MAM
Wipro Global restructures media & telecom services wing
New Delhi, 8 November: Software major Wipro Global media and telecom Business head Ayan Mukerji has quit, leading to a shake-up. No reasons were given for Mukherji’s departure as the head of the nearly $1 billion business. Mukherji played a major role in growing the various businesses across geographies during his 28 years of association with the outsourcing major.
Wipro said the global media and telecom business will have a new structure with its sub-vertical communication services providers carved out into a separate strategic business unit (communications) with Vice President Anil Jain as its head. Jain will report to
president and chief operating officer Abidali Neemuchwala.
A statement from the company said the media vertical has been merged into the retail, consumer goods, transportation and government (RCTG) business unit headed by Srini Palla to tap increasing synergies. The network equipment providers’ (NEP) vertical that works with customers such as Cisco has been merged into the manufacturing and hi-tech business headed by NS Bala to strengthen the company’s position in this space.
Product engineering services business will also report to Neemuchwala who joined Wipro in March after leaving Tata Consultancy Services.
In the second quarter of fiscal 2016, Wipro generated 13.4 percent revenue from Global Media & Telecom, 26.7 percent from Finance Solutions, 18.7 percent from Manufacturing & Hitech, 11.4 percent from Healthcare, Life Sciences & Services, 15.1 percent from Retail, Consumer Goods & Transportation and 14.7 percent from Energy, Natural Resources & Utilities. Its revenue rose 2.1 percent sequentially to $1,832 million in the second quarter ended 30 September.
The Americas region contributed 53 percent revenue in Q2, Europe 25.2 percent, India & Middle East business 10.6 percent and APAC and Other Emerging Markets 11.2 percent.
Digital
AI ads enter the chat as marketing turns conversational: 0101.Today
Brands test sponsored AI replies, reshaping digital influence
MUMBAI: As artificial intelligence platforms begin experimenting with advertisements and sponsored suggestions, marketing may be stepping into its most conversational era yet.
Gone are the days when digital advertising simply pushed polished creatives towards neatly segmented audiences. AI-led conversational marketing works differently. It listens first. Then it speaks. And crucially, it responds in real time to what a user is actually asking.
According to 0101.Today co-founder and managing partner Ajay Verma, the shift is not just technological but philosophical. “AI-led conversational marketing differs from traditional targeted advertising by shifting from message delivery to real-time dialogue,” Verma said. “Instead of pushing predefined creatives to segmented audiences, AI understands intent in the moment and responds contextually, helping consumers evaluate options rather than interrupting them. This makes influence feel assistive, not intrusive. It is truly data-led intelligent one-to-one marketing at play.”
He believes the next wave, driven by Agentic AI, will deepen this evolution. A handful of early movers, particularly in the BFSI sector, are already experimenting, though most brands still treat it as a pilot rather than a proven performance channel.
Yet the promise of AI-powered persuasion comes with a catch. Trust.
Verma cautions that consumers are quick to detect when helpful advice quietly morphs into a sales pitch. “Consumers increasingly perceive AI suggestions as advice when the interaction is transparent, relevant, and problem-solving. Trust is built when AI explains why a recommendation is made and aligns with user intent,” he said. “When responses feel biased or opaque, they are quickly classified as promotion and lose credibility.”
In other words, the chat box can charm, but it can also betray.
Some cosmetic brands are already seeing early traction by weaving product recommendations into helpful conversations. But Verma advises caution. “These are new tools and technologies, not magic wands where results appear immediately. Deploy this from an experimental budget rather than performance. Otherwise the medium risks suffering an early death.”
0101.Today positions itself as a data-driven conversion specialist, working across media, communication and technology to help brands align brand building, acquisition and retention with measurable business outcomes rather than siloed campaign metrics.
As advertising becomes more embedded within AI-generated dialogue, clear labelling may prove decisive. While marking responses as sponsored could temper short-term engagement, Verma argues it strengthens long-term brand equity.
“The internet is full of sponsored content. Brands that maintain a realistic balance will see long-term success,” he said.
In the age of AI, it seems influence is no longer about shouting the loudest. It is about speaking at the right moment, in the right tone, and making sure the listener knows who is talking.
