Kolkata, 27th August, 2023: The Indian Chamber of Commerce organised "Digital Bengal: Enhancing Competitiveness through the Digital Revolution" on Friday, 25th August.
The event encompassed a panel discussion concerning the Progress of Digitalisation in West Bengal and essential policy considerations. Additionally, there were informative sessions highlighting Emerging Technologies, the Applications of Generative AI, and the Future Landscape, including "Digital Bengal 2030 and Beyond," which delved into topics like Cloud Infrastructure, Cybersecurity, Gaming, and Fintech. Esteemed personalities included Anindya Biswas, Senior Director at Oracle; Manoshi Roychowdhury, Co-Chairperson of Techno India Group; Indranil Mitra, Managing Director of Advisory Services at PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Roopen Roy, Former President of ICC and Founder & CEO of Sumantrana Management Consultants were present.
While introducing the theme, Roopen Roy, Past President-ICC & Founder & CEO Sumantrana Management Consultants said, "Digitisation lies at the core of the ongoing IT revolution. In the world, there are physical objects (atoms) and digital entities (bits). Physical objects can transform into digital forms, as seen with the digitised trillions circulating globally. This digital shift disrupts the physical realm. Initially, the IT industry relied on physical presence ('body shopping'), but digital transformation made individuals electronically interchangeable, altering the world. AI's transformative power similarly hinges on digitisation. AI, including generative models like GPT, demands substantial digitised content. Such transformations will reshape work and lifestyles, offering opportunities despite concerns of job displacement. AI, for instance, aids in medical diagnostics, addressing staff shortages and enhancing early disease detection. Even in fields like law, AI, such as chatbot GPT, assists judges, reducing their workload and augmenting judgment quality. The world is witnessing a wave of technology and Bengal out to jump on the bandwagon."
Anindya Biswas, Sr Director, Oracle said, “Bengal has done fabulous work like e-panchayat, e-municipality etc. We should be proud about the work that Bengal has done. However, there is still a lot to do as demands are increasing on various fronts, citizens are becoming more aware, there is increasing amount of young generation, urbanisation is very rapid, expectations are increasing and jobs opportunities are being created. We ought to ensure that education is provided even to the farthest part of India and the information that we have is relayed to everyone. Moreover, these developments have led to the acquisition of large-scale data, which cannot sit in silos. AI helps to break the silos and bolster inter-departmental coordination to make this data useful. Hence, AI can play a big role in integrating those data and creating a co-dependency among departments. This will help in every aspect of our lives such as agriculture, health care, collection of taxes etc. This data will also help us to make informed decision.”
Manoshi Roychowdhury, Co -Chairperson, Techno India Group said, "Embracing digitisation in academic institutions, especially in West Bengal, is essential for holistic student development. In today's digital age, education should go beyond traditional methods. Interactive platforms, e-books, and online simulations enhance learning experiences, bridging theory and practice. Digitisation democratises education, reaching remote students and streamlining administration. It fosters innovation, research, and collaboration, transcending boundaries. However, careful planning and addressing cybersecurity concerns are crucial. While technology enhances education, teachers remain invaluable for personal connection and student value. West Bengal's digitization progress is steady, learning from tech hubs like Bangalore. Training will boost technology adoption, yet the younger generation lags behind."
Indranil Mitra, Managing Director- Advisory Services, PricewaterhouseCoopers, said, "Generative AI, a facet of artificial intelligence, operates on extensive datasets to produce novel content. It leverages significant volumes of data, benefiting from the maturation of natural language processing. This advancement enables the creation of seemingly original materials such as videos, text, and sound. The increasing availability of vast datasets makes large language models feasible and captivating. The distinction between reality and unreality might blur in the future. Industries across the board are adopting AI, with tools like ChatGPT gaining global prominence."
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