AI at the FIFA World Cup: The Real Victory Isn’t the Technology. It’s Finding the Right Use Cases.

We often talk about Artificial Intelligence as the next revolutionary technology. But the real transformation isn’t just about apprehending or getting mesmerized about AI itself, it’s more about discovering the right business problems where AI can make a meaningful difference, while combining it with human creativity, experience, and judgment.

Technology alone has never won championships. People do.

 The FIFA World Cup is one of the finest examples of this philosophy in action. Millions of fans witness spectacular goals, tactical brilliance, and unforgettable moments. Behind the scenes, however, AI has quietly become an indispensable member of every elite team’s support staff. And this is just the beginning.

                                AI is already deciding moments that millions debate.

Most fans notice AI only when a goal is disallowed. But by then, AI has already processed millions of data points. During the FIFA World Cup, AI-powered Semi-Automated Offside Technology combines high-speed stadium cameras with a sensor inside the official match ball. The system tracks dozens of body points on every player multiple times every second while the ball sensor transmits data hundreds of times per second. The result is faster, more consistent offside decisions, while the referee still makes the final call. ( This is officially explained by FIFA)

A New York Post has already explained - The 2026 World Cup has taken this a step further with enhanced player tracking, connected-ball technology, and AI-assisted officiating. In one of the knockout matches, a goal was ruled out because the sensor inside the ball detected a tiny touch that was almost impossible for the human eye to see. Technology didn’t replace the referee, it gave the referee evidence. That is perhaps the biggest lesson for enterprises embracing AI.

The best AI doesn’t replace experts. It makes experts better. 

AI is becoming the coach’s invisible assistant with help of generation of enormous amounts of data, from player movements and passing networks to sprint intensity and tactical formations.AI analyzes thousands of patterns in minutes, helping coaches answer questions like:

"Which tactical formation gives the highest probability of success against a particular opponent?

Which player combinations create the most scoring opportunities?

When should substitutions be made based on player fatigue rather than intuition?

Which opposition players are most vulnerable under high press?"

 The coach still makes the final decision.

AI simply ensures those decisions are supported by evidence instead of instinct alone.

 This is remarkably similar to business leadership, where executives increasingly use AI for decision support while retaining accountability for the final call.

Talent identification is moving beyond the human eye

For decades, talent scouts relied on experience and intuition. Today, AI watches thousands of matches across leagues and age groups simultaneously. Instead of merely tracking goals or assists, AI evaluates Decision-making speed, Positional awareness, Passing under pressure, Movement without the ball, Defensive anticipation, Consistency across seasons.

A talented youngster playing in a small town can now be discovered because of data, not because a scout happened to be watching that day.

Imagine the possibilities for countries like India, where immense sporting talent often remains hidden due to limited scouting infrastructure.

AI could democratize opportunity.

Preventing injuries before they happen - Perhaps the most exciting application is predictive injury management. Elite teams collect data from wearable sensors, GPS trackers, heart-rate monitors, recovery metrics, sleep quality, biomechanics, and training loads. AI identifies subtle warning signs that even experienced medical teams may miss. It can predict elevated injury risk by detecting Declining sprint efficiency, Muscle fatigue patterns, Recovery imbalance, Changes in running mechanics, Excessive workload accumulation. Instead of reacting after an injury occurs, teams are intervening early by modifying training, managing workloads, or resting players.

The same predictive approach is transforming healthcare, manufacturing, aviation, and industrial maintenance.

Preventing problems is always more valuable than fixing them.

Personalized coaching for every athlete as No two athletes are identical. AI enables individualized coaching plans based on physical profile, Match performance, Recovery capacity, Mental workload, Nutrition, Sleep patterns etc. 

Training becomes dynamic rather than standardized.

Each athlete follows a plan designed specifically for their strengths and weaknesses.

Imagine applying the same concept in the corporate world, personalized learning paths, customized career development, and AI-driven coaching for every employee.

Fans are becoming part of the AI experience: The impact extends beyond players and coaches. Fans now enjoy AI-generated match insights, Real-time tactical visualizations, Predictive statistics, Automated multilingual commentary, Personalized highlights based on favorite players and teams. AI is enhancing how millions experience the game without taking away its emotion or unpredictability. What business leaders can learn an important lesson for every organization investing in AI.

Success doesn’t come from deploying the latest model, It comes from asking better questions.

• Which decisions consume the most time?
• Where do experts need better insights?
• Which repetitive tasks reduce productivity?
• What data already exists but remains unused?
• Where can prediction replace reaction?

Organizations that answer these questions thoughtfully will realize significantly greater value than those chasing AI for its own sake.

The future belongs to Human + AI

Despite all these advances, AI still cannot replace what makes sport magical. It cannot inspire a team during adversity. It cannot understand the emotional weight of wearing a national jersey. It cannot replicate courage, leadership, resilience, or the instinct to seize a defining moment.

Just as the best football teams combine data with human brilliance, the most successful organizations can combine AI with curiosity, creativity, ethics, and experience.

The future will not belong to AI alone. Nor will it belong to humans working without AI. It will belong to those who master the partnership between the two.

Because in the end, AI doesn’t replace human intelligence.

Messi: Talent met data, not technology alone 

When people watch Lionel Messi, they see genius. What they often don’t see is the enormous ecosystem of performance analysts, sports scientists, video analysts, nutritionists, and AI-driven analytics working behind the scenes. Every movement, passing angle, acceleration, recovery period, and pressing pattern is analysed. AI identifies trends that even experienced coaches may miss, allowing training sessions to become increasingly personalised. Yet, no algorithm can teach Messi’s vision or creativity.

AI measures performance. Greatness still comes from the human mind.

 Mbappé: Managing explosive performance

Kylian is one of the fastest footballers in the world. Repeated high-intensity sprints place enormous stress on muscles and joints. Elite teams increasingly use AI models that analyse sprint load, recovery, muscle fatigue, GPS data, sleep quality, and historical injury patterns to determine when an athlete should push harder and when the smarter decision is to recover. we have seen coaches taking decision to replace him during the course of match- sitting outside we wonder these decisions  - "why". Sometimes the bravest coaching decision is not selecting your biggest star for one match so that he is available for the next five.

That is predictive AI at work.

Haaland: The future of injury prevention

Although Erling Haaland wasn’t part of the 2022 World Cup, he represents exactly where elite sport is heading. Players with extraordinary physical intensity generate enormous amounts of biometric and movement data during every training session. AI can identify tiny deviations in running mechanics, muscle load, or recovery that may indicate a future injury before the athlete feels any pain. Imagine if organizations could detect employee burnout with the same accuracy that football clubs detect muscle fatigue.

 This is the impact of AI: not in reacting faster, but in predicting earlier.

The bigger lesson for business

The World Cup isn’t simply showcasing better football. It is showcasing how AI, data engineering, IoT sensors, computer vision, wearable technology, and human expertise come together to solve real problems.
The same principles apply across industries:

• Predict equipment failure before a factory stops.
• Identify fraud before money leaves the bank.
• Detect disease before symptoms become severe.
• Personalize learning before employees disengage.
• Spot leadership potential before competitors hire the talent.

"The organizations that will win the AI race won’t necessarily have the biggest models. They will be the ones that ask the best questions, identify the highest-value use cases, and empower humans with AI rather than attempting to replace them."

 

Four Cricket Stories. Four Powerful Corporate Lessons.

Cricket is often described as a game of skill and strategy. But beyond the scoreboard, it offers remarkable lessons in leadership, talent management, culture, resilience, and organizational success.

Tiday”s matches involving India, Ireland, West Indies, Sri Lanka, England, New Zealand, and the Indian Women’s Team reminded me how closely sport mirrors the corporate world.

1. India vs Ireland – Talent Develops on the Field, Not on the Bench

India’s defeat against Ireland was not just about failing to adapt to seaming conditions. It also raised important questions about backing young talent, particularly the decision not to play young sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi.

No one can guarantee that a young player will succeed immediately at the international level. Every great player has gone through failures and learning curves. But the real question is: How do future stars develop if they are not given opportunities?

Vaibhav has demonstrated hunger, confidence, and the willingness to take on challenges. In difficult conditions where established players struggled, perhaps a fearless young mind could have brought a different approach. Even if he had failed, the experience would have accelerated his growth.

A soldier is hardened on the battlefield, not while sitting in the camp.

The same challenge exists in organizations. We often talk about leadership pipelines, succession planning, and developing future leaders. Yet many organizations hesitate when it comes to giving meaningful responsibility to young talent. They want experience before opportunity, forgetting that experience itself is created through opportunity.

Corporate Lesson:
Potential becomes capability only through exposure. Great leaders do not wait for people to become ready. They create opportunities that make them ready.

2. West Indies vs Sri Lanka – Culture Can Rebuild a Legacy

One of the most heartening stories in world cricket today is the gradual resurgence of West Indies cricket.

The recent performances against Sri Lanka, including record-breaking partnerships and renewed competitiveness in Test cricket, reflect more than technical improvement. They reflect a team that is rediscovering belief.

Much of the credit goes to Daren Sammy.

Whether as a 

World Cup-winning captain or now as a coach, Sammy has consistently demonstrated an ability to inspire people. He has focused not only on skills but on pride, identity, accountability, and culture.

For years, West Indies cricket struggled with inconsistency, administration challenges, and fading relevance in longer formats. Yet under Sammy’s influence, there is a visible shift in attitude and purpose.

The cricketing world wants West Indies back among the elite because strong institutions elevate the entire ecosystem.

Corporate Lesson:
Most transformations do not start with strategy. They start with culture.

Processes can improve efficiency. Technology can improve productivity. But culture creates belief, and belief drives sustained performance.

Great leaders build environments where people once again believe in themselves, their team, and their mission.

3. England vs New Zealand – Never Let Your Best People Walk Away

As England struggles against New Zealand, another story has captured the attention of cricket fans: the retirement of Ben Stokes.

Few cricketers have defined an era the way Stokes has. World Cup hero. Ashes savior. Inspirational captain. Match-winner under pressure. One of the greatest all-rounders the game has ever seen.

His retirement marks the end of an extraordinary chapter in cricket.

What makes this story particularly thought-provoking is that many great performers do not leave because they stop being capable. Sometimes they leave because they become exhausted. Sometimes because the burden becomes too heavy. Sometimes because support systems fail to keep pace with expectations.

Every organization has its Ben Stokes.

The individual who delivers when nobody else can. The person everyone turns to during crises. The performer whose contributions become so consistent that they are taken for granted.

The danger is that organizations often realize their value only after they have left.

Corporate Lesson:
Retention is not just about compensation. It is about trust, support, recognition, and ensuring that high performers do not carry invisible burdens alone.

The best organizations don’t wait for resignation letters to discover the value of their most important people.

4. India Women’s Team – Good Teams Compete. Great Teams Adapt.

India’s Women’s Team once again demonstrated passion, skill, and resilience. They fought hard throughout the tournament and showcased moments of brilliance.

Yet when it mattered most, they fell short.

The gap was not necessarily talent. The gap was consistency under pressure, adaptability across situations, and the ability to execute every aspect of the game at the highest level.

This is often the difference between contenders and champions.

Championship teams do not rely on one or two strengths. They build excellence across every department. They prepare for uncertainty. They develop the ability to respond effectively regardless of circumstances.

India Women’s cricket has already come a long way and has inspired millions. The next step is transforming occasional brilliance into sustained excellence.

Corporate Lesson:
Organizations become champions when excellence is systemic rather than individual.

Weaknesses cannot remain hidden forever. Continuous improvement, adaptability, and all-round capability separate good organizations from great ones.

Final Reflection

These four cricket stories reveal four timeless leadership truths:

- Talent grows when opportunities are given, not when opportunities are withheld.

- Culture and belief can revive even the most struggling organizations.

- Exceptional performers need support, trust, and recognition to sustain greatness.

- Consistent excellence requires continuous improvement and adaptability.

The scoreboard changes every day.

The leadership lessons endure forever.

And perhaps that is why cricket remains one of the finest classrooms for leaders.

AI and the Productivity Paradox

AI models — especially LLMs — are transforming productivity, particularly in non-critical areas where accuracy isn’t the top priority.

However, the biggest challenge remains: LLMs don’t know what they don’t know.

Relying on them for high-accuracy or high-stakes outcomes can be risky. At their core, these models operate on probabilistic predictions — simply generating the next most likely token, whether it’s true or not.

Sometimes, they act just a shade better than that one person in the meeting room who confidently pretends to know everything. 😄

To make AI truly reliable, we need guardrails that:

- Explain the reasoning path and allow traceability of how answers are derived.

- Display uncertainty and confidence levels in outputs.

- human oversight in critical areas business, finance, and supply chain etc needing accurate decisions.

- Combine neural probabilistic modeling with deterministic logic layers to improve verifiability.

The future lies in proprietary AI stacks — fine-tuned, trained, and governed with human-in-the-loop systems — where we truly understand the statistical accuracy and limits of the model.

Only then can AI move closer to being not just powerful, but trustworthy and deterministic.

#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #NeuralNetworks #AITechnology #AIInnovation #AIResearch

#AIEthics #AIForGood

The lost watch

Travelling has always been a treasure hunt for me while  unfolding new places , creating memories and incidents to remember for life.  Last few days has given some of the finest moments of life in the company of nature and family while traversing the country side. The days were spent hopping from one historical monument to another religious place and in between hanging around to relish the deshi food in the road side dhabas.  Today was also another day of the recent road trip in west Maharashtra . As usual, we picked up “Bada Paw” and  some fruits and started the journey after checking out from the hotel. We never preferred the breakfast in hotel just to get the taste bud charged up with new food wallah. Our destination was 100 km away this time and road was also expected to be extra bumpy, so intentionally we kept ourselves lighter. After settling in the baggage on the back seat , my wife as usual picked up the window seat to enjoy the nature. The daughters were besides her with their phone lens ready to capture the moments and snap chat back to their friends in school and college. Some times, I wonder why they are hooked up to phones but I guess this generation is impatient for story telling and so they remain glued up with technology. Unfortunately, I am still of old school and love front seat next to driver which gives a wider view and every opportunity to pick up some local knowledge from driver while chit chatting on the way. In the process, even the unknown drivers becomes a closer friend than those with whom we spend years as sophomore. 

Engine cranked, wheel rolled and row of houses and empty field started getting left behind . Only five of us were moving forward, rest everything was just whispering bye after giving a pleasing short memory.it took almost three hours to reach the destination. Typically in India, any of the tourist places keep buzzing round the clock but somehow their was a deep silence in Ajanta. This gave some anxiety to us. We tried to find any one who could guide us on where to go now but no one was visible. Suddenly, two guys come from behind flagging tourist information books. I had sigh of relief but the next sentences they spoke in local language was heart breaking. I was not ready to accept this. “Today the site is closed” - all the excitement of last few hours went away as if some one has pinned the fully blown balloon. 

We were disheartened but our cab driver was a wiser guy, understandably parked the car on the side and asked us to first think and then decide rather than just reverse the car and go back. I murmured to self “what a stupid  person I am!!” Should have checked the  closed days while planning. With disgusted look, I got down and started talking to those guys. I didn’t want to give up and at least have the glimpse of the place what ever I can. I strolled trying to understand options from them. Wife was not so keen to stay back but perseverance is my forte. Though mostly, we take decision in unison but exploration is something I have to do alone. So, another round of digging started with open conversations with people around. What I got to know from the conversation gave a little ray of hope of further exploration. There were few shops nearby and some more local guys. I spoke to another one whose comprehension ability was better than the earlier ones. He showed me a picture and explained that I can get a much better view of the caves from slight far distance but will get a different experience. He also asked to take one of his friend as local guide. After some quick negotiation, he agreed for Rs 800/= for the trip guide. I went back and spoke to my wife to just get stamp on the decision from her as well on which I already had made up the mind. Went back, sat on the front seat and said let’s bet another 800/- on this. The guide went first on his bike and our car followed. We kept following unaware of what exactly we are going see but just hoping against the hope that we might see something good. After 5 kms of zig zag mountain  road, we stopped at a small hotel as I wanted to use the washroom. And since the hotel offered the facility, so we decided to have a cup of tea as well.  My mind was a little lost, still cursing  myself on ill planning.  After the short break, we again went back to the car. The guide told that we now have to take a diversion and travel another 2-3 kms to reach the view point. We followed him  but after 5  Minutes, when we reached our destination and once we got down , it was a mesmerizing view. The word which come out of our mouth was “WOW”. The whole sadness and and anxiety vanished in a fraction of second. The entire cave was visible from there and perhaps, we would have not come and seen this view if we had gone to original place. Phones started clicking. Since the Guide had taken some money, also needed to show his acumen on location knowledge and skill of photography. He asked us to pose in different angles and clicked a few himself. From there, we saw steps for going down and reach closer to waterfalls and caves. At this age and extra weight, one thing I fear a lot is putting pressure on body. At one end, the steps were taking to excitement but on the other hand fear of climbing back was giving a bit of stress. Unsure about oneself, I looked towards my wife and daughters. They were excited and didn’t want to loose any second from there on . So, with heavy heart and hoping somehow, I would be able to climb back, I followed. Every step I was going down, mind was actually thinking that  one more step to climb while returning. But we went on, through the trekking route and in the lovely greenery on thee backdrop of mountain.  Once we got down, it was closer look of  caves and panoramic view was becoming more and more encapsulating. The eyes become wider when we saw the waterfall and entire caves from end of the hill. It was titanic experience and every picture we clicked would be something to remember for ever. 

One would have preferred to stay there for hours watching the mountain, greens and beautiful caves. These place make us feel so proud of our heritage and country. But, good things doesn’t last for ever. After spending an hour or so and enjoying the “lemon water”, we decided to take the onerous task of climbing 500 steps. As I was put wrong on few occasions, this time also proved wrong. I climbed much comfortably and gave me confidence that heart is still pumping well.

After settling the money we decided to return but much more satisfied. We had to reach Pune before 10 Pm, so planned short break for lunch and keep moving uninterrupted. 

On the way, we stopped at a lovely open air hotel, had a traditional Indian Thali to keep the stomach satisfied. As usual the drive was long and pleasing 5 hours of non stop drive doesn’t had any dull moments. Road was perfect, the side views were awesome and joking about the experience made it more enjoyable. Suddenly  , we were heading and about enter the Pune City, I realised , my watch is missing. It was an expensive Apple Watch. Some how the bad omen was continuing to follow me today.

I panicked for a moment serching my bag and other places in the car but couldn’t trace. Holding my head, I took a deep breath and asked my elder daughter to use the search function in apple phone. She tried and it gave some location . First I thought , I might have left it while taking the lunch but location it was showing was different. Then I realised, we had briefly got down before the view point and I went to wash room. I kept my mind rolling back every frame of what I did there and I remembered that I had put the watch aside to clean my hand and perhaps forgot to put it on. The bigger challenge was we are already 300 KMs driven from that place and it’s night and next day morning was the return from Pune, so no chance what so ever to go back. I tried hard to remember the name of hotel but none of us could. Tried checking the payments I made there, so that I could find the phone no. But to utter dismay, I had made a cash payment there. So no way to reach or find out. I didn’t take the phone no of local guide , so even the chance of reaching out to him was ruled out. I was repeating to myself “what a silly person I am!!, can’t even keep my mind awake”. All the joy of last 4 days were counter balanced with one loss. Every one was silent but elder daughter kept echoing that people in Maharashtra are very honest and if I could reach somehow to the location or person, I will get back the watch. Also, my silly mind was googling every option to find some contact in that area. I was somehow convinced, I need to find some contact number and then can reach to that hotel. With a key word of tourist guide near Ajanta, I saw some names popping up in google search result. One name looked quite authentic with business card also appearing in image. The card was stamped with Govt of India and there was a cell no also written. First I thought why an unknown person will take any interest in my problem but desperation overrides all the emotion and I called up the gentleman. After a couple of ring, the person picked up the phone. His voice was welcoming to take the conversation further. He patiently heard my story and immediately could recognise the hotel with my description.I don’t know why he took interest but his voice made me to trust him more and I gave every details like what time I reached there, who were with me, my car no etc etc. I also shared the family photo.He said he will come back. I kept waiting anxiously for next few minutes. I don’t know what was going in the mind of all other occupants in the car but seems everyone was thinking, we have found a lead , a reasonable lead.

In 5 minutes, the guy called me back. He said he has located and watch is safe and in custody of hotel staff. In one day I got two surprises after complete dead end. First time, I could get to see an awesome view of nature and human work. The second time, I met an unknown person who sneaked in to bring smile on the face of five person. This joy was much more because otherwise our four days of accumulated happiness would have been dampened. He was truly a god send.

The next challenge was how to get back the watch. It was lying in remote area and difficult place to reach. But the gentleman Bharat offered some solace, called me couple of times that night and next day as well. Since by now, I had developed a deep trust, gave Bharat a free hand to spend money if needed to get back the watch. He asked me to wait for 1-2 days. But some how , it seems hotel staff sensed an opportunity to make some money. When Bharat send some tourist driver to pick up the watch on the way, the hotel staff didn’t gave and asked that they need a cab to come and deliver. Seizing the opportunity, they wanted to make some money. Bharat called me to enquire, should he go ahead with this. I told him okay and also made some transfers so that he doesn’t feel like that I might not pay him later.

Finally after 2 days, the watch arrived and Bharat paid those guys the extra cab fare and another Rs1000/- on top  as thanks. I transferred back all the money to Bharat. He didn’t stop there. I asked him to deliver to one of my company's extended business relation in that city. He went  and delivered the watch there so that I could get it back without relying on courier services.

In today's world how many such selfless person are alive. I think there would be plenty otherwise the word "trust" would have vanished from dictionary. The watch has come back but it gave me a real experience of use of technology, mindfulness and trust on human kind. I didn’t meet Bharat but hope to see him in near future because I will fail in my duty if dont thank him in person.

Thanks everyone for patiently reading this true happening of events.

——prakash—-

Panchayat season2

 #Panchayat #Season2

Come a bit early but even better than expected. Seems like we are continuing from previous season. The talent of Raghubir Yadav and Neena Gupta has kept it so simple … ( pl remember, panchayat is true depiction of rural UP/Bihar - not the Mirzapur or Wasseypur ). All characters seems to be one who can be seen in every corner  and story line is every day life lived in small small moments) .All characters - Vikas , Prahlad ,Bhushan ….how can they be so real!!! Jitu bhai, in spite of being the protagonist and “the best of class” appers  to be loosing out to real and absolutely real characters. Amazing is only word for this paracetamol of comedy …. Would suggest all to spend the weekend with punching composition

साथ तो हैं सब, लेकिन फिर भी हैं सूने से रे

सहम से जाते हैं, अब हवा के छूने से रे

and dialogues (आप भी एक तरह से नाच ही रहे हैं. हर कोई कहीं न कहीं नाच ही रहा है)

In the middle of Corruption, casteism and politics,helping each other and being part of other’s happiness and sadness is village life and that is what makes it so lovely.

But in the end, it will make you cry and anxious for season3. (Don’t want to spoil 😁)

Thomas cup 2022

 Historic Moment for Indian sports . This is in same league as #83worldcup or #javelingold or #abhinavbindragold Every Indian would be elated today on this achievement. kudos to Lakshya Sen, Kidambi Srikant, HS Pronoy, Satwik-Chirag and coach Vimal sir… and not to forget the mentor and guru #gopichand who made them to believe that this is possible. We grew up reading about #Thomascup whenever Badminton was discussed. Badminton is so popular sport in India but we never won this. It really takes a lot of hard work,skill,determination to defeat the 14 time champion and bring home the coveted trophy for the first time. But more than that we need a “Gopichand” to succeed  (not relying on the politics infected Govt sports bodies). We are underachievers in many areas in spite of having the best talents. One leader can make so much of difference to us. Salute to all those whom he taught and inspired … we all are proud and sure that  this is going to go further 1+1+1++++ . All the best team badminton. Time to make badminton league bigger than IPL 😁😁😁😁

Story in CIO.com

 https://www.cio.com/article/3622985/how-bmw-india-drove-cars-sales-online.html

WFH is not an IT Problem any more

Two weeks back, While I was talking to one my HR friend in IT industry, I casually asked him about the recruitment scenario and impact on it post Covid. He replied, "its very difficult to get people right now, demand supply gap has become astronomically higher". Considering corona time and changing business eco system, when most of companies across the world are expected to invest heavily in digital, I thought it’s an obvious short term trend but he paused me before I could make an opinion and said, of course, "digital demands have gone up but that's not the only problem". His thoughts were intriguing and prompted me to provoke him further. I thought, being an HR person who would be closely interacting with many potential candidates on regular basis definitely, would have given him different perspective to the problem. He further emphasised , "root cause is WFH" . "This new way of working has widened the horizon of opportunity for candidates." Earlier, when we were seeking candidates, in 80-90% of the cases, they would be coming either from surrounding areas or having some roots to the city. The attractiveness of Tier 1 city with more career opportunities, better health and education infrastructure and broader spectrum of engaging lifestyle use to play a big role. But now being in remote place is considered no longer a taboo and companies are offering candidates from hinterland also many attractive options. They are being offered financial incentive to setup office space, flexible timings and goals linked to task based deliveries . A sizeable no of employees have gone back to their native places and more than happy to stay back as life is presenting a different shade. 

This prompted me to conduct a quick questionnaire based survey using LinkedIn social media power. I ran it for two weeks and surprisingly this reached out to many people without much of effort. That's the power of social media. Till today, which is the last day, the stats shows, there were close to 37000 views, and nearly 1350 votes . I googled to check, if it would be statistically correct to interpret the mood of 6-7 million IT professional basis this sample size and Google said absolutely fine :) . Its better than the sample size of exit polls, by which news channels make a hell lot of money.

On top , there were very interesting comments received in the chat box. Some of them, reached to me directly with personal thoughts as well. This has embolden me to say "WFH is no longer just an IT Problem".

A year back when world suddenly was in grip of pandemic , IT teams in all organisations were struggling round the clock to set things right so that employees can work from home and operate business seamlessly. Also, create solutions so that customers continue to get their services virtually in physical manner. Cyber security was the biggest problem discussed at the highest level. More and more needs of Cloud adoption, collaboration platforms, Higher bandwidths, VPN, VDI was making the IT service desk go mad. E-commerce, digital touch points and data analytics were the next business strategy.

The topic still continue to be in vogue but IT fraternity has taken long strides in last one year and multiple plans are already in place to tackle this. The uneasiness created a lot of opportunity to learn, innovate and many have started thriving in this. In fact, problem and threat has translated into big IT opportunities. There are hardly a few items left which cannot be addressed technologically for remote working and contactless  services. However, the problem has taken a right shift and now it has become imperative to think in different dimension altogether.

There were interesting outcomes of the survey. Half of the respondent are happy being in remote tier 2 /3 cities and does not want to come back in normal working. Who would have thought of this number a year back when whole generation was flocking to big cities for greener pastures. Out of remaining votes, half of them only want to come back for 30% of the time. A whopping 90% either doesn't want to come to office or want to work in hybrid model. I was tracking the percentage pattern almost every day and surprisingly it has remain consistent even after more no people joining the poll.

What could be the potential reason?

• Indians still are deeply rooted to joint family and prefer being close to relative and friends or at least in small closed cluster. Still the biggest entertainment in the country is to be with friend and relatives. Potentially a reason why 47% of workforce wants to be back to smaller towns or native places. Zomato and Netflix is there to compensate for the theaters and restaurants if the company is available. There are more option on Amazon and flipcart then on street stores.
• Corporate environment has become so rotten or repulsive, that everyone wants to earn but being physically away from work place. This apparently is felt less stressful. One of the reason perhaps, is new generation doesn't want to socially interact physically but more using social media platform. “Socially Shy generation ”.An indirect interpretation has been construed based on feedback that maximum no of person wants not to come back to office.
• The hustle bustle life of tier 1 cities, pollution, travelling time is a big negative factor and if alternate options of good career are available, the glitters of big cities may not be strong enough to attract people. Perhaps, they are looking for smaller, closer, isolated, nature friendly destinations.
• Being physically present together to complete work could be a myth and same productivity can be achieved by virtual working as well. This is indirectly interpreted as people feel they can work even without being in office. However, engagement still could be a question mark and needs to be assessed with different survey.
• Traditionally, Female population was at disadvantage due to social stigma in India. But WFH has hugely benefited them and has opened immense opportunity to pursue a good career. (though my survey doesn't have direct data, and this inference mostly based on comments and direct replies).

what does it mean?

Threat : This could a big threat to the organizations who wish to get back their employees in central offices and start working like earlier normal. Worry is, longer the pandemic and lockdown continues bigger resistance would be getting built in. The enabling technology would be moving fast to create alternate system. Secondly, attracting right talent will be a battle with those organization who are offering hybrid model or willing to allow satellite teams working in tier2/3 cities.

Challenge : WFH is going to create a huge challenge on HR policies, employee engagement, social fabric, alignment to vision and strategy . There is a much bigger challenge in people management now than ever in the history of mankind. This could be a very big innovation platform  and next few years could potentially see new theories emerging. The employee productivity paradigm could see a tectonic shift (in the way it is measured and perceived). There could be special challenge for managing the employee fatigue, mental heath and engagement in new scenario.

Opportunity: every stakeholder has an opportunity to capitalize on this dynamics

Government: huge opportunity to develop clusters in tier 2/3 cities. It doesn’t need to attract companies now by offering tax concessions but need to create a good amenity and co-working area near to clusters in these cities to keep those who had left them.

Organizations: There is much larger pool of talent available especially the additional 50% of population which was not integrated due to social issues. They can look much beyond the office city boundry and attract talent. Obvious is the opportunity of high reduction in the overheads. On top, business opportunities is likely to expand.

New Business: very conducive to start-ups for whom infra and talent was biggest impediments. Alternate business potential of creating cluster employee facilities in remote area. 

Society: Society can gain heavily by distribution of money in so called backward areas. This can help in overall growth of infrastructure, forward looking mind set and balanced growth. The areas which have been left behind in the mad rush of growth could also be getting some benefits.

Environment and natural resources:there is extreme load on consumption of natural resources in few cities. The concentration is so high that environmental balance is falling fast. This could be minimized by re-distribution in consumption pattern and potentially a realisation of conserving nature by most.

There are plenty of problems but even bigger opportunity in the era when whole of the country is struggling with oxygen , medicines, vaccines.

Stay Safe, get vaccinated at first opportunity. It might be too early to interpret and predict but definitely a new work life is emerging and posing lot of opportunities to various constituencies. Some part of already seen change is bound to continue in long term.

Disclaimer : The views expressed are purely personal and has no linkage to any organization or groups.

Pertinent Questions post Covid19?

Some pertinent questions....thoughts provoked by Corona...

A seven-year bull run in commercial office space seems to be over. Covid-19 has delayed projects, softened rentals and sapped demand, with experts predicting a 17-34% drop in net absorption this year. is the real estate era of office space is over?

India’s $50 billion wedding industry – often touted as “recession-proof” – has been pummelled by the Covid-19 pandemic. Is this the end of road for grand weddings, at least in the near future?

Indian students are rethinking their foreign education plans due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Nearly 100,000 students head overseas every year, but experts forecast 40-60% to scrap their plans this time. Will the Govt college education will be in vogue again?

The lockdown is compelling people to experiment with self-grooming. E-tailers such as Flipkart, Snapdeal and Paytm Mall say epilators, razors, trimmers and hair colour are flying off the shelves and demand has soared by 8-12 times !!!!

India’s weekly unemployment rate hit an all-time high of 27.1% from 21.1%, multiple media reports say, citing data from CMIE for April 27-May 3. For the whole of April, the jobless rate stood at 23.5%, according to the economic think tank. Will it grow even more?

Staffing firm Xpheno said more than 200 director-level and above posts were available last week across job portals. Goldman Sachs, Vedanta and Capgemini said they were looking for technology and digital leaders, besides core domain specialists. Will the future job description change ?

States are hiking taxes on liquor to boost revenue and discourage consumption amid the pandemic. Delhi has levied a 70% ‘special corona fee’, Andhra Pradesh has increased alcohol prices by 75%, while Karnataka has hiked the excise duty on liquor by 6%. Still the queues becoming bigger and bigger. Will booze becomes the economy saviour?

Temasek-backed Curefit – which operates gyms in over 130 locations in India – said it was ramping up its digital fitness offerings and food and essentials delivery. Will gyms and fitness centres ever be able to recover from the Covid-19 shock?

The government’s decision to make its coronavirus contact-tracing app, Aarogya Setu, mandatory for employees has kicked off a debate. Digital rights activists claim this violates privacy rights, while the government says that information is used only to map the places visited by Covid-19 patients. Who is right? Is Govt taking people’s privacy for ride?

LinkedIn’s Workforce Confidence Index is a biweekly snapshot covering 2,254 members across India, asking how they feel about getting or holding on to a job, improving their financial situation in the next six months and their ability to progress in their careers in the next year. Enterprise employees and the self-employed have the lowest professional confidence right now, as measured across job security, finances and career outlook.Will the confidence be back?

India’s leather industry is staring at the cancellation of exports worth $1 billion due to the pandemic. Buyers from Europe and the US have scrapped orders and delayed payments for shipments received. Is this end of leather industry?

Your car buying experience will change radically in the post-Covid-19 world. Entry into showrooms will be by appointment only, and most companies are scrapping test drives in favour of digital demos. Is it a realistic development?

Business is no doubt suffering because of the pandemic, but employee productivity seems to have gone up, a Deloitte India survey of CXOs of 42 firms finds. Is it true to believe?

Coronavirus could well shrink the apparel industry to size zero, with offline sales gone and online sales curtailed because of the lockdown. To survive, fashion companies are making face masks and selling personal care essentials. Companies like Myntra, Peter England and Lifestyle are pushing WFH dressing — formal tops paired with casual bottoms. Is it the new trend?

Around 30% of IITians graduating this year remain unplaced. What would be the new ways of employment?

The central government has deferred a hike in dearness allowance for its 4.8 million employees and 6.5 million pensioners till July 2021, citing pressure on its finances. Will Govt salaries see a reduction like private sector?

The Union home ministry has allowed migrant labourers, tourists, students and pilgrims to return to their home state if they do not have coronavirus. What do you think of this move? Will they come back? How industry will respond?

Work from Home in lockdown

Amalgamation  of Private and Professional Life courtesy Lock-Down....isn’t it very beautiful? No hurry in morning to finish the breakfast and start the car engine , enough time to read the newspaper ... tea with wife, lunch with children.... meetings without exaggerated emotions...meeting space is owned without any worry of someone knocking and telling that the room is booked....switch off and prepare your documents without any interruptions...have a virtual coffee with your colleague without worrying that it’s cab time... no thought for traffic, clear blue sky without any noise in air....in between stepping to other room for solving your kid’s maths problems ... sneaking to the kitchen and smell the new flavour of the day ... in fact no urge to make a visit to restaurants, in stead having a few extra minutes of shuttle cork with daughter which was a luxury ....water the plants and watch the new leaves coming out and growing everyday ...wait for what is new on prime for the weekend...switchon old cricket matches to see Richards and Holding once again...call your friends and relatives comfortably knowing they won’t be in hurry and easily can take your call .... so much positives lockdown has given and a new meaning to life.
Just one worry is how the May Day can be celebrated again  as well.... factories and construction sites still need to run ... is there a digital answer for that?

Trump as president- question asked?

World’s most powerful nation is on its knees..6.5 L infection 29 thousand deaths and still counting...Nation which choose a bully to lead them is in tatters due to one person .... spread of corona was inevitable in the country,which has so many foreign visitors coming everyday but any chance of minimising was killed by Donald “duck” trump. A typical leader who loves to listen to his own voice, doesn’t have manners even while asking for favours and consider himself the most learned and expert on everything. Wonder how this superpower nation decided to choose him in first place.
First, he himself denied it as pandemic and now stopping the funding to WHO blaming for everything. We thought America has democracy then it should be ruled by constitution not on the whims of an stupid individual. He just thought anti malarial drug is the cure .. not sure from where he had his MBBS degree😇. When the best expert of his country is refuting it because of anecdotal evidences, he still didn’t listen and threatened India ( self proclaimed expert and bully combined leadership ) ... For that matter, India already had agreed to supply before his rhetoric.Guess,he knew that it is going to happen anyhow, so why not show himself as imposing leader 🤨. He doesn’t want to admit his failure and wants to show that he is doing something. He speaks about Kim Jong , but how different himself is!! Is it the country of George Washington , Lincoln, Roosevelt, Kennedy , Clinton, Obama? Is it the style of leadership anyone would like to be lead?

The world will change

There is lot of grumbling with China as main reason for the today’s scenario. Was it? wasn’t ? Still unknown. But suspect will loom large in post Corona world. West or East , the world will become a lot different in the way, it deals with China or the way it’s basic economic and political philosophy has been drafted.The pain of loosing people is much more than the past world wars. The no of affected people and death is swelling everyday.The economic impact is expected to be far bigger than the Great Depression. Job losses will be in millions. Hardly a country is left which is unscathed. The rupture has destabilised the equilibrium which was shifting in one direction.Some bigger countries like India is still struggling to shrug it off but would be difficult for her like any other nation. The prolonged fear creates a lot more hatred than the sudden death in natural calamities.The trade relations will not be same.West needs to find a better and trustful manufacturing place, which could be Far East...Africa...Latam ... or even India.The trust has gone. In fact , there is a chance that globalisation will take reverse gear. The world might want to live more virtually than physically and interconnection of supply chain would either cease or will have different dimension altogether. The protection of citizens will take center stage than the growth aspirations. The free movement and tourism which is real root cause why this epidemic become pandemic might lead to fragmentation of blocks and more tighter norms on movements.Liberals will be perhaps seeing the end and rightist would be bubbling.The countries who can survive with internal consumption may start thinking indigenisation more vigorously . The countries who thought,I can survive without farming by importing items may start thinking otherwise. The balance of economy would require an imminent design while minimising the over dependence on one country or geography.The economies and societies would be build which are more durable, and more humanly habitable, than those that were dependent to the skewness of the global market. The health care which is largely neglected in third world and overly priced in developed countries will shift gears and engine would be overhauled. The world cannot survive without enough hospital beds, having their own testing kits and ventilators, enough raw materials to produce the drugs. this cannot remain out of the reach of common man. The tough times has thought how one can survive just by meeting the basic needs and majority of the work can be done without fancy offices, education can be imparted remotely. The family values which had broken might come back and business models will thrive which could support this enable closer physical socialisation. It would not be surprising. If the world move away from eating meat to a certain degree if not completely, become more vegan and start enjoying agriculture again. I am not an astrologer but not shortsighted person either ... let’s see next 1-2 years. Meanwhile, praying to God ... please stop this.....the lesson has been learned now.

COVID19

It was 1947, when millions moved from one geography to another , the same is happening now - the difference is they were fighting among themselves but now they are fighting the fear of invisible enemy and hunger both. On both the occasions, they felt that by being closer to their own place and people, they can face the challenge with far more determination and ease. Another common thing is that on both the occasions, the greed of politics and power has taken over the human needs.
The plight is painful, looking at the crowd, their ignorance and apathy of those who matter the most is disdainful.
If we are single nation why not those coming from other states are welcomed in same manner!!! Cann’t we provide shelter and food for few days to those who have been building homes, roads, producing food grains and running factory at a meager income? Can't politician meet them and convince them to stay back and offer the administration for their well-being, food and safety. I request the dear politicians to come out of vote bank and winnability . If your constituency would not survive, how would you?
Though, it sound difficult but planning and executing proper food, shelter and medical facilities are not impossible.

Also, We have become callous, we think just “me” and at the most our next family. We hardly care for surrounding , nature, animals. The profitability and mindless growth has become much more important than human happiness. This is leading to high degree of imbalance. Whenever this imbalance becomes high, God descends to bring semblance. However, the process is always painful. God doesn’t differentiate between the rich and poor, mightiest and the weakest , have and the have nots.... No, the best of the species are not the only one who just survive .. Even the Darwin theory fails. The biggest and mightiest countries have failed.
The fear has gripped one and all but still we are thinking, it’s me only who will not be affected. Still, living in dream, imagining that I would survive and others will have to face it. Ones the time is over, I would restart destroying the nature and animals. Already, they are missing the the food and parties by just being at home for 5 days.Unfortunately, it may not be true.
The world is so well connected now, that , it’s ridiculous to think like this. Hello, the selfish generation even for the sake of selfishness , think twice. Anyone and every one will suffer if the symbiotic relations are not maintained. British PM, Prince and Health Minister- all of them have to be quarantined . The princess of Spain could not survive , then who can be left. If you are not caught now, it’s just a matter of time and luck, if all together are not fighting for it. Chances are that Sooner or later you could be the next one.
As PM said increase the physical distance but decrease the emotional distance . Think beyond self .... it’s not just the duty of health workers but everyone.
#stayhomestaysafe #indiafightscorona

हार से जीत

सीखी भी हमने युद्ध थी, सच में अपना विस्वास था,
सीखी थी हमने वाक् पटुत, ना जानी इसकी पीड़ा थी ।

सीखा था हमने जीतना,  ना सीखी कला बदले की।
होता कड़वा सच है, ना जानी इसकी व्यथा  है हार ।

भरा था अभिमान,  बिलकुल ही ना था कोई दमभ,
ज्ञान का था समंदर, ना ही था कोई आक्रोश,

थे बहुतेरे तीर , तरकश में आपके,
था  नहीं गर कमज़ोर कवच भी ।

कर गया मगर सच डगमग डगमग,कह दीया युधिष्ठिर  “अस्वस्थमा हतो”
दे दिया जीत का झूठा अवसर।

तरकश से निकले तीर ने , कर दिया खंड विस्वास की,
भुजा नहीं , गर हुआ विखंडित मनोबल।

गर हार नहीं मानी ख़ुद से,फिर हुआ खड़ा तन मन फिर से,
खंडित खंडित विस्वास भी,ना पाया रोक पग को अग्रसर।

जीत तो जाएँगे, कारवाँ भी बनाएँगे
आप भी साथ आएँगे, अपने भी साथ लाएँगे।

अकेलापन

ऊँचाइयों पर बैठा,
सिसकता, बिलखता ये मन
अकेला ए मन।

उलझनो की गहराइयों में,
असंयमित, विचलित ये मन
तनहा तनहा है ए मन।

प्रेम के सागर में,
विस्मृत, कुंठित ये मन
एकाकी पृथक है ए मन।

द्रव्य की बहुलता में
आशंकित , विघटित ये मन
सार्थकता से दूर ए मन।

कहानियों के  समंदर में
व्यथित, अकुलित ये मन
सच्चाई से परे ए मन

हँसी के फुहारों की,
अलहरता के मदहोशी की,
बेफ़िक्री के बयार की,
ना बीते कल की ना आने वाले कल की
ना आशा की ना जिज्ञाशा की
मित्रों के साथ
एक दिन और गुज़ारने का लालाईत ये मन।

सुकून

कहाँ है तू,
साँसे मेरी , सब ढूँढे तुझे,

ख़्वाहिश सिर्फ़ तुम्हारी , थोड़ा सा तो आ जा ,
ग़मज़दा मैं नहीं , फिर भी पास नहीं तू
बेवफ़ा कोई नहीं , फिर भी साथ नहीं तू

दिल भी हारया, लेकिन ख़्वाब ही है तू
चाँद भी ली छू,लेकिन अजनबी ही है तू
मुट्ठियाँ भी ली भर, लेकिन दूर ही है तू

 भाग गए ऐसे, जैसे पूरी धूप में साये
दौड़ूँ , लेकिन ना पाऊँ पकड़
चिल्लवूँ पहाडॉ से  , लेकिन तू माने ना
दी आवाज सागर के लहरों को, लेकिन तू जाने ना

आ जा , अब जिया जाए ना तेरे बिना,
और कुछ ना , तेरी ख़्वाहिश ज़िंदगी से सिर्फ़


तू क्या जाने अब जी ना पावूँ मैं
मुस्कुरा ना मेरे पर , हो जा मेरी
सिर्फ़ तु ही है, मेरी आरज़ू
सिर्फ़ तुमसे प्यार है मुझे
----- प्रकाश

ऐ समय

ऐ समय, रुक जा
हो रही रोज़ रोज़ वो तेरे साथ बड़ी
हो रही बोझ मुस्कुराहट पर कहीं
हो रही रोक निरझारता पर कहीं,

खिलखिलाती होंठों पर
चहकते बोलों पर
मटकते आँखों पर

फ़िक्र तो कही आ नहीं रही ,

ख़ाली नैनों को
सपनों से भरने ना दो

सोने दो
ख़्वाब मत दो

एक पंछी को
उड़ने दो
दाने की इच्छा ना दो

सिर्फ़ खेलने दो चाँद से
मुट्ठी में करने की चाहत ना दो

ऐ समय
कुछ तो रुक जा
ज़रा धीरे तो जा ।

Digital transformation: a dilemma and way out

In today’s world every CEO is going through the dilemma of disruptive innovation knowing that the key of this imaginative disruption is somewhere hidden in the word digital. The problem lies in the solution itself. There are value proposition in everything he can do around digitizing processes or using technologies but somewhere or other, it doesn’t lead to real disruptive innovation. The legacy pull of the organization stops it and in the end it is likely to just remain a continual improvement.

The normal path is not what can succeed in digital transformation. The journey has to be different – bold and clinical. This has to go through a complete cycle of discovery (value), design (change), deliver (ecosystem) and de-risk (failure avoidance). A few steps which is done on the way in most successful cases are

- Fresh thinking, meaning data-data-data and analysis, all around customer experience. This has to be through a paradigm shift in the thinking. It’s not the product but value proposition for customer, is the beginning of digitization. None of the successful company of todays are product owners but value creators around the product.

- Even though the leader of the pack has to be CEO but having CDO is the next step. A CDO with right blend of change agents is key to drive this transformation. He or she should have the real customer sense, collaborator and entrepreneurial skill. The old age companies where IT is being treated as MIS generator or hardware maintenance team is bygone and they cannot succeed in the journey.CIO should be part of this team –primary member not just enabler. He is not the old definition CIO, but a new business oriented CIO.

- The next step is the buy-in from all who are stakeholders. Be it investors or employees or the owners. This is crucial, so is the method of passing the message across the board. CEO has lot to do on this. The energy has to be created by him.

- The design work start with choosing the partners in success. The world where you get a new technology company at stone throw distance- self-indulgence in creation is no sense but you need a great sense in finding the right bill who can help you design your dream. This should be acquired or partnered is a big decision. Incubate a few startups, if it is a logical fit. This not only protects the intellectual rights but also gives almost free creative minds and setup which can easily be molded and utilized. The key again is its selection and thumb rule is “don’t try to emulatethe past success.” Success models seldom repeats. To be successful, however, these capabilities need to be integrated into the main business quickly.

- Apart from the above, the role of CIO is very critical because a transformation means change and change at a very fast pace. He needs to create a two speed IT models,one which is doing rapid developments on customer facing processes and other developing a reliable core system. New developments in DevOps (the integration of technical development and operations) and continuous delivery (the automation of testing, deployment, and infrastructure processes) have introduced capabilities that radically increase speed to market and lower costs.

- Most of the programs fails in absence of right resources or untimely availability of budgets. CEOs mindset in digital transformation has to be entrepreneurial. Budgeting cycle can be bought to even monthly cycle. Cut the legacy cost and put all money on new transformation – a method succeed more often than not is quick adaptations.

- The risk elimination of any program is through continuous monitoring and by the CEO himself. Even though it may sound unfamiliar way but he needs to monitor it like a typical project manager and metrics has to be different. The transformation is not just implementation a tool but an adaptations. You can easily put a CRM tool with most advance features to capture leads from various sources through digital ways but how much this is being adapted when it moves from digital to physical or how much analytics is being used for prediction is key to transformation.

- Nothing succeed like success and same holds true in digital transformation. The low hanging fruits, easy adaptations needs to be done first to create a glimmer of hope for the rest. Some of the effort gives high returns and some even eats up the capital. So a prudence in decision making and arresting the mistake in the beginning is also important.

While each of these aspects are important, the real value is in ability to cohesively address these and manage the change. The digital revolution has given birth to an interconnected world that binds all stakeholders together in a network of unprecedented complexity and opportunity. Making sense of those connections and building value requires a new creative model of work forsuccess.

The Evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and DevOps

If you work in the IT department of a company with SLA that asks for 99.6 percent availability, here is a scenario that may sound familiar to you. Customer calls at odd hours with some failing transaction issue or an information being processed wrongly, you ask your specialist from Ops team to look into the system immediately. What happens afterwards is known to everyone - more than a hundred thousand messages logged at the set timeframe – a data set impossible for a human being to review line by line. A trial and error resolution starts. With concept of DevOps emerging in recent time this problem is getting into gigantic proportion. The dramatic pace in which the processes, technologies, and tools are changing, it has become quite problematic to cope with such scenarios. Moreover, the pressure business users have been putting on DevOps teams is manifold, expecting that everything should be solved within minutes. The big data generated out of the logs are not easy to crack with manual interventions.

 

So, what do we do with it and how sleepless nights can be overcome and find the critical triggering event without much of time pressure? Basically, we need something automatic,which can pinpoint the problem location in the plethora of logs and help in resolving the current issue as well as ‘Reducing the PBI cycle time’ for fixing it properly to avoid recurrence. This is where Analytics with artificial intelligence capability finds a foothold.Combining Big Data, AI, and Domain Knowledge; technologists have been able to create big breakthroughs and opportunities for the DevOps teams.

AI is no more a buzzword or fiction. It is substantiating the incapability of human mind to handle speed, complexity and quantity of the data and helping to optimise the root cause analysis. So how it is working?- It does basic algorithm stuff like how a user investigates, monitors, and troubleshoots events, and allows it to develop an understating how humans interact with data and conclude. Some higher level solutions are being propounded as well with bringing in the concept of cognitive thinking in system. This technological concept offers to use machine-learning algorithms to match human domain knowledge with log data, along with repositories and discussion forums threads. Using all this information, it makes a big data of relevant insights that may contain solutions to a wide range of critical issues, faced by IT DevOps teams on a daily basis. The core of these cognitive insights is based on the ELK stack, it sorts and simplifies the data and makes it easy to have clear picture.  

Using AI driven log analytics systems, it becomes considerably easy to efficiently solve issues. Such a system will definitely have a considerable impact on DevOps. ELK is fast becoming the trend and many reputed vendors are proactively researching and testing AI to bring in automation and providing logging solutions. It has become a good solution for companies to create a setup without incurring astounding upfront cost. 

In summary, integrating AI with log management is way to go for DevOps and can bring efficiency, risk management, optimisation in data management and trouble shooting and in the end customer delight. The endless wait of solution and root cause analysis, daily chorus of ticket priorities and SLA breaching could be a history!

MSDhoni - The Leader

I grew up watching Sachin and learning how to be modest in spite of having the best skills endowed by God and adulated by billions, l learnt from Saurav how to survive and build a strong spine while facing the mightiest but become a matured person only after following you dear Dhoni. Sometimes, I wonder if you are the complete definition of leadership. You relinquished this and handed over the baton to a field marshal who himself considers you his captain for lifetime . This is what leadership is all about. The cricketing world would never forget the calm demeanour of yours. Difficult to count on how many occasions you took our breath away with last over heroics and come out smiling as if nothing has happened. As long as you were there, nothing seems to be impossible. Your way of playing was unorthodox but you had the most uncluttered mind. You lead only when  leading was needed and with you on top victory become the habit. ... cheers to you for giving the many happy moments to the fellow countrymen. Please continue to play ... get back in your long hairs and show us again the youthful vintage Dhoni for a few more years.... we will miss the leader ....