Digital
ASCI Academy launches ‘Responsible Influencing E-learning Course’
Mumbai: ASCI Academy, the training arm of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), has introduced the ‘Responsible Influencing Course’ e-learning certification, designed to support content creators be compliant with the ASCI code and the law, and uphold ethical standards and transparency in the influencer marketing industry.
The interactive, two-hour course is broken into 21 small snippets which cover diverse topics. These include, shaping change by embracing self-regulation as an influencer, the power of transparency in embracing authenticity, decoding core concepts of influencer marketing, providing a nuanced understanding of the ASCI code and guidelines with relevant case examples. Additionally, the course addresses regulatory and platform-specific guideline requirements. A dedicated section focuses on the power of disclosures addressing issues like who should disclose, how and why to disclose and the specific requirements for disclosures. There are other interesting topics like influencer archetypes, brand engagement checklist, and more, ensuring an overall engaging and exciting learning experience.
In today’s digital age, creators play a pivotal role in shaping consumer perception and behaviour, making them essential partners for advertisers seeking to reach broader audiences. The course is crafted to equip influencers, content creators, agencies and influencer marketing experts with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate regulatory standards, maintain audience and brand trust, and ensure that they are on the right side of ethical advertising. Upon successful course completion and assessment, participants will be awarded the ‘Responsible Influencing Certificate’. This certificate signifies their dedication to ethical endorsement practices and proficiency in adhering to responsible influencer guidelines, enhancing their professional credibility within the industry.
ASCI CEO & secretary general Manisha Kapoor said, “With so many young and new content creators, it is an exciting time for the advertising industry. It is important that consumer and brand trust remains high in this exciting channel of communication. We want to support influencers to stay on the right side of advertising regulations and codes, so that they are able to keep themselves safe, and have a long and sustained career. With increased scrutiny on influencers and content creators, it is important that they build familiarity with the rules and regulations that surround advertising. The course simplifies the regulatory landscape, and influencers who take the course can be more confident in their endorsements. We also expect brands to prefer creators who have shown their commitment to honest influencing by doing this course.”
Digital
Adani Enterprises plans $100 billion AI data centre push by 2035
Renewable-powered facilities plus $150 billion ripple effect to build $250 billion ecosystem.
MUMBAI: Adani Enterprises is plugging straight into the AI power grid and it’s bringing enough juice to light up a continent. On Tuesday, the ports-to-power conglomerate announced a staggering $100 billion investment to build renewable-energy-backed, AI-ready data centres across India by 2035, aiming to catapult the country from the sidelines into a serious contender in the global AI arena.
The plan doesn’t stop at bricks and servers. Adani estimates the move will spark an additional $150 billion in related industries, think server manufacturing, sovereign cloud platforms and more creating a $250 billion AI infrastructure ecosystem over the next decade. Shares of Adani Enterprises (ADEL.NS) responded with enthusiasm, closing 2.7 per cent higher and topping the Nifty 50 gainers list.
Adani Enterprises chairman Gautam Adani captured the ambition in a post on X, “For decades, we imported technology. Now we are building the backbone. India will not follow the AI century. India will shape it.”
The strategy hinges on a tightly integrated model: renewable power generation, grid resilience and massive computing capacity. Adani will scale its existing 2 GW data centre footprint to 5 GW, targeting what it calls the world’s largest integrated platform (timeline not specified). Alongside, $55 billion goes into expanding renewables, including one of the planet’s biggest battery energy storage systems.
The company already has skin in the game, a partnership with Google, which committed $15 billion over five years for AI data centres, its largest-ever India investment. Adani also plans to deepen ties with Walmart-backed Flipkart for a second AI facility and is in talks with other major players for large-scale campuses nationwide.
India’s sudden AI infrastructure gold rush isn’t happening in isolation. Global giants Google, Amazon, Meta and Microsoft are pouring money in, while home-grown heavyweights Reliance and TCS race to grab their slice. Data centres, the report notes, offer India its clearest shot at relevance in a chip-making world it has largely missed.
In a landscape where AI is the new electricity, Adani’s mega-bet is less about keeping the lights on and more about powering tomorrow’s digital empire, one renewable watt at a time. Whether the grid (and the stock market) can handle the load remains the real test.
