Digital
Poonawalla Fincorp pushes AI-first drive with five enterprise solutions
MUMBAI: Poonawalla fincorp has stepped up its AI-first transformation with the launch of five enterprise-level artificial intelligence solutions aimed at sharpening decision-making, tightening compliance and accelerating execution across the business.
Unveiled in Mumbai on 28 January, the new deployments extend AI use into competitive intelligence, customer onboarding, data governance, experience analytics and application development, signalling the lender’s push to become a digitally fluent, data-driven and highly scalable financial institution.
Among the rollouts is an AI-powered competition benchmarking engine that continuously scans market movements, tracking rivals’ pricing shifts, product changes and engagement patterns to deliver real-time, decision-ready insights. Built on the firm’s existing AI-led risk hindsight framework, it is designed to help teams respond faster to market swings.
The company has also introduced a central KYC AI platform to strengthen onboarding controls. By validating customer data for accuracy and material relevance at the entry point, the system cuts manual effort by around 15 per cent while improving turnaround times and compliance robustness.
To tackle data consistency, Poonawalla fincorp has launched an agentic data quality intelligence solution that automatically monitors information flows, flags anomalies and updates validation rules as business needs evolve, keeping reporting and risk data audit-ready.
On the customer experience front, an AI-led voice of customer categorisation tool now organises free-text feedback into actionable issue themes, linking them directly to responsible teams for faster resolution and systemic fixes.
Rounding out the suite is “build buddy”, an AI-powered development assistant embedded into the firm’s technology stack. It supports engineers with code writing, pre-commit fixes, automated refactoring and performance feedback, significantly speeding up application delivery while cutting costs.
Commenting on the move, Poonawalla fincorp managing director and CEO Arvind Kapil, said AI was reshaping how organisations think and compete, adding that the company was focused on blending machine precision with human judgement to strengthen trust and decision-making.
AI is already being used across the firm’s risk, fraud detection, marketing, compliance, HR, governance and underwriting functions. In the latest quarter alone, Poonawalla fincorp initiated 12 new AI projects, taking the total to 57, with 30 already completed.
Digital
Maharashtra partners OpenAI, Sarvam AI to boost state’s tech ecosystem
State to set up dedicated AI department and roll out frontier technology policies
MUMBAI: Maharashtra is set to become a primary hub for artificial intelligence following the 2026–27 Budget announcement. chief minister Devendra Fadnavis confirmed that the state has signed letters of intent with global giant OpenAI and national pioneer Sarvam AI to integrate advanced technology into the state’s economic and administrative framework.
The collaboration with OpenAI and Sarvam AI marks a shift towards adopting cutting-edge generative tools for governance. These partnerships, alongside MoUs with IIT Bombay and BharatGen, are designed to create a robust ecosystem for research and innovation. The move signals the state’s intent to bring together global technology leaders and domestic research institutions to accelerate the development and adoption of artificial intelligence across sectors.
Regarding the strategic intent of these alliances, chief minister Fadnavis stated, “With the objective of making the State’s Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence sector dynamic, letters of intent have been signed with globally and nationally reputed institutions like OpenAI and Sarvam AI to facilitate the Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence sector in the state.”
To manage these high-level partnerships and ensure effective implementation, the government is establishing an independent department of electronics, Information technology, and artificial intelligence. The new department will function with a dedicated commissionerate and specialised technical manpower, enabling faster decision-making, improved coordination, and stronger accountability in executing technology-driven initiatives.
The state also plans to introduce special policies aimed at strengthening its position in emerging technology sectors. These policies will focus on advancing Maharashtra as a global hub for frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, drones, autonomous vehicles, and deep technology.
According to the chief minister, “The state government plans to introduce special policies to develop Maharashtra as a world-class hub for frontier technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, quantum computing, drones, autonomous vehicles and deep technology.”
Artificial intelligence is already being integrated into the state’s governance framework. A collaboration with Microsoft has led to the development of MahaCrimeOS AI, a platform that has reportedly reduced police investigation times by 80 per cent across 23 police stations in Nagpur. The initiative demonstrates how AI-driven tools can significantly enhance law enforcement efficiency and data analysis capabilities.
The government is also working toward building a fully digitised administrative ecosystem. Plans are underway to achieve complete digitisation of land transactions and implement electronic office systems across departments, paving the way for a paperless government. In addition, a pilot project will introduce AI-powered solutions in 75 selected villages to improve infrastructure, governance efficiency, and overall quality of life in rural areas.
To strengthen digital infrastructure and data protection, the state also intends to establish an advanced data centre in Nagpur. This facility will be designed to safeguard sensitive and sovereign information while supporting large-scale digital services and government platforms.
These initiatives form part of Maharashtra’s broader cyber security and digital transformation strategy aligned with the Viksit Maharashtra 2047 vision. By partnering with global and domestic technology leaders such as OpenAI and Sarvam AI, the state aims to build a secure, future-ready digital ecosystem that enhances citizen services, supports innovation, and strengthens India’s position in emerging technologies.
