The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News

I had an opportunity to moderate a Triogule on Aligning Technology and Sustainability with Chitti Babu Annapurna Kuchibhatla, CISA Nand Kishore at EmergeTech 2025 Hyderabad Edition. As businesses set ever more ambitious ESG goals, their sustainability and technology strategies need to become more tightly aligned. CIO’s can play a critical role in supporting their company’s transformation to a sustainabile organisation. We had interesting discussion to understand CIO’s vision on Sustainability and how they are driving with a commitment. The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Jigar Soni Yohan Nunes Veena Rathi Raisa Vaz Pooja Nautiyal Simran Shiwalkar Manali Panchal Yasmeen Shaikh

Hi! We are so ready to kickstart are EmergeTech 2025 first chapter - Hyderabad. Are you joining us today ? The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Jigar Soni Yohan Nunes Veena Rathi Raisa Vaz Simran Shiwalkar Yasmeen Shaikh Pooja Nautiyal Mercadeo

Captured 📷our power packed panel on Digital Transformation at EmergeTech2025 Hyderabad Chapter! Prakash Dwivedi Vijaya Krishna Veeravalli CG Balaji Tushar Zade Dr. Shruti Mantri The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Jigar Soni Yohan Nunes Yasmeen Shaikh Veena Rathi Pooja Nautiyal Simran Shiwalkar

India Cancels 400 Defense Drone Deal Over Cybersecurity Concerns India has decided to cancel three contracts for 400 defense drones due to concerns about the use of Chinese components and the associated cybersecurity risks. The move reflects the country's increasing focus on security and reducing reliance on foreign technology for its military operations. National Security at the Forefront The Indian defense ministry’s decision to cancel the drone contracts, valued at ₹230 crore, came after concerns were raised about the potential for cyber threats. These drones, which included 200 mid-altitude, 100 heavy-weight, and 100 lightweight units, were meant to support logistics along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). However, the use of Chinese-made parts in some of the drones raised alarms about the risk of data breaches and unauthorized access to sensitive military information. An official involved in the decision explained, "Some Indian companies were also sourcing Chinese components, which made the security concerns even more significant." The Growing Threat of Chinese Components Experts have pointed out that Chinese components could potentially be infected with malware or contain hidden access points, or "backdoors," that could lead to security breaches. As tensions between India and China have increased in recent years, particularly after the 2020 border clash in eastern Ladakh, India has taken a much stricter stance on Chinese-made parts in defense equipment. This has led to operational failures in some drone missions, further intensifying the scrutiny on foreign-made components. New Procurement Protocols In response, the Indian military has tightened its procurement processes. Officials have stated that all future drone purchases will go through a rigorous verification and certification procedure to ensure they are free from Chinese parts or any potential cybersecurity risks. A Focus on Indigenous Drone Technology Looking ahead, India is shifting its focus toward developing and acquiring drones made locally. The military is particularly interested in mini, micro, armed swarm drones, as well as long-endurance, medium-altitude drones. This move not only aims to bolster India’s defense capabilities but also seeks to reduce dependency on foreign technology, promoting self-reliance in military innovation. This decision marks a significant shift in India’s defense strategy as the country prioritizes national security and strengthens its commitment to indigenous technological development. #TheMainstream #IndiaDefense #CybersecurityConcerns #DroneTechnology #IndigenousInnovation #NationalSecurity #SelfReliance #IndianMilitary #DefenseTech #Drones #ChinaConcerns #IndianArmy #TechSovereignty

Qualcommn has announced that it will be launching its Snapdragon X platform in India Qualcomm, an American chip maker, has declared that this month it would introduce its Snapdragon X platform in India. The company revealed that it has planned an event on February 24 to debut the Snapdragon X processor in India via a post on X (previously Twitter) under the Snapdragon India handle. The newest member of the Snapdragon X family of arm processors, which were first shown at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, are intended to power more reasonably priced AI PCs. With a picture titled "AI PCs for everyone," the announcement post implies that PCs with Qualcomm Snapdragon X chips would be less expensive than those with Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus chips. Qualcomm Snapdragon X: What is new The 8-core Oryon Central Processing Unit (CPU) of the Arm architecture-based Snapdragon X chip for PCs may operate at a multi-core frequency of up to 3.0 GHz. In contrast, the flagship Snapdragon X Elite processor has a 12-core CPU with a multi-core frequency of up to 3.8GHz. The Snapdragon X Plus processors have greater operating frequencies than the Snapdragon X chip, even though some of its variants have 8-core CPU architectures. #TheMainstream #Qualcomm #Snapdragon #AmericanChipMaker

We are excited to inaugurate the second edition of #EmergeTech2025 – The Multicity Roadshow in Hyderabad. The journey begins with a lamp-lighting ceremony, marking the start of an exciting exploration into the future of technology. . . . #TheMainstream #EmergeTech2025 #EmergeTech #Technology #TechInnovation #FutureTech #TechLeadership

Actian Appoints Emma McGrattan to Chief Technology Officer Actian, the data and analytics division of HCLSoftware, announced the promotion of Emma McGrattan to Chief Technology Officer. McGrattan will lead the company's technology strategy, innovation, product development, and research agenda to support Actian's mission of simplifying how customers integrate, discover, govern, and analyze data at enterprise scale. Integrating the data finding capabilities brought forth by the recent acquisition of Zeenea is one of McGrattan's first duties. Actian now provides clients with an end-to-end solution that encompasses data integration, data quality, data governance, analytics, metadata management, data cataloging, data lineage, and data observability, thanks to the addition of Zeenea to its portfolio! In her capacity as Senior Vice President of Engineering and Product, McGrattan introduced the Actian Data Platform, Actian's first cloud service. She successfully led many technological acquisitions and architected the company's key analytics, data integration, and data management solutions over her 30-year career as an associate engineer. Actian's development from her early engineering positions to her subsequent leadership responsibilities has been influenced by McGrattan's technical vision. #TheMainstream #Technology #Innovation #CTO #Data #Cloud

Biometric Data and AI: The Next Privacy Crisis We Need to Address! In a world where unlocking your phone with a glance or opening a door with a fingerprint is becoming the norm, biometric data is rapidly shaping our daily lives. When combined with artificial intelligence, this technology offers unparalleled convenience. Let’s see how: What is Biometric Data? Biometric data refers to unique physical and behavioral traits that can be used to identify individuals. This includes: ✅Fingerprints, facial features, iris patterns, and even DNA. ✅Your unique way of walking, typing, or speaking, which can also be tracked. How AI Plays a Role AI is the powerhouse behind how biometric data is collected, processed, and applied. Through sensors and cameras, AI systems gather data every time you unlock your phone or interact with a digital assistant. The data is then analyzed to detect patterns, recognize emotions, or even predict potential health risks. The Good, the Bad, and the Risky! Security ✅Benefit: Quick, secure access to devices and buildings. ⛔Risk: Data breaches could expose permanent biological identifiers—unlike passwords, your face or fingerprint can’t be changed. Healthcare ✅Benefit: Early detection of diseases and personalized treatments. ⛔Risk: Sensitive health data could be misused or sold, leading to potential discrimination in insurance or employment. Law Enforcement ✅Benefit: Improved identification and safety. ⛔Risk: Potential surveillance overreach and misidentification, leading to privacy violations and wrongful arrests. Why Should We Be Concerned? ➡️Storing biometric data makes companies prime targets for hackers. Once compromised, this data can’t be reset like a password. ➡️Many people aren’t fully aware of how their biometric data is being collected and used, often without explicit consent. ➡️Biometric data is increasingly used for targeted advertising and behavior prediction, which raises concerns about privacy exploitation. How Can We Protect Our Privacy? ✅Understand local biometric privacy laws and how companies are using your data. ✅Be mindful of which biometric data you share and opt-out when possible. ✅Use strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication to add an extra layer of protection. It’s essential to be informed, proactive, and cautious about how our biometric information is used to ensure our autonomy in an increasingly digital world. What steps are you taking to protect your biometric privacy? Share your thoughts below! #TheMainstream #Privacy #BiometricData #AI #DataProtection #DigitalSecurity #Technology #Innovation #PrivacyRights #AIethics #CyberSecurity

Oracle Added Another Set of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools to NetSuite Oracle launched a new set of artificial intelligence (AI) features to NetSuite, one of its corporate financial software products, on Thursday. Some of these technologies might speed up the process for customers to receive an estimate for bespoke bicycles or other purchases. Oracle has approached AI differently than competitors like Microsoft. Oracle has chosen to include specific capabilities that expedite routine but time-consuming operations, such as entering a brief account of how a sales meeting went into a corporate records system, rather than rushing toward general-purpose virtual assistants. Giving a customer a price quote for a complex purchase with many alternatives, where a salesperson would have to go through materials to arrive at a price, is another such duty that is typical in the business sector. On Thursday, NetSuite revealed a feature that allows users to generate such a quotation by asking a chatbot what the customer wants. This tool may be used directly by customers in the case of e-commerce enterprises or by sales professionals in the background to expedite their job. #TheMainstream #Oracle #AI #Technology #Finance #Sales

Introducing Byte by Yum!™, an AI-Driven Restaurant Technology Platform Powering Customer and Team Member Experiences Worldwide Yum! Brands, Inc. announced today the introduction of Byte by Yum!, a comprehensive collection of proprietary Software as a Service (SaaS) AI-driven products that will enable KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and Habit Burger & Grill restaurants across the world to delight customers, streamline operations and empower teams. The technology platform enables easy operations for team members and improved experiences for customers, while consolidating essential systems into a cohesive, easy-to-manage platform. The implementation of Byte by Yum! will also enable a faster and more impactful adoption of AI by Yum! and its brands. Backed by artificial intelligence, Byte by Yum! offers franchisees leading technology capabilities with advantaged economics made possible by the scale of Yum! The Byte by Yum! platform includes online and mobile app ordering, point of sale, kitchen and delivery optimization, menu management, inventory and labor management, and team member tools. Joe Park will serve as President of Byte by Yum!, in addition to his overall Chief Digital & Technology Officer role. #TheMainstream #Byte #Yum #AI #Technology #FoodIndustries