Mint Techcetra

Can you blame the tech company for building a technology that willfully at fault for creating a bot, which performed the way it did? and one that’s becoming harder to answer. As chatbots like Character.AI start mimicking human intimacy (minus the actual feelings), who’s really responsible when things go wrong? The bot? The builder? Or the blurred line between product and service under liability law? In today's episode, we talked about all this and more. Do let us know what you feel about which side of the conversation is right on our social media handles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we’re speaking about how the job of video editors is on the line and how the job of cinematographers might be next. The kind of videos that Google Flow is now able to generate, and the kind of visuals OpenAI’s Sora claims it can produce, are almost unprecedented for a machine. Routine jobs like simple video editing have already been automated for some time. "The question now is how high up the creative chain will this go?" And just when you think this is about efficiency, it starts getting uncomfortable. In a controlled test by Palisade Research, a model was instructed to shut down midway but it refused. Another test by Anthropic saw a model being told it would be replaced and asked to train its successor. The result? It blackmailed the human supervisor by threatening to leak personal information, including an alleged extramarital affair, unless it was allowed to stay operational. And then there’s Apple, now reportedly planning to rename its operating systems like iOS and macOS to align with calendar years, just like Android did a while ago. Is it a big deal? Maybe not. "Renaming software is easier than renaming roads", but it does hint at something deeper especially with Apple’s AI efforts still trailing. With WWDC just around the corner, there’s growing chatter around how far behind Apple feels in the larger consumer tech space, and whether this rebrand is meant to shift focus without doing much under the hood. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why listen? Our host Shouvik Das was on the ground at the most talked-about tech event of the year—Google I/O 2025—and brings you exclusive insights from Sundar Pichai’s closed-door session with global journalists. From the reimagination of Search to the rollout of AI Overviews, Gemini 2.5, and AI agentic systems, this episode breaks down how Google is moving forward with its own unique take on AI. With a massive $13.5 billion R&D spend in just one quarter, Google is clearly not just reacting—it’s building for the long haul. In this episode, we also unpack why “all about Google has been about AI” for over two decades. Despite the noise, Google’s foundation in AI is deep, deliberate, and far from new. Pichai’s message was clear: “We’ve never built AI just for ourselves—we’ve built it for everyone to use.” Tune in to hear how Google is evolving its products, redefining Search, and staying firmly in the AI race. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Mint Techcetra! In this episode, host Karthik dives deep into the journey and innovative solutions of Zafin with COO and Co-founder Anugopal Venugopalan. Spanning over two decades, Zafin has evolved into a global leader in SaaS-based banking transformation, empowering banks to modernise their product and pricing capabilities.   Explore how Zafin leverages AI, data unification, and platform-driven innovation to reshape banking operations. Learn about cutting-edge solutions like Zafin IO and Zafin Data Fabric, which enable banks to decouple innovation from legacy cores.   Mr. Venugopalan also shares insights on the changing needs of banking customers and how strategic partnerships with Microsoft and others enhance Zafin’s ecosystem. Don’t miss this engaging conversation on the future of banking, AI-driven transformation, and the power of modern financial technology. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Mint Techcetra, in collaboration with Dell Technologies, host Karthik dives into the impact of AI on cybersecurity with Mr. Ripu Bajwa from Dell Technologies. Learn how businesses are adapting to AI-driven threats, the importance of a proactive security approach, zero trust principles, and how AI is both a tool for defences and a weapon for attackers. Discover insights on building resilient cybersecurity frameworks to protect data and enhance organisational agility. Stay informed on cybersecurity trends and strategies with expert advice from a seasoned leader in the IT industry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) broadcasting — a new technology that could turn your smartphone into a live TV receiver, no internet required. India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is running pilot tests to explore whether phones can double as broadcast receivers. The potential is massive: it could bring entertainment and emergency alerts to over 80 million TV-dark homes. But questions remain about reliability in poor weather, hardware pricing, and whether telecom operators — who make big money off mobile data — are ready to support it. Next: dumb phones are making a comeback. We talk about the Light Phone 3 and why users are opting for distraction-free devices that do little more than call, text, and maybe play music. Some see it as a response to smartphone fatigue. Others think it’s a more conscious way to re-engage with life. But the conversation also tackles the practical side — from using cash over UPI to finding your way through a city without Google Maps. And finally, we get into India’s AI patent push. According to a new Nasscom report, India has seen a sharp rise in AI-related patent filings over the past 15 years — with machine learning dominating the charts and generative AI catching up fast. While the country now ranks among the global top five in AI filings, the grant rate remains low at just 0.37%, raising questions about R&D quality and long-term innovation depth. All that — plus a little CD nostalgia and public-service broadcasting potential — in this week’s episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Humans vs Robots: Why Are We Even Competing? From Beijing’s robotic half-marathon to AI drones clocking 95.8 kmph, humanoids are getting faster and smarter—but let’s not jump the gun. This week, Leslie and Shouvik breaks down why it’s way too early to celebrate humans beating robots in races. From Atlas to Sophia to autonomous drone leagues, machines are learning balance, navigating terrain, and gearing up for real-world action. But do we even need to pit them against humans? What’s the point of this uneven battle anyway? Teaching Teachers About AI: Delhi’s rolling out teacher training programs in AI—but is it just for the optics? We dive into the gaps in our education system, why simply layering AI on outdated curricula won’t help, and how the real overhaul needs to begin with rethinking everything: exams, teaching styles, even the role of degrees. As hosts puts it, if teachers haven’t upgraded their own “hard disks,” no tech layer is going to help. Ray-Ban Meta in India: They’ve finally arrived in India, but will Ray-Ban’s Meta smart glasses really replace smartphones? We’re not convinced. From battery life to privacy to the actual usefulness of having a talking, data-streaming screen on your face, we debate whether this is just another smartwatch moment—or if AR glasses will actually stick. And yes, at some point, you’ve still got to take them off and look at nature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dolphins are talking—and we may finally be listening. In today's episode, Hosts Shouvik Das and Leslie D'Monte talk about how researchers have been training AI models on audio patterns from marine life, hoping to decode the communicative clicks and whistles of dolphins. What was once the domain of documentaries is now a serious scientific pursuit, with breakthroughs hinting that we might be on the cusp of cross-species communication. Similar efforts are underway with elephants and apes, where language-like patterns are being observed, dissected, and even responded to using machine learning. These aren’t sci-fi fantasies anymore—they're experiments backed by linguistic theory, acoustic science, and real data. While another is eyeing the sky. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) recently conducted successful tests of a new laser weapon system—designed to intercept aerial threats with silent, precise beams. Think missile defense, but without the missile. This high-energy weapon is part of India’s push to develop its own version of the Iron Dome, tailored to local security needs. The system promises to be compact, mobile, and cost-effective—potentially offering an edge in both defense preparedness and indigenous military R&D . Meanwhile, a quieter revolution is unfolding in the consumer electronics sector. Homegrown brands like Lava and boAt are no longer content with playing second fiddle to global players. They’re doubling down on R&D, exploring component manufacturing, and positioning themselves for export markets. With PLI incentives and a maturing startup ecosystem, the dream of a Made-in-India electronics powerhouse is entering a new phase. It’s not just about assembling phones anymore—it’s about building the ecosystem from silicon to software, and finding a global voice for Indian tech. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hosts Shouvik Das and Leslie D'Monte pondered: if Leonardo da Vinci or Picasso were alive today, would they be just as unnerved by AI as many artists are now? It’s a question worth asking, especially when tools like ChatGPT can now generate stunning images in the signature style of Studio Ghibli with a single prompt. The hosts have previously discussed Ghibli’s sudden rise in cultural popularity, but the recent release of this image-generation feature has reignited deeper conversations about art, ownership, and the role of the artist in an age where style can be replicated with a click. When it becomes this easy to reproduce the visual language of a globally loved, legacy studio, what does that mean for originality—and more importantly, for artists? But then we take a turn into something more personal: the way people, especially Gen Z, are starting to open up to voice assistants and chatbots—not just to set reminders, but to actually talk. About their thoughts, their stresses, and their feelings. Is this a new form of therapy? Or are we just getting lonelier? Along the way, we also chat about Photoshop getting easier to use, washing machines that claim to be “smart,” and why everything from TVs to water filters now comes with a chip that talks back. Spoiler alert: we’re not totally sold on it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How much of it is copyright, and how much of this is violated? The debates about what is copyright and what is copyleft. With AI-generated images becoming more advanced, what does it mean for artists, digital advertising, and even companies like Google? Will AI-generated content disrupt ad revenue? What happens to creators whose work is used to train these models? In this episode, our host Shouvik Das and Leslie D'Monte talks about OpenAI’s image generator, the shifting landscape of content ownership, and the rise of "ethical AI" as a marketing term. Are we entering an era of "AI washing," much like we saw with cloud and greenwashing? Companies are pushing responsible AI, but how much of it is genuine, and how much is just marketing? Switching gears, we talk about Xiaomi’s latest flagship, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, a phone that bucks the AI trend by doubling down on camera technology. The device features a Leica-powered 200MP camera and comes with a dedicated camera grip and attachments to enhance the photography experience. But in a world where AI is dominating smartphone innovation, is a top-tier camera enough? Would you buy a phone that is ordinary in every other way but has an extraordinary camera? We debate the practicality of such a device—how it fits into real-world usage, whether its hardware is as durable as traditional DSLRs, and if losing or damaging a smartphone with such an advanced camera would be more of a liability than a benefit. We also touch on Bill Gates' recent statement that AI will replace most human jobs—except for biologists and energy researchers. Why these two fields? We break down whether AI is truly incapable of advancing in these areas without human intervention or if Gates' statement oversimplifies the situation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices