Cxo of the week: Bhavesh Goswami, Founder and CEO, CloudThat

Established in 2012, CloudThat provides award-winning cloud training and consulting services globally. Specializing in major cloud platforms like AWS, Microsoft, GCP, and Databricks, it serves mid-market and enterprise clients. Recently, CloudThat launched its Center of Generative AI Innovation. As a top-tier partner with AWS and Microsoft, it has received over 8 awards, including AWS Training Partner of the Year 2023 and Microsoft Superstars FY 2023. CloudThat has trained over 650,000 professionals, certified 500+, and completed 300+ consulting projects for 100+ corporations in 28+ countries.

Bhavesh, founder and CEO of CloudThat, is a cloud computing visionary with a track record at AWS and Microsoft since 2005. He played a key role in launching AWS's first service and developing Microsoft's early cloud products. In 2012, he founded CloudThat, India's first company offering specialized AWS and Azure training.

With a Master's from the University of South Florida and Stanford's Seed Transformation Program, Bhavesh excels in both academics and practice. He is known for thought leadership articles on cloud, AI, IoT, DevOps, and data analytics and holds multiple patents. Bhavesh's commitment to innovation keeps CloudThat at the industry's forefront, consistently embracing the latest advancements.

In an interview with CIOL, Bhavesh Goswami, Founder and CEO of CloudThat, discussed the current generative AI landscape in India, particularly regarding enterprise adoption and major challenges and opportunities for Generative AI in India.

How would you describe the current state of Generative AI in India?

India's technological landscape is experiencing a major transformation due to the rapid rise of generative AI (GenAI). The country's thriving GenAI ecosystem is marked by numerous startups, substantial investments, and a wealth of skilled talent. It demonstrates innovation and technological capabilities. This is evident in the doubling of GenAI startups between 2021 and 2023, with a focus on sectors like code & data, marketing, and education, as reported by Inc42 Media.

The AI sector has attracted over $440 million in funding since 2019, with a significant portion invested in 2022, reflecting investor confidence in the technology. This growth is further supported by India's large pool of skilled engineers and researchers, who are driving innovation in the field. Additionally, leading research institutions and universities are actively contributing to GenAI research, solidifying India's position as a hub for GenAI advancement.

A recent report by EY India indicates that it could contribute $359-438 billion to India's GDP by 2030. A NASSCOM report further highlights over $19 billion in investments committed to GenAI in India, indicating a promising future for the technology in the country.

What are the major challenges and opportunities for Generative AI in India?

The primary challenges in harnessing Generative AI's potential revolve around data availability, quality, and privacy concerns. A 2023 study by Deloitte highlighted that 68% of AI project implementations in India faced challenges related to data quality and availability. Building robust models necessitates access to diverse and representative datasets, which can be a significant hurdle, especially in a country like India with its linguistic and cultural diversity. Ensuring fairness and mitigating biases in AI outputs are equally crucial, as highlighted by a 2022 study by the Centre for Internet and Society, which found biases in several AI-powered recruitment tools used in India.

One of the other challenges that need attention at the moment is the ethical use of GenAI. The "black box" nature of these models can hinder understanding and trust. GenAI models are trained on massive datasets, often reflecting existing societal biases. This can lead to discriminatory outputs, perpetuating stereotypes, and unfair treatment in various applications like hiring, loan approvals, and content generation. GenAI can be used to create highly convincing fake content, including images, videos, and audio. This raises concerns about the spread of misinformation, manipulation of public opinion, and potential harm to individuals and society. Moreover, the lack of transparency in how GenAI models make decisions raises concerns about accountability and the potential for unintended consequences.

However, the opportunities presented by Generative AI are immense, with the potential to revolutionize various sectors. In the healthcare sector, AI-powered diagnostics are already making a significant impact. A recent study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) demonstrated the effectiveness of an AI-powered diagnostic tool for tuberculosis, which improved detection rates by 15% compared to traditional methods. This not only saves lives but also reduces the burden on India's healthcare system.

In education, CloudThat has enabled multiple EdTechs like Navneet! Leveraging our Center of Generative AI Innovation, we helped many customers in the EdTech sector adopt and integrate Contextual Chatbots, Text Summarization, QnA Generation and validation. Put together, these GenAI solutions have aided the companies to cut through unproductive time allocated to manual tasks.

Data Challenges and Solutions:

In India, while a vast population exists, obtaining high-quality, diverse datasets for training GenAI models can be challenging due to factors like language diversity (with over 22 official languages) and regional variations. However, the government is actively addressing this issue through initiatives such as the National Language Translation Mission (NLTM), which aims to create a massive dataset of parallel sentences in Indian languages. This is expected to significantly aid in the development of GenAI models that can understand and generate content in multiple Indian languages.

Can you highlight some notable innovations in Generative AI within Indian industries?

Generative AI is making significant strides in India, transforming various industries and unlocking new possibilities. Here are some notable innovations:

Education:

Personalized Learning & Content Creation: The education sector is experiencing a change of unprecedented magnitude. In fact, CloudThat has helped several EdTechs to adopt and integrate GenAI capabilities which enabled them to reduce 40% of their time spent on content production on an average.

Customer Service and Engagement:

Chatbots and virtual assistants: Generative AI-powered chatbots are revolutionizing customer service in India by providing instant, personalized responses and recommendations. Companies like Haptik and Yellow Messenger are leading the way in this space.

Content Creation:

Image and video generation: Generative AI is being used to create compelling visual content for marketing and advertising campaigns. Companies like Staqu and Wysa are leveraging this technology to produce high-quality visuals.

Healthcare:

Medical imaging and diagnostics: Generative AI is assisting in medical image analysis, helping doctors identify and diagnose diseases more accurately. Startups like Qure.ai and Niramai are developing AI-powered solutions for radiology and pathology.

Drug discovery: Generative AI is being used to accelerate drug discovery by generating novel molecules and predicting their properties. Companies like Innoplexus and Elucidata are utilizing this technology for pharmaceutical research.

Finance:

Fraud detection: Generative AI helps financial institutions detect fraudulent transactions by identifying patterns and anomalies in large datasets. Startups like Signzy and Simility are developing AI-based fraud prevention solutions.

Agriculture:

Crop yield prediction: Generative AI is being used to predict crop yields by analyzing weather patterns, soil conditions, and historical data. This helps farmers make informed decisions about planting, irrigation, and harvesting. Companies like Intello Labs and CropIn are developing AI-powered solutions for agriculture.

These are just a few examples of the many ways Generative AI is being used to drive innovation in Indian industries. As technology continues to advance, we can expect to see even more exciting applications in the future.

Which sectors are seeing the fastest growth in terms of Generative AI implementation?

CloudThat gets a lot of customer queries from across industries. Our long-term customers are always coming back to us and requesting use cases for their businesses. I see it as industry agnostic. We’ve been able to implement GenAI solutions for a major media network which saw an increase of more than 100 million unique viewers, especially during the election time. For Navneet, a premier EdTech company, we have integrated more contextual chatbots, text summarization. We’ve even worked with a leading private bank for automating personalized replies.

But coming to India I do think IT/ITES sector will become the torch bearer. A recent survey by Deloitte found that the IT/ITES sector leads in GenAI adoption in India, with 68% of companies either piloting or implementing GenAI solutions. BFSI is following closely, with 55% of firms adopting the technology. This is driven by use cases like fraud detection, risk assessment, and personalized financial advice. These industries have large volumes of data and clear use cases where GenAI can enhance processes and deliver tangible value.

How quickly are Indian enterprises adopting Generative AI technologies?

India has long been a hotbed for technological innovation, and I've had the privilege of witnessing this firsthand. Two decades ago, I was part of the pioneering team behind AWS S3, during a time when cloud computing was in its infancy. It took considerable time for cloud technology to penetrate the Indian business landscape.

However, the pace of technological adoption is accelerating rapidly, with more and more organizations recognizing the strategic value of generative AI. While many businesses are currently in the exploratory or pilot phase, our Center of Generative AI Innovation has empowered them to embrace this technology early on, positioning them for significant long-term advantages. The early adopters are poised to lead the way and reap the greatest rewards.

The next few years will be crucial in determining the pace and scale of adoption. A 2023 NASSCOM report found that the combined enterprise value of 100 key generative AI companies in India increased sevenfold between 2019 and January 2023. This demonstrates the growing confidence and investment in GenAI technologies by Indian businesses.

How is CloudThat supporting enterprises through its training and consulting verticals?

At CloudThat, our unwavering commitment lies in empowering businesses to unlock the transformative potential of GenAI. Our comprehensive training programs equip professionals with the essential skills to not only develop but also deploy and manage GenAI solutions effectively. We offer a diverse range of courses in Data Science and AI, catering to both individuals and enterprises, with the ultimate goal of enhancing their resources and proficiency in GenAI capabilities.

Through our specialized consulting services, we empower enterprises to identify relevant use cases, construct strategic roadmaps, and implement GenAI strategies that are meticulously tailored to their unique requirements. Moreover, we actively cultivate a vibrant community of GenAI practitioners, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange through engaging workshops, events, and dedicated platforms.

As a company, our fundamental driving force has been the imperative to bridge the existing gap in the market. Recently, a significant realization emerged - numerous organizations aspire to embrace GenAI but grapple with the absence of a well-defined roadmap, encompassing structural, financial, and technical aspects. In response to this critical need, we have partnered with AWS to establish our very own Center of Generative AI Innovation, a dynamic sandbox environment that empowers organizations to experiment and innovate freely within the realm of GenAI.

What inspired the creation of the Generative AI Center for Innovation at CloudThat?

A while ago we had the opportunity to take a joint Go-to-Market Strategy meeting with AWS where we discussed potential business use cases for GenAI. Additionally, many of our customers were very excited about GenAI but  they lacked the technical know-how.

Hence, the center was born out of our recognition of the transformative potential of GenAI and the need for a dedicated space to foster innovation and collaboration. We envision the center as a hub where organizations and startups of all sizes can approach innovation with technology. It is a place to experiment, learn, and co-create GenAI solutions that address hands-on challenges faced by the organization.

The idea is that no organization holds itself back from embracing GenAI due to the complexities.  In partnership with AWS, our Center of Generative AI Innovation offers a comprehensive solution – a hands-on environment where businesses can confidently explore, experiment, and develop their GenAI strategies, addressing the structural, financial, and technical challenges head-on.

Going one step forward, we intend to do our very best to ensure all businesses can innovate with GenAI and hence, come up with a set-up of free GenAI readiness assessment for organizations. This technology needs to be democratized and at CloudThat we are taking that step forward to fuel innovation at all levels and across industries.

How does the center plan to make the impact of LLMs on businesses more evident?

The center will focus on developing and showcasing practical applications of LLMs (Large Language Models) across various industries. We'll work with businesses to identify use cases, conduct pilots, and measure the impact of LLMs on key metrics like efficiency, productivity, and customer satisfaction. We'll also share our learnings and insights through publications, webinars, and workshops.

The center is actively engaged in developing and showcasing LLM-powered solutions. For instance, we've partnered with a manufacturing company to pilot an LLM-based quality control system that has resulted in a 20% reduction in defects. We're also working on an LLM-powered legal research tool that significantly reduces the time lawyers spend on case analysis.

What trends do you foresee in the development of Generative AI in India over the next 5 years?

With the current pace of innovation? The Sky's the limit! Just imagine how far we’ve come since 2020. But some of the fundamental developments which I do anticipate are:

Increased Democratization of GenAI:

The future of GenAI lies in its accessibility. The development of user-friendly tools and platforms will empower businesses of all sizes and individuals from diverse backgrounds to harness the power of GenAI. This democratization will lead to a surge in innovation as more people experiment with and apply GenAI to various challenges, ultimately fostering a more inclusive and dynamic AI landscape.

More Focus on Responsible AI:

As GenAI models become increasingly integrated into critical decision-making processes, the emphasis on responsible AI will intensify. Ensuring fairness, transparency, and ethical considerations in the development and deployment of GenAI models will be paramount. This focus will involve rigorous testing, bias mitigation strategies, and ongoing monitoring to ensure that GenAI benefits society while minimizing potential harm.

Growth of Industry-Specific GenAI Solutions:

One size does not fit all in the world of GenAI. We can anticipate a proliferation of specialized GenAI models tailored to the unique needs and challenges of specific industries. In healthcare, GenAI can revolutionize diagnostics, drug discovery,and personalized treatment plans. In finance, it can enhance fraud detection, risk assessment, and investment strategies. In manufacturing, GenAI can optimize production processes, predictive maintenance, and supply chain management. This trend towards industry-specific solutions will unlock the full potential of GenAI in various sectors.

Integration of GenAI with Other Emerging Technologies:

GenAI is not an island; it's part of a larger technological ecosystem. The future will witness the seamless integration of GenAI with other cutting-edge technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, and cloud computing. This convergence will lead to the creation of even more powerful and versatile solutions. For example, GenAI-powered IoT devices can analyze real-time data to make intelligent decisions, blockchain can ensure the security and transparency of GenAI models, and cloud computing can provide the scalable infrastructure needed to train and deploy these models efficiently. This integration will pave the way for a new era of technological innovation.