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AI Journey, Sber’s International conference on AI & ML
Mumbai: AI Journey International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning will be held on 11–13 December in Moscow. AI Journey will once again be the place to create a future with AI, featuring discussions of the role of AI-driven technology in helping humans and generating new ideas and notions that will define the industry’s development for years ahead. The conference’s agenda will focus on AI capabilities for human benefit and people’s and organizations’ expectations and perceptions of the role of AI. The event will be held offline and broadcast live at the website.
Sberbank, first deputy chairman of the executive board Alexander Vedyakhin: “AI Journey is coming to Moscow on December 11–13. It is not only a major international conference on artificial intelligence but also a space for developers and researchers to boost their professional growth. 2024 is the year of Russia’s chairmanship in BRICS. Therefore, the theme of international collaboration will be reflected in our conference’s agenda. I invite everyone who is interested in artificial intelligence and who develops these technologies or uses them in work and in everyday life to join this three-day journey to discover something entertaining and useful and the new horizons of AI capabilities. The main theme of AI Journey 2024 will be artificial intelligence as an assistant in all spheres of human lives and a tool that helps each of us achieve more and unlock our potential, moving the whole country forward.”
The AI Journey program will feature three tracks: Science, Business, and Society, engaging leading Russian and international researchers, scientists, government officials, and business people. The key presentations on the main stage will be interpreted live into the Russian Sign Language.
Science will include reports from top international researchers, the latest achievements in AI technology development, and the AI’s support in research.
Business will feature hands-on AI solution implementation cases across industries and demos of AI capabilities to improve enterprise performance.
Society will focus on artificial intelligence as a means to tackle social problems. For instance, guests will learn how AI supports the planet’s sustainable development, helps people at work and at home, and unlocks human potential. The special AI Junior track will immerse all AI newbies into the world of artificial intelligence.
The conference in Moscow completes the series of events that have taken place throughout the year: the finalists of AI Challenge, a contest for young data scientists, and of AIJ Contest, a challenge for experienced AI specialists, will be awarded. AI Journey will also look at the results of the open research paper selection, AIJ Science. The most significant papers will be included in the scientific journal issued in collaboration with the Russian Academy of Sciences. The author of the best article will receive a money prize.
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
