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Nvidia and Reliance partner to build AI infrastructure in India
Mumbai: In a groundbreaking move poised to reshape India’s tech landscape, Nvidia and Reliance have announced a strategic partnership to develop advanced AI infrastructure in the country. The collaboration was unveiled during the Nvidia AI Summit 2024, with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani sharing the stage in a compelling fireside chat. This partnership aims to accelerate India’s progress in artificial intelligence, leveraging cutting-edge technology to enhance various industries from healthcare to telecommunications.
Speaking at the summit, Huang highlighted India’s emerging leadership in AI. “India has the potential to become one of the world’s AI superpowers, and with partners like Reliance, we can make AI more accessible to businesses and developers across the country,” said Huang. The joint venture will see Reliance’s extensive digital infrastructure integrated with Nvidia’s AI computing capabilities, creating a robust ecosystem to support the development of AI-driven applications.
The initiative is set to play a key role in India’s AI mission, which seeks to harness the power of artificial intelligence to drive economic growth, job creation, and innovation. With Reliance providing its digital assets and extensive network through Jio Platforms, the partnership is expected to facilitate the rapid deployment of AI solutions across sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, and education.
Ambani emphasised the potential of this collaboration, stating, “AI will be a catalyst for economic and social transformation, and together with Nvidia, we are committed to democratising AI in India.” The partnership is also expected to contribute significantly to the development of India’s digital infrastructure, enhancing capabilities in data processing, AI modelling, and real-time analytics.
Nvidia’s decision to partner with Reliance aligns with India’s broader ambition to position itself as a global AI hub. This partnership represents a pivotal moment, as the country seeks to build foundational infrastructure to support AI innovation on a large scale. The collaboration will involve building AI supercomputers and software development platforms that will empower developers and startups to build AI-based applications.
MAM
Paramount set to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery in $81 billion deal
Shareholders back merger, combined entity could reshape streaming and studios.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… consolidation, Hollywood’s latest blockbuster might be happening off-screen. Shareholders of Warner Bros. Discovery have voted in favour of selling the company to Paramount in a deal valued at $81 billion rising to nearly $111 billion including debt setting the stage for one of the biggest shake-ups in modern media. The proposed merger, still subject to regulatory approvals, would bring together a vast portfolio spanning HBO Max, CNN, and franchises such as Harry Potter under the same umbrella as Paramount’s own heavyweights, including Top Gun and CBS.
At the heart of the deal is streaming scale. Executives have indicated plans to combine HBO Max and Paramount+ into a single platform, potentially creating a stronger challenger to giants like Netflix and Amazon’s Prime Video. Current market data suggests HBO Max holds around 12 per cent of US on-demand subscriptions, compared to Paramount+’s 3 per cent, together still trailing Netflix’s 19 per cent and Disney’s combined 27 per cent via Disney+ and Hulu.
Paramount CEO David Ellison has signalled that while platforms may merge, HBO’s creative identity will remain intact, stating the brand should “stay HBO” even within a broader ecosystem.
Beyond streaming, the deal would redraw the map for film production. Combining two of Hollywood’s oldest studios Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros., the new entity aims to scale output to over 30 films annually, while maintaining a 45-day theatrical window. Warner Bros. currently commands around 21 per cent of the US box office, compared to Paramount’s 6 per cent, underscoring the strategic weight of the acquisition.
But scale comes with scrutiny. Critics warn that fewer players could mean reduced consumer choice, rising subscription costs, and potential job cuts as the combined company looks to streamline overlapping operations while managing billions in debt.
The news business, too, faces a reset. CNN would join forces at least structurally with Paramount-owned CBS, raising questions about editorial independence and positioning. The merger has already drawn political attention in the United States, particularly given perceived ties between the Ellison family and Donald Trump, though the company maintains that newsroom autonomy will be preserved.
If approved, the deal would mark another milestone in Hollywood’s consolidation wave shrinking the industry’s traditional “big six” studios to a “big four”, with Paramount joining Disney, Universal, and Sony at the top table.
In an industry built on storytelling, this merger may well become its most consequential plot twist yet.
