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2024 - The Year AI Moved From Promise to Pervasive Presence

AI is no longer a tool but a transformative co-creator in solving global challenges. In 2024, industries embraced GenAI, driving innovation, efficiency, and data-led decisions.

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Aanchal Ghatak
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Industry leaders are calling 2024 a pivotal moment—a bridge between experimentation and mainstream adoption—where Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer just a tool but a co-creator in solving some of the world’s most complex challenges. From healthcare to manufacturing, AI has emerged as a transformative force, unlocking efficiency, redefining workflows, and setting new benchmarks for innovation across sectors.

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The global business landscape is on the verge of a digital renaissance, with AI as the catalyst for unprecedented innovation and efficiency. Organizations have advanced from isolated proof-of-concept projects. They are embracing comprehensive, enterprise-wide AI deployments, focusing on business function transformation and data-driven decision-making. The emergence of GenAI has accelerated this shift, facilitating the rapid development of complex AI applications.

These involve a new generation of AI such as generative AI, multimodal systems, and edge computing incorporated into a cloud infrastructure that opens a new horizon for technology transformation.

In turn, hyperscalers responded by building integrated marketplaces that enabled enterprises to consume GenAI capabilities and develop strong, compliant AI solutions.

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"In 2024, with a significant increase in availability of accelerated computing, now we are seeing Generative AI unlocking potential for applications where AI Agents are getting integrated into workflows." - Pankaj Vyas, CEO and Managing Director, Siemens Technology & Services

From cybersecurity to healthcare, manufacturing to banking, AI’s all-pervasive influence marked an era of rapid adoption and strategic integration into workflows, decision-making, and customer interactions.

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According to McKinsey, a staggering 65% of organizations are actively integrating GenAI, nearly doubling its adoption within a year. This rapid evolution, fuelled by advancements in GenAI workflows, multimodal interfaces, and data democratization tools, presents unprecedented opportunities while simultaneously challenging organizations to navigate the complexities of governance and trust.

"The tech landscape in 2024 has witnessed significant innovations in Artificial Intelligence (AI), but Indian organizations have also faced an alarming rise in cyber threats," says Huzefa Moitwala, Senior Director of Systems Engineering for India and SAARC at Palo Alto Networks. "Seventy-three percent of high-risk exposures occurred within IT and networking infrastructure, business operations applications, and remote access services, making them susceptible to lateral movement and data exfiltration—from large-scale attacks on critical infrastructure to seemingly innocuous corporate phishing attempts."

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"The widespread adoption of secure browsers will mark a significant shift, as organizations leverage these tools to mitigate web-based threats through features like sandboxing, data loss prevention, and AI-driven threat detection." - Huzefa Moitwala, Senior Director, Systems Engineering, India and SAARC, Palo Alto Networks

 

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While Generative AI dominated headlines, other AI trends remained crucial

Computer vision continued to play a vital role, particularly in sectors like manufacturing and healthcare. Predictive analytics remained indispensable for businesses seeking to optimize operations and make informed decisions.

The year’s most transformative trend has undoubtedly been the widespread adoption of Generative AI, a subset of artificial intelligence that moves beyond prediction to creation. It has enabled businesses to not only solve problems but anticipate needs and proactively address them.

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AI adoption is moving significantly fast from minuscule POCs/siloed projects to enterprise-wide deployment with business functions transformation and decision intelligence coming into the focus. - Sameer Dhanrajani, CEO, AIQRATE & 3AI

Generative AI (GenAI) has dominated the technological landscape this year. As Pankaj Vyas, CEO and Managing Director of Siemens Technology & Services, puts it, “With significant increases in accelerated computing availability, Generative AI is unlocking the potential for applications where AI agents are seamlessly integrated into workflows.”

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This rapid adoption is evident across industries:

Banking: Fraud detection systems now boast accuracy rates exceeding 95%, a leap from traditional models’ 85%.

Healthcare: AI accelerates drug discovery timelines by 30%, significantly reducing research and development costs.

Manufacturing: Supply chain predictions have become more precise, reducing downtime by 25% and defects by 15%.

Sameer Dhanrajani, CEO of AIQRATE & 3AI, notes, “AI adoption has moved from minuscule proof-of-concept projects to enterprise-wide deployment, transforming business functions and decision intelligence.” McKinsey’s report echoes this sentiment, revealing that 65% of organizations now actively integrate GenAI, nearly doubling adoption rates within a year.

AI in Action- Transformative Use Cases

AI’s pervasive influence is evident across sectors:

Industrial Copilots: Siemens’ advancements in multimodal AI, edge computing, and cloud infrastructure have enabled industrial copilots that simplify tasks and enhance decision-making on manufacturing floors. “These copilots leverage real-time data to offer actionable insights, improving productivity, safety, and sustainability in complex environments,” explains Vyas.

Digital Twins: AI-driven digital twin technology enables real-time simulations of factory operations, optimizing resource use and reducing waste by 18%.

Customer Experience: Retail and e-commerce companies are leveraging AI-driven recommendation engines with 20% higher accuracy, revolutionizing personalization at scale.

Neil Fox, Senior Vice President of Engineering-AI, Persistent Systems, highlights that AI conversations have shifted from “what GenAI can do” to “how rapidly it can scale across enterprises to drive measurable outcomes.” Persistent’s platforms, such as SASVA 2.0 and iAURA, integrate generative and deterministic AI to optimize workflows across banking, financial services, insurance (BFSI), and manufacturing sectors.

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"By prioritizing transparency, self-service empowerment, and privacy-by-design, companies don’t just meet expectations; they foster long-term loyalty in a world increasingly defined by digital trust." - Piyush Mehta, CEO, Data Dynamics

The Ethical Imperative: Responsible AI

As AI penetrates high-stakes industries like BFSI and healthcare, the importance of responsible AI practices has grown. Fox observes, “Enterprises are not just deploying AI—they’re ensuring it aligns with compliance, transparency, and trust principles.”

Piyush Mehta, CEO of Data Dynamics, underscores this shift: “By prioritizing transparency, self-service empowerment, and privacy-by-design, companies foster long-term loyalty in a world increasingly defined by digital trust.” The Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP) in India and global regulations like GDPR have accelerated the transition to consent-driven environments.

Self-service tools like Zubin are empowering users to manage sprawling data ecosystems with minimal IT intervention. For industries like healthcare and BFSI, these tools transform governance into an intuitive process, reducing data sprawl and unlocking innovation.

Data Sovereignty: Building Trust in the Digital Age

In 2024, data sovereignty has emerged as a critical focus. Customers are vocal advocates for their data rights, demanding transparency regarding data storage, usage, and purpose. Mehta remarks, “This isn’t just about compliance; it’s about building the foundation for future-ready business strategies.”

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"This year, AI has shifted from being a buzzword to a core enabler of business transformation. The conversations are no longer about what GenAI can do but how rapidly it can be scaled across enterprises to drive measurable outcomes." - Neil Fox, Senior Vice President of Engineering-AI, Persistent Systems

A McKinsey report supports this, showing that 81% of consumers are more likely to engage with companies they trust with their data. Businesses must now prioritize privacy, security, and actionable control over sprawling data ecosystems. This shift has broken down traditional silos between IT teams and data owners, fostering a more collaborative and data-centric approach.

Sustainability- A Boardroom Priority

Both Vyas and Fox agree that sustainability is set to dominate boardroom discussions in 2025. Digital Twin technology and the Industrial Metaverse are driving this change, enabling organizations to design, monitor, and optimize infrastructure before implementation.

Vyas emphasizes, “Boards are increasingly focused on integrating sustainability into their core operations. The push for energy-efficient infrastructure and environmentally conscious digital solutions is no longer optional.” These advancements embed sustainability into products from inception, meeting growing environmental and regulatory demands.

The convergence of AI and edge computing has further transformed industries by enabling real-time data processing and automation. The integration of IT and OT systems has facilitated smarter decision-making, empowering organizations to address challenges like quality, safety, and sustainability.

The Democratization of AI: No-Code and Low-Code Platforms

One of 2024’s most significant trends has been the rise of no-code and low-code AI platforms. These tools democratize AI access, enabling non-technical users to build predictive models, automate workflows, and analyse complex datasets. According to Gartner, 70% of AI applications in 2024 were developed using no-code or low-code tools, up from 50% in 2023.

The rise of no-code and low-code platforms has been one of the most transformative trends in AI for 2024. These tools have taken AI out of the hands of specialists and placed it into the toolkit of everyday professionals. With drag-and-drop interfaces, pre-built templates, and user-friendly dashboards, these platforms enable non-technical users to create AI-driven solutions without writing a single line of code.

The biggest advantage is speed. Businesses can now deploy AI models in days rather than months, saving costs and reducing dependency on technical experts. However, challenges remain. Over-simplification of AI models can lead to inaccurate or biased results, while data privacy concerns loom large due to the cloud-based nature of many platforms.

No-code and low-code platforms symbolize a future where AI is not just for the privileged few but a tool for anyone with a vision. The challenge ahead is to harness this power responsibly, ensuring that innovation serves as an equalizer rather than a disruptor.

AI as a Catalyst for Socio-Economic Transformation

India’s unique challenges present opportunities for AI to drive socio-economic transformation:

Healthcare: GenAI bridges rural healthcare gaps by enabling remote diagnostics and personalized treatment plans.

Financial Inclusion: AI expands access to financial services, empowering underserved populations with tools like micro-lending and credit scoring.

Manufacturing: Decentralized production hubs benefit from AI’s ability to optimize operations and improve efficiency.

These advancements are making AI indispensable to India’s socio-economic fabric, positioning the country as a leader in global AI adoption.

AI in Governance, A Sovereign Priority

Amid geopolitical complexities, AI has become a sovereign priority for nations. Countries are crafting national AI strategies to ensure global competitiveness and address issues like governance and trust. In India, the government’s focus on AI-ready infrastructure, research and development, and skilling programs has accelerated the adoption of advanced AI models.

Sameer Dhanrajani highlights, “Enterprises are adopting AI for long-term benefits, balancing immediate ROI with strategic foresight.” This strategic focus is vital for maintaining a competitive edge and fostering innovation in an increasingly AI-driven market.

The Rise of Multimodal AI

Multimodal AI, which processes and responds to voice, text, visual cues, and more, has revolutionized human-machine interactions. Vyas explains, “Multimodal AI gained prominence by transitioning from rudimentary interfaces to sophisticated copilots that seamlessly assist operators.”

These advancements have given rise to industrial copilots, which leverage real-time data to offer actionable insights, improving productivity, safety, and sustainability in complex environments. This trend underscores the shift from basic interfaces to more intuitive and interactive systems.

The Path Ahead

As 2025 unfolds, it is evident that AI is no longer a promise but an omnipresent reality, dictating the future of industries and societies alike.

In this race to harness AI, India finds itself juggling a fascinating paradox. There’s an explosion of innovative startups, cutting-edge research, and government initiatives promising to catapult the nation into a global AI powerhouse.

On the other hand, we’re still figuring out how to make sense of data privacy, inclusivity, and equitable access—like someone buying a top-of-the-line drone but forgetting to read the instruction manual.

It’s heartening, of course, to see policymakers draft ambitious blueprints, albeit with the occasional “fine print” that makes you wonder if they consulted a data scientist or just a lawyer with a thesaurus. Meanwhile, companies are developing AI models so advanced they could predict the stock market——though some still struggle to keep the lights on during power cuts or avoid waterlogged data centers during the monsoons.

But let’s not be cynical. India’s talent pool is overflowing, our startups are buzzing, and our ambition to become an AI superpower is undeniable. If we can solve the conundrums of rural connectivity, data standardization, and occasionally convince bureaucracies that the cloud isn’t just where rain comes from, we might just lead the world.

As we move ahead, perhaps India’s biggest battle will not be the technology per se but the mindset behind embracing it. With innovation, collaboration, and perhaps a dash of humility, this nation can build a future where AI is available for all, not just those with fast internet. If nothing else, at least we can look forward to having heaps of witty memes about it on Twitter.

aanchalg@cybermedia.co.in

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