Latest news with #Python
The Star
15 hours ago
- Science
- The Star
Myanmar youth embrace AI to shape future
YANGON: As the world observed World Youth Skills Day on Tuesday (July 15), this year's theme, "Youth Empowerment Through Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Skills," highlighted both the growing opportunities and challenges facing young people in Myanmar. "The use of AI is growing," said Kyi Shwin, a retired rector of Yangon University of Foreign Languages who closely follows the changes brought by AI, adding that the impact of AI is significant and far-reaching. "It is now used by both people from urban and rural areas," he said, recalling how he recently met young boys in Shan state, eastern Myanmar, using Myanmar-language AI chatbots like DeepSeek. "Students are more friendly with technology, more students than teachers are using AI," he said, warning that while AI adoption is accelerating, regulation has not kept pace. "For educational institutions, AI affects every level, teachers, staff, and students. Even administrators like us aren't thinking through problems the way we used to. We've become reliant on AI. That can hurt students' analytical and critical thinking skills." "AI can handle secondary research, but it cannot do firsthand research among people," he said. "AI is not always accurate. Sometimes it's biased. It doesn't understand users' individual situations. So, some answers may be inappropriate." "If AI is only used to get quick answers, those users will fall behind in the next five to 10 years. But if we keep our critical thinking and problem-solving skills while using it, we can progress alongside AI," he added, noting that some ministries and schools are working on AI policies. Ma Aye Mar Way, a researcher at Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies, said that Myanmar's youth must go beyond simply using AI. They should become creators. "If we want to use advanced AI, we now have to pay for it. If we can build it ourselves, it's better for us." U Aung Aung Myo, assistant director at the Department of Youth Affairs under the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, said the department is organising talks, seminars, and training programmes on AI and digital skills at universities. However, with limited access to formal training, many young people are teaching themselves to code and learning about AI through online resources. Some are taking the initiative to keep pace with the digital world. In Yangon, 31-year-old Aye Min Thu said, "We are now in the age of AI. It has become essential for people and organisations. I didn't want to be left behind, so I decided to start learning a programming language a few months ago." After months of indecision, he took the plunge, starting with Python, which is simple, accessible, and widely used in automation and machine learning. "I figured something is better than nothing," he said. "Now, I can build simple calculators and perform tasks like drawing charts and bar graphs using Python." He's also enrolled in online Python courses and used platforms like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot to guide his learning. "When I get stuck, I ask the chatbot directly. It helps a lot," he said. "Recently, I also noticed that many coding courses are being offered online for Myanmar students," he added. For Aye Min Thu, and thousands of young people across Myanmar, AI isn't just a buzzword. It's a path toward opportunity, creativity, and control over their futures. - Xinhua
Indian Express
17 hours ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Adopt AI in governance, including statistics and policy-making: Tripura Minister Bikas Debbarma
Tripura Minister for Statistics Bikas Debbarma on Wednesday emphasised the need to adopt Artificial Intelligence (AI) in various sectors of governance, including statistics and policy-making. While addressing the valedictory programme of a three-day workshop 'Generative AI for Impact: Smart Tools for Smarter Governance', Debbarma also urged the departments concerned to champion the transformation digitally with continuous learning. The minister felicitated the trainees and trainers at the workshop organised by the state government's Directorate of Economics and Statistics at Information Technology Bhawan in Agartala. The workshop highlighted summarisation, hands-on training on AI-driven drafting, forecasting with Python, and data interpretation. Over 60 officials of the Directorate of Economics and Statistics and the Union Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), including NK Santoshi, Director General, Central Statistics, MoSPI; Abhishek Chandra, Special Secretary, Planning (Statistics), Tripura; and Anil Digambar Patil, Deputy Director General, NSO, attended the workshop. Santoshi praised the directorate for laying thrust on capacity building during the global AI revolution. Chandra stated that the AI is not just an add-on skill but a core governance tool and mentioned that Tripura aims to attract officials of other states for AI training in the future. Earlier in the day, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, at a separate function, had urged people to adopt AI in the new era of technology. He was speaking at an event held to distribute appointment letters to 184 newly recruited junior engineers under the Public Works Department (PWD).
Time of India
17 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
What is TCS' new bench policy that's making thousands of techies at India's biggest IT firm anxious about layoffs?
Thousands of Tata Consultancy Services ( TCS ) employees are facing job uncertainty as the company's new bench policy, which limits time without project allocation to 35 days, completes its first cycle this week. The policy came into effect on June 12 and applies to all employees across the company. It sets a strict 35-day annual limit for remaining on the bench, a period when employees are not assigned to any billable project. Employees who fail to find a project within this period risk career stagnation or termination. What are TCS employees saying online? The new policy has triggered widespread anxiety among employees, many of whom have turned to social media platforms like Reddit to share their concerns. Some employees claim they are being forced into roles unrelated to their training, while others say they are struggling to find assignments near their home locations. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Public Policy Cybersecurity Data Science Finance Technology Data Analytics Healthcare others Data Science MBA Product Management Leadership Management Others Project Management healthcare Degree Design Thinking Operations Management Digital Marketing PGDM CXO Skills you'll gain: Duration: 12 Months IIM Calcutta Executive Programme in Public Policy and Management Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 12 Months IIM Calcutta Executive Programme in Public Policy and Management Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Economics for Public Policy Making Quantitative Techniques Public & Project Finance Law, Health & Urban Development Policy Duration: 12 Months IIM Kozhikode Professional Certificate Programme in Public Policy Management Starts on Mar 3, 2024 Get Details 'This is the first step towards employment rationalisation based on utilisation. Brace for layoffs,' a Reddit user wrote. A fresher shared, 'I have recently joined TCS and training was conducted in Java. Now, it's not even a month on bench and RMG is pressuring me to join a *** support project, far from Java and Python.' The Economic Times could not independently verify these claims. Live Events What is TCS's new 35‑Day Bench Limit and Deployment Policy TCS's new deployment policy, effective June 12, 2025, requires each employee to be billed for at least 225 business days within a 12-month period. This effectively limits the bench time, periods without project assignment, to a maximum of 35 business days per year . Consequences for TCS' Extended Bench Time As outlined in internal policy, 'Long periods of remaining unallocated shall adversely impact associate compensation, career growth, avenues of overseas deployment in future, and continuity of employment with the organisation'. Expectations During Bench Period When unallocated, employees are expected to take the initiative in finding new assignments. A company document notes: 'In the event an associate is unallocated, it is the primary responsibility of the associate to proactively engage with the Unit/Regional RMG for seeking allocation and take initiative towards pursuing suitable opportunities provided by the organisation'. Mandatory Upskilling and Office Presence During any bench time, associates are required to spend 4–6 hours daily on upskilling through internal platforms such as iEvolve, Fresco Play, VLS, and external services like LinkedIn. Remote work during bench periods is generally not allowed, with office presence made the defaul. TCS' New Deployment Policy Element Requirement Minimum billable days 225 business days per year Maximum bench time 35 business days per year Penalties Impacts on pay, promotions, overseas moves, employment continuity Associate responsibility Proactively seek projects via RMG During bench time 4–6 hours/day upskilling; office attendance mandatory TCS new Bench Policy: How many could be affected? TCS has not provided figures, but industry estimates show that around 15–18 per cent of employees at major Indian IT firms are typically on the bench. TCS has a global workforce of around 613,000 people. On Wednesday, Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES) appealed to Union labour minister Mansukh Mandaviya to intervene. In its letter, NITES called the policy 'inhumane,' 'exploitative,' and harmful to the mental health of IT professionals. 'These are not non-performing employees, but skilled professionals who find themselves temporarily without allocation… Instead of support, they are met with suspicion, coercion, and threats,' NITES president Harpreet Singh Saluja stated in the letter. The organisation accused TCS of pressuring employees with threats of termination and denial of experience letters if they miss unrealistic deployment deadlines. Are some employees supporting the move? Yes. Some employees have backed the policy, suggesting it may help the company remove long-term benchers who have declined projects or used the time for personal purposes. 'This may help TCS trimming some seriously underperforming resources, those stuck on TCS like a leech,' another Reddit post read. What does TCS management say? TCS CEO and MD K Krithivasan defended the move in an interview with TOI, calling it a structured approach to an already existing expectation. 'It's always been expected that associates take responsibility for their careers. While HR supports project placement, we also expect associates to proactively seek new assignments after completing existing ones. What you're seeing now is simply a more structured version of what's long been in practice. We aim to minimise bench time,' he said. Krithivasan added, 'Once we've made that investment, we work to ensure associates are deployed. While preferences are considered, projects are driven by client needs, not personal choice. We deploy based on training, demand, and skill alignment. If gaps exist, we work to close them before deployment.' He did not confirm whether salaries are being withheld for employees benched beyond the 35-day limit. Why is the policy being introduced now? The IT sector is facing reduced demand due to global economic uncertainty and the increased use of artificial intelligence (AI), which is automating many routine tasks. 'We expect IT companies to become stricter with their bench policies due to the soft business environment and AI-led demand for advanced skill sets,' said Pareekh Jain, founder and CEO of EIIRTrend. He added that employee costs are now heavily impacting margins. Experts believe TCS' policy could lead other IT firms to tighten their own bench rules. 'Tech companies must continuously align their employees' skill sets with evolving client needs. By revisiting their bench policies, organisations are encouraging employees to reskill and stay relevant in high-demand areas such as AI, cybersecurity, and digital engineering,' said Nitin Bhatt, technology sector leader at EY India. 'Going forward, tenure and grade-based promotions and merit increases will likely be replaced by assessments of skills proficiency and competencies required to take on new roles,' he added. What impact has this had on TCS? TCS CFO Samir Seksaria recently said employee utilisation declined in the June quarter, affecting margins. The company's employee cost rose to Rs 37,715 crore, the highest ever, and now makes up 59.45 per cent of its revenue. Attrition during the period stood at 13.8 per cent. HCL Technologies, another major Indian IT firm, also reported a similar drop in employee utilisation due to delays in project ramp-ups and mismatches in skills and locations. 'Utilisation dropped due to a delay in ramp up for a specific program, (while) we encountered ramp downs in specific areas, which resulted in a larger bench due to also productivity benefits that we brought about, and it was also due to demand supply mismatch between skills and locations,' said HCL Technologies MD and CEO C Vijayakumar.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Former OpenAI engineer on the culture at the ChatGPT-maker
Amid a talent war between Meta and OpenAI, Calvin French-Owen, an engineer who worked at the ChatGPT-maker and left the startup three weeks ago, described what it's like to work there. The MIT graduate, who joined OpenAI in May 2024 and left in June, published a detailed blog post reflecting on his journey at OpenAI, one of the most advanced AI labs in the world. He said he didn't leave because of any 'drama,' but rather because he wants to return to being a startup founder. French-Owen previously co-founded the customer data startup Segment, which was acquired by Twilio in 2020 for $3.2 billion. 'I wanted to share my reflections because there's a lot of smoke and noise around what OpenAI is doing, but not a lot of first-hand accounts of what the culture of working there actually feels like,' he wrote. On the culture at OpenAI, which is led by Sam Altman, French-Owen said it feels like any other Silicon Valley startup, but he also addressed some misconceptions about the company. According to him, OpenAI has grown too quickly, from 1,000 to 3,000 employees in just a year, and there's a reason behind such rapid hiring: ChatGPT is the fastest-growing consumer product, having reached 500 million monthly active users and still growing. However, he admitted that chaos naturally follows when a company grows that fast, especially at the scale of OpenAI. 'Everything breaks when you scale that quickly: how to communicate as a company, the reporting structures, how to ship product, how to manage and organize people, the hiring processes, etc.,' French-Owen wrote. French-Owen noted that OpenAI doesn't rely on email as a main communication channel among employees. 'An unusual part of OpenAI is that everything, and I mean everything, runs on Slack,' he wrote. 'There is no email. I maybe received ~10 emails in my entire time there.' He also observed what he called a 'very significant Meta → OpenAI pipeline' in engineering hiring. 'In many ways, OpenAI resembles early Meta: a blockbuster consumer app, nascent infra, and a desire to move really quickly,' he noted. Like at a small startup, people at OpenAI are still encouraged to pursue their ideas, but that also results in overlapping work. 'I must've seen half a dozen libraries for things like queue management or agent loops,' he said. He described the range of coding talent at OpenAI as highly varied, from Google veterans to new PhD graduates with less real-world experience. Because OpenAI heavily uses Python, the company's central code repository, or what he called 'the back-end monolith', can feel like 'a bit of a dumping ground.' French-Owen recounted the intensity of launching Codex, an AI coding assistant, calling it one of the hardest work periods of his career. 'The Codex sprint was probably the hardest I've worked in nearly a decade. Most nights were up until 11 or midnight. Waking up to a newborn at 5:30 every morning. Heading to the office again at 7 a.m. Working most weekends. We all pushed hard as a team because every week counted. It reminded me of being back at YC,' he recalled. His team, consisting of around eight engineers, four researchers, two designers, two go-to-market staff, and a product manager, built and launched Codex in just seven weeks, nearly without sleep. 'I've never seen a product get so much immediate uptake just from appearing in a left-hand sidebar, but that's the power of ChatGPT,' he said. French-Owen also pushed back against the idea that OpenAI is unconcerned about safety. In recent months, several former employees and AI safety advocates have criticized the company for not prioritizing safety adequately. But according to French-Owen, the focus is more on practical risks than abstract, long-term threats. 'I saw more focus on practical risks (hate speech, abuse, manipulating political biases, crafting bio-weapons, self-harm, prompt injection) than theoretical ones like intelligence explosion or power-seeking,' he wrote. 'That's not to say that nobody is working on the latter; there are definitely people focused on theoretical risks. But from my viewpoint, it's not the main focus. Most of the work being done isn't published, and OpenAI really should do more to get it out there.' He also described the work atmosphere at OpenAI as serious and mission-driven. 'OpenAI is also a more serious place than you might expect, in part because the stakes feel really high. On one hand, there's the goal of building AGI, which means there's a lot to get right. On the other hand, you're trying to build a product that hundreds of millions of users rely on for everything from medical advice to therapy,' he wrote. OpenAI has recently made headlines for losing key AI engineers to Meta. Mark Zuckerberg, Meta's co-founder and CEO, has reportedly offered massive compensation packages to lure away talent. Meta's new superintelligence team includes researchers from OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic. In a recent podcast interview, Sam Altman commented on Meta's aggressive hiring strategy, calling the reported $100 million signing bonuses 'crazy.'
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
India isn't the West: Shark Anupam Mittal warns against blind reliance on AI in a billion-plus nation
Anupam Mittal , founder of and a judge on Shark Tank India, has sparked a nationwide discussion about India's tech-first approach after posting a photo of an elderly woman working as a delivery agent. In a sharp critique, he urged policymakers to reconsider their deep-tech narrative and focus equally on job creation and skilling infrastructure. Viral post questions tech priorities Posting on LinkedIn, Mittal shared an image of the elderly woman along with a pointed remark: 'Saw this woman the other day, and thought maybe she should learn Python. Perhaps she can fine-tune an LLM too, while delivering your groceries.' Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Management Artificial Intelligence healthcare Data Science Digital Marketing Leadership Healthcare Design Thinking Project Management PGDM Public Policy others Others Operations Management Data Analytics MBA Product Management Technology Degree Finance CXO Cybersecurity Data Science Skills you'll gain: Duration: 10 Months IIM Kozhikode CERT-IIMK GMPBE India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 9 Months IIM Calcutta CERT-IIMC APSPM India Starts on undefined Get Details Mittal's comment quickly drew attention on social media. While the tone was sarcastic, his message was direct: India's approach to AI and automation risks leaving behind a large section of its workforce. "Parroting the West without understanding our own reality" Mittal criticised the tendency to copy global AI policies without tailoring them to India's unique demographic and economic realities. 'Every time I say India needs jobs along with deep-tech, someone sends me a whitepaper on AI skilling. Basically parroting the West without understanding our own reality,' he said. He acknowledged that AI is transforming the global workforce, citing predictions by Microsoft, Meta, and Google that 40–50% of work will soon be AI-driven. 'Yes, true!' he wrote. 'But those are economies with lower populations, high formal employment, and deep reskilling budgets.' Live Events India's skilling gap Sharing insights from his professional experience in the U.S., Mittal underlined the difference in approach to skilling. 'When I worked in the US, every time a new tech or software rolled out, we were upskilled in real time—not just as individuals, but across the entire org. That's what real skilling infrastructure looks like.' In contrast, he said India lacks such systems. 'Most are self-employed. India is not there yet.' Gig economy remains a lifeline Mittal stressed the role of the gig economy in supporting employment. 'It enabled employment for millions. In a country holding ~20% of the world's population, that's no mean feat!' He cautioned against viewing deep-tech as a catch-all solution. 'When we start touting deep-tech as the only solution to all our problems, we endanger the livelihoods of a billion plus nation.' Two Indias, one policy challenge Mittal said India has to address both the high-skilled and low-skilled parts of its population. 'Yes, we have highly-skilled and super-talented folks who will undoubtedly build future big-tech from India—but we also have a large low-skilled populace that needs to be taken along.' He concluded his post by inviting reflection and debate. 'India needs to address both these issues simultaneously, no? What's your take?'
