Digital
World Social Media Day: Recognising the impact of connectivity
Mumbai: Social Media Day is an annual event celebrated on 30 June that recognises the impact of social media on global communication and its ability to connect people, communities, and businesses around the world. The day was first established in 2010 by the digital media platform Mashable, and since then, it has grown into a global celebration with events, activities, and discussions held online and offline. Social Media Day provides an opportunity for individuals and organisations to reflect on the role of social media in today’s society and explore new ways to leverage its power for positive change.
Below are quotes from industry experts and social media influencers about their thought on Social Media Day.
Reelstar co-founder Navdeep Sharma
Social media platforms have been flourishing in India, with over 600 million smartphone users. Previously, social media apps were predominantly utilised by the younger generation; however, the landscape is shifting, and individuals of all age groups are now embracing them for a multitude of purposes such as business, social interaction, politics, and more. On a global scale, the active user base of social media exceeds 4.7 billion people, emphasising the growing appeal of these platforms, which have become an integral part of many individuals’ daily routines and habits.
Social media platforms have revolutionised connecting, sharing, and engaging with others. However, ownership and monetisation of creative content, privacy concerns, and the spread of misinformation are some of the challenges that persist. Decentralised social media platforms built on blockchain offer a solution. They empower users with greater control over their data, resistance to censorship, and participation in platform decision-making. With ReelStar, we aim to empower creators to distribute and monetise their content, democratising the media and entertainment industry. By embracing these platforms, we can shape a future where users have more authentic experiences, control over their privacy, and an enhanced mode of content creation and distribution.
Barely Opinionated founder Rohit Agarwala
Social media directly or indirectly is influencing the way you think and your ideology. This is why consuming the right content without getting lost in the depth of chaos is a priority as we continue to immerse ourselves into SM.
BHIVE head of marketing Anurag Sharma
The algorithms may change, but authentic connection and engaging storytelling are timeless aspects of social media marketing.
Thoughtworks India lead social media marketing Shivani Balsa
Mastering the community aspect of social media and harnessing current trends to amplify a brand’s relevance would be key. In this ever-changing landscape, social commerce would be a game changer, and of course, AI, it would be interesting to see how the platforms will make use of it to have the consumers spend more time on the platform.
Social Media Influencer Kunal Bysani
Storytelling has taken a new form today, which is the new age of Social Media. Business and influencing go hand in hand and flourishes through Social Media now.
Social Beat associate vice president Druhi Sethi
AI, Web3, and community are all playing a major role in the evolution of social media, and they will continue to do so in the years to come. These trends will create a more personalized, secure, and engaging experience for users, and they will also have a profound impact on the way businesses interact with their customers.
BHIVE Workspace founding member Ravindra M.K
Social media has changed the way we communicate, consume information, and interact with the world around us. The future of social media is decentralized, community-driven, and powered by AI. This new era of social media will be even more powerful and will be more democratic, transparent, and rewarding for users. We are focusing on building and nurturing communities, sharing ideas, and making a difference in the world. Hence, as part of World Social Media Day, we are organizing this meetup for community members to learn, network & have fun.
Digital
OpenAI’s Stargate lead Peter Hoeschele exits with two senior leaders
Trio behind compute push set to join new startup amid leadership reshuffle
SAN FRANCISCO: Peter Hoeschele, a key figure behind OpenAI’s early Stargate data centre initiative, has exited the company, according to a report by The Information.
The departure is part of a broader leadership shift, with two other senior executives, Shamez Hemani and Anuj Saharan, also set to leave in the coming days. All three are expected to join the same new startup, although details about the venture remain under wraps.
The trio played a central role in OpenAI’s Stargate effort, an initiative aimed at building large-scale data centre capacity in-house to reduce reliance on external infrastructure providers. Their exits mark a notable moment for the company’s compute strategy as it continues to scale rapidly.
OpenAI spokesperson said in a statement to The Information, “We’re grateful for the contributions Peter, Shamez, and Anuj have made to OpenAI and wish them the very best in what comes next.” The company also pointed to the recent appointment of Sachin Katti to lead its industrial compute organisation, signalling continuity in its infrastructure roadmap.
OpenAI has indicated that it does not plan to directly replace Hoeschele’s role, suggesting a possible restructuring of responsibilities within the team.
As competition intensifies in the race to build next-generation AI systems, leadership changes in core infrastructure teams are likely to draw close attention. For now, the spotlight shifts to what this departing trio builds next, and how OpenAI adapts as it scales its ambitions.
