behavioural patterns during their assignments.

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Information technology gets its mojo back with big September wins and October momentum

In the month of September alone, the main IT players signed a total of 26 deals which also includes deals by domestic tech firms such as Infosys, Cognizant and Accenture.

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MeitY readying voluntary ethics code for AI firms

Some of the larger principles that the IT ministry may release as a part of the voluntary code involve measures that companies can take during the training, deployment, and commercial sale as well as identifying and rectifying any instances of potential misuse of the LLM and AI platforms developed by the company, the second official said.

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It’s success .ai as domain trade rakes in big bucks

Registrars such as GoDaddy allow investors to buy, sell or auction domains that have a high probability of being acquired for a substantial value.“Starting in late 2022, GoDaddy saw a notable increase in the number of .ai domain name registrations as a company--a trend that spiked in May 2023 and continues to drive strong interest,” the company told ET.

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AIIMS INI CET January 2025 Result declared: Check direct link here

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, has declared the INI CET 2024 results for the January 2025 session. Candidates who took the exam can check and download their results from the official website, aiimsexams.ac.in. Candidates can check important details and the direct link here.

from Latest Education news - Board Exam Results, Admit Cards, Exam Paper Analysis and Question Papers | Times of India
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Building India's 'iPhone city': Lessons from Zhengzhou's transformation

Zhengzhou evolved from a modest industrial center into a powerhouse after Foxconn's 2010 entry, aided by massive social infrastructure supporting over 200,000 employees. India's ambitions to replicate this model hinge on robust social infrastructure, such as housing, healthcare, and education. States like Tamil Nadu are pioneering industrial housing, but experts stress a need for better facilities, policies, and talent-friendly ecosystems to attract global investment and drive sustainable growth.

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India well-positioned to preserve heritage in LLMs: Amazon CTO

Werner Vogels believes that the nation’s blend of technology, culture and government collaboration puts it in a strong position to lead the development of culturally aware AI.

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COP29: UAE announces developing world's first ChatGPT tool for agricultural community

The announcement came today at the UAE Pavilion at COP29 which hosted an exciting array of events focused on the transformative role of technology, collaboration, and data in accelerating decarbonisation and driving the energy transition around the world, particularly through agricultural innovation and hydrogen development

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Netflix down for thousands of users in United States

Netflix was down for thousands of users in the US as it streamed a highly anticipated live boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul, according to outage tracking website Downdetector.com.

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What is Bluesky, the fast-growing social platform welcoming fleeing X users?

​While it remains small compared to established online spaces such as X, it has emerged as an alternative for those looking for a different mood, lighter and friendlier and less influenced by Musk.

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Top startup and tech stories this week

Welcome to a new edition of ETtech Unwrapped – our weekend newsletter packed with the most important stories this week. Let’s take a look.

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Boat sets sail for $300-500 million IPO with bankers on board

This comes as Boat’s revenue fell 5% in FY24 to Rs 3,285 crore, while it halved losses to Rs 70.8 crore. Sources said there’s a consolidation underway in the sector and that the recent Diwali season lifted sales after several muted quarters. Boat recorded positive earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (ebitda) in FY24.

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U.S. College application deadlines explained: All you need to know about Early Action, Early Decision, and more

The U.S. college admissions process requires strategic planning, with application deadlines playing a crucial role. Students can choose from Early Decision, Early Action, Regular Decision, and Rolling Admissions, each offering different timelines and commitments. Understanding these deadlines helps applicants align their ambitions and options, increasing their chances of acceptance and aiding in selecting the right path to their desired institution.

from Latest Education news - Board Exam Results, Admit Cards, Exam Paper Analysis and Question Papers | Times of India
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Pavestone marks final close of tech fund at Rs 816 crore

The firm which initially targeted raising Rs 600 crore revised it to Rs 900 crore after raising the corpus twice through the green shoe option. Pavestone plans to invest in several early growth-stage business-to-business technology companies with an average cheque size of $5-10 million.

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Swiggy delivers best major listing in 10 years

“We are very excited for the next phase of our journey as a company,” said Sriharsha Majety, cofounder and CEO, Swiggy, in a press conference following the listing ceremony at NSE. “As for the profitability, even in the build-up to the IPO, we have talked about how the food delivery business has already gotten profitable and we expect that to continue at a steady clip.”

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Apple overtakes Samsung in Q3, clocks record shipments

The iPhone 15 and iPhone 13 models were the most popular, according to IDC. Record shipments led to Apple cornering majority share in the smartphone market in value terms, widening the gap with Samsung. Apple's revenue share in the market stood at 27.2% while Samsung's share stood at 15.2%.

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Razorpay’s funding venture to invest in early-stage B2B companies

Razorpay Venture Investment Programme, as it is named, will scout for opportunities in sectors like fintech, travel, healthcare, hospitality, retail and ecommerce. But the company intends to invest only in business-to-business (B2B) startups. The Reserve Bank of India-licensed payment aggregator believes that India will see 10-15 B2B unicorns getting created over the next five years.

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Agile mid-sized IT uses AI, pricing to bag bigger deals

Companies like Persistent Systems, Sonata Software, and LTTS are leveraging AI to attract more vendor consolidation deals, aided by their agility and competitive pricing. These firms now often land larger contracts that were previously reserved for top firms, with an increasing focus on custom solutions. The trend reflects stronger demand and AI-driven innovation, enabling these companies to capture a greater market share in outsourcing.

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To AI or not to AI, that’s the question for academic book publishers here

The Indian Reprographic Rights Organization (IRRO) which represents 113 global and Indian publishing houses like Pearson, Oxford, S. Chand etc. said, it is cautious of these factors as AI companies are approaching the body for content outsourcing rights.

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ID verification company Equal bags $10 million in first institutional raise

Equal is building a platform which helps businesses streamline their know your customer (KYC) processes and prevent fraud, thereby assisting in regulatory compliance through integration with about 50 identity databases.

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‘India has become an AI hub for startups’

Morgan Stanley, a major US investment bank, is exploring AI-based collaborations with Indian startups. With over 8,000 tech professionals in India, it leverages this talent for global operations. Its AI tools, “Assistant” and “Debrief,” developed with OpenAI, streamline advisor tasks by reducing administrative calls and aiding meeting summaries. Despite the wide impact of AI, Morgan Stanley continues expanding its workforce in India.

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Elon Musk is positioning X behind the new Trump presidency

Musk, who owns X, posted on the platform about politics more than 400 times between Tuesday and Friday, celebrating Trump's victory and talking about the causes that the president-elect should take up in office.

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Google Photos launches new updates page to track activity in shared albums

Google Photos is rolling out a new feature aimed at enhancing how users track and engage with changes in their shared albums.

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Apple Inc sets up first subsidiary in India for R&D

Apple established a new subsidiary in India, Apple Operations India, marking its first direct presence in the country. This subsidiary will focus on research, design, testing, and providing support to third-party manufacturers. This move signifies Apple's commitment to expanding its operational footprint in India beyond assembly and sales.

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Top startup and tech stories this week

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Need child tracking data for their safety: Meta’s Antigone Davis

“We also use the tracking of behaviour to determine how to resource our systems. The way I can describe it is how they use the behaviour of electricity users at the grid level to determine where to surge power and where to pull it back so everybody has their light on,” Davis said in a interaction with ET.

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Haldiram Bhujiawala secures Rs 235 crore from Pantomath's Bharat Value Fund; sells minority stake

The funds will be used to expand Haldiram’s manufacturing capabilities and enter new markets. BVF, which recently launched its third fund with a corpus of Rs 2,500 crore, invests in profitable, growth-stage companies. Haldiram Bhujiawala is its sixth investment.

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Boldfit gets Rs 110 cr investment from Bessemer Venture Partners

The startup backed by cricketer KL Rahul will use the funds to enhance product innovation and expand its brand presence. The brand sells its products on ecommerce marketplaces, quick-commerce platforms and through its own D2C channel. It plans to open offline stores within the next 12 to 18 months.

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Tessolve to buy German chip designer for Rs 400 crore

This acquisition aims to position Tessolve as a leading design firm capable of delivering advanced turnkey solutions, particularly in System on Chip (SoC) designs for AI, automotive, and data center markets. The move will also strengthen Tessolve’s European presence with new facilities in Germany and the Netherlands.

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Alarm bells at wearables companies as slump extends to this fiscal

India’s wearables market has been on a downturn for over a year, affecting major brands like Boat and Boult. Boat reported a 5% revenue drop in FY24 but halved its losses, while Boult’s profits shrank despite a 40% revenue increase due to expansion efforts. Smartwatch demand remains low, with a 10% decline in Q2 shipments. Meanwhile, the true wireless audio segment grows, driven by budget-friendly features and quick-commerce expansion.

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GCCs ping class of 2025 to build their tech talent pipeline

GCCs gained popularity in campus placements in the last season — for the Class of 2024 — when they stepped in to partially fill the gap left by a sharp drop in IT/ITeS hiring. These companies say they are now seeing many more campuses reach out to them. The main draws: attractive salaries, benefits and career growth.

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India now a focus market for Reddit, says CEO Steve Huffman

Reddit registered an India subsidiary in August this year and started leveraging the influencer connect to gather users – it hosted AMA (ask me anything) sessions with Shark Tank’s Namita Thapar and actors Pankaj Tripathi and Manoj Bajpayee.

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WBPSC Clerkship admit card 2024 released at wbpsc.ucanapply.com, direct link to download here

WBPSC has released the admit cards for the 2024 Clerkship Examination starting November 2. Candidates need their application number or name and birth date to download them from official websites. The exam, with over 700,000 participants, is scheduled for November 16 and 17 in four shifts.

from Latest Education news - Board Exam Results, Admit Cards, Exam Paper Analysis and Question Papers | Times of India
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You are under digital arrest! How fake cop scams draining victims’ bank accounts

Victims of online scams are finding themselves in the grip of fake cops, leading to empty bank accounts. As the battle against cybercrime intensifies, experts tell that individuals and agencies must step up efforts to combat these threats.

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Tech giants are set to spend $200 billion this year chasing AI

Wall Street recently criticised major tech firms for their AI spending, but Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, and Alphabet plan to invest even more, exceeding $200 billion this year. These companies are securing chips and building data centers to support AI, aiming for future profitability despite current high expenses.

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Coursera sees spike in GenAI course demand, India leads enrolments

Raghav Gupta, Coursera's Managing Director for India and Asia Pacific, highlighted that while overall online learning growth has slowed compared to the pandemic boom, genAI courses have surged, with enrollments reaching 950,000—a 1600% year-over-year increase.

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Walt Disney forms business unit to coordinate use of AI, augmented reality

The newly formed Office of Technology Enablement will be led by Jamie Voris, who spearheaded development of Disney's app for the Apple Vision Pro mixed reality device, according to an email seen on Friday by Reuters.

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