Digital
From scripts to notifications: Vicky Kaushal’s special delivery on Zomato
Mumbai: Zomato, India’s food ordering and delivery platform, has joined forces with the acclaimed Bollywood actor Vicky Kaushal to pay a special tribute to India’s first Field Marshal, Sam Manekshaw. Known for his stellar performance on screen, as part of the collaboration, Vicky Kaushal, in a unique twist, will be seen stepping into a different role for a day, playing, crafting, and sending orders on Zomato.
In Zomato’s latest ad film, Zomato users are greeted with notifications written by Vicky Kaushal himself. From creating personalized breakfast requests to exploring pizza preferences, such as the choice of pineapples as toppings, the actor embodies the commanding nature of his character. Creating a seamless connection between the film and the Zomato platform, the actor also encourages people to watch “Sam Bahadur” in theaters. This collaboration extends beyond the screen to social media content that captivates audiences, tailored notifications that tantalize taste buds, visually appealing app banners, and cityscape hoardings. Zomato and Vicky Kaushal offer users a distinctive fusion of delightful orders and engaging stories, transforming every interaction into an enjoyable experience.
As part of the celebrations, Zomato also hosted a special secret screening of Sam Bahadur for its delivery partners in Delhi. Vicky Kaushal, portraying reel-life Sam, graced the screening as a surprise for the 200 delivery partners who attended it.
Digital
Ethical AI must benefit society, not dominate it, says WFEB chief Sanjay Pradhan at IAA event
At Mumbai event, ethics expert urges businesses and governments to shape AI responsibly
MUMBAI: Artificial intelligence may be racing ahead at lightning speed, but its direction must still be guided by human conscience. That was the central message delivered by Sanjay Pradhan, president of the World Forum for Ethics in Business (WFEB), during the latest edition of IAA Conversations held in Mumbai.
The session was organised by the International Advertising Association (IAA) and the Artificial Intelligence Association of India (AIAI) in association with The Free Press Journal at the Free Press House on 7 March. Addressing a packed audience, Pradhan called for stronger ethical leadership to ensure AI remains a tool that benefits humanity rather than one that governs it.
“Artificial intelligence has rapidly become one of the most powerful technologies humanity has created,” Pradhan said. “It is unlocking breakthroughs in medicine, science and creativity at a pace unimaginable just a few years ago.”
But he warned that the same technology carries serious risks. AI, he noted, can amplify disinformation faster than facts can travel, compromise privacy, deepen discrimination and disrupt millions of livelihoods. Referencing concerns raised by AI pioneers such as Geoffrey Hinton, often called the godfather of AI, Pradhan stressed that the real challenge is not whether AI will shape the world, but whether humans will shape it with ethics and wisdom.
Structuring his talk around four guiding questions, why, what, how and who, Pradhan introduced the audience to WFEB’s emerging AI Ethics Partnership, a global platform aimed at advancing responsible artificial intelligence. He outlined four priority concerns that demand urgent attention: disinformation, bias and discrimination, data privacy and job security.
To make the idea of ethical AI easier to grasp, Pradhan offered a simple metaphor. Ethical AI, he said, is like a three layered cake. The outer layer represents the visible value ethical AI creates for businesses and society. The middle layer is organisational culture that moves ethics from written codes to everyday practice. The innermost layer, however, is the most crucial, the conscience of individual leaders.
Drawing from Indian philosophical thought through WFEB co-founder Ravi Shankar, Pradhan noted that while artificial intelligence can reproduce stored knowledge, true intelligence is boundless and rooted in conscience, creativity and compassion. Practices such as breathwork and meditation, he suggested, can help leaders develop the calm clarity needed for ethical decision making.
The event also featured a discussion with Maninder Adityaraj Singh, chief of staff and head of innovation at Rediffusion Brand Solutions Pvt Ltd, and Yash Johri, lawyer, Supreme Court of India.
Opening the session, IAA India chapter president Abhishek Karnani, highlighted the need for industries to understand and engage with AI responsibly.
“AI has to be befriended and understood,” added Rediffusion managing director and AIAI national convenor Sandeep Goyal. “Its ethical use will determine whether it becomes a friend or a foe.”
As AI continues to reshape industries and societies, Pradhan ended with a simple but powerful call to action. Businesses, governments and individuals must work together to ensure that the algorithms shaping the future reflect human values rather than just cold logic.
