Applications
HSEMI AI debuts on Republic Day with a human plus machine approach
MUMBAI: Brains met bytes on Republic Day as SEMI AI quietly stepped into the spotlight. Marking India’s 77th Republic Day, the tech platform announced its soft launch, positioning itself as the world’s first “half-machine, half-human” AI system, a hybrid designed to marry the speed of algorithms with the nuance of human judgement. The aim: decisions that are not just faster, but fairer, more ethical and deeply aware of context.
At the heart of SEMI AI is an intelligent routing engine. Incoming queries are analysed to determine what can be resolved by machine learning models and what demands human insight. Routine tasks are handled instantly by AI, while complex issues involving ethics, culture or judgement are escalated to domain experts within SEMI AI’s human network. Each interaction feeds a loop where human decisions refine the system, and the system, in turn, improves scale and efficiency.
SEMI AI founder and CEO Saurabh Bhambri described the timing as symbolic, calling SEMI AI “Made in India, by Indians, and for Indians”, and dedicating the platform to citizens on Republic Day. SEMI AI co-founder and CTO Bijay Singh Rajput added that the model could help citizens and institutions take smarter decisions, while also giving India a distinctive voice in the global AI conversation.
The platform is designed for use across sectors where purely algorithmic answers often fall short. In healthcare, it can support diagnostics under doctor supervision. In finance, it blends automated risk assessment with human validation. In education, it enables personalised learning guided by teachers, while in public services it helps resolve citizen queries, escalating only the most complex cases.
By blending code with conscience, SEMI AI is pitching itself as an alternative to black-box automation. Its Republic Day debut underlines a broader ambition: to show that India’s next wave of AI innovation can scale globally without losing sight of human values.
Applications
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.
