Anna Mathew

India's race to become an AI powerhouse is accelerating, but it comes with a hidden environmental cost—water. As data centres expand to support AI tools like ChatGPT, their cooling needs are driving massive water consumption. A United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health report warns that AI infrastructure could strain already stressed water resources. With major investments from Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, India's data centre boom is colliding with water scarcity in cities like Bengaluru and Chennai—raising a critical question: can India scale AI without deepening its water crisis?

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India has unveiled BharatGen, its most ambitious homegrown AI initiative designed specifically for 22 scheduled Indian languages. The project is a key outcome of the IndiaAI Mission, backed by a $1.2 billion government push for AI sovereignty. This launch comes at a time when access to advanced foreign AI models is becoming increasingly restricted, highlighting India's effort to build independent AI capabilities in its own languages for 1.4 billion people. Watch how BharatGen positions India in the global AI race.

Meta is facing internal turbulence after a massive restructuring tied to its artificial intelligence push. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has acknowledged that the company made mistakes during its AI overhaul, which saw around 8,000 layoffs and thousands of employees reassigned to new roles. In a candid internal admission, CTO Andrew Bosworth described the rollout as “atrocious,” citing poor communication, lack of clarity, and disruption across teams. Reports from Reuters and Wired suggest employee morale took a hit as rapid strategic shifts left many feeling uncertain about their roles.

Capgemini has temporarily shut its on-campus daycare facility in Bengaluru after disturbing videos allegedly showing toddlers being abused by staff triggered a police investigation. The controversy erupted after multiple videos surfaced online, allegedly showing children aged between two and three being subjected to abuse inside the daycare. The accused have been identified and summoned for questioning, though no arrests have been made so far. Investigators say the case came to light after videos were shared via WhatsApp with officials from the District Child Protection Unit, prompting a formal complaint.

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Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has issued a stark warning that the rapid advance of artificial intelligence could trigger large-scale job displacement and create risks governments are not addressing fast enough. In a New York Times interview, Gates said previous technological shifts eventually created new jobs, but AI is spreading across so many industries simultaneously that too few sectors may remain to absorb displaced workers. He noted that AI coding tools have already surpassed him in areas he once considered a strength.

A 21-year-old student from Biaora in Madhya Pradesh's Rajgarh district, Surendra Singh Chaudhary — known online as Bittu Tabahi — started cleaning the heavily polluted Ajnar River on his own after Republic Day this year. Using basic tools and his own savings, and despite not knowing how to swim, he removed plastic waste, algae and sludge from the river near a local temple.

Samsung Electronics has begun layoffs in India, with around 80–100 employees in its TV and home appliance divisions asked to leave as rising memory chip prices squeeze margins. Reports suggest up to 25% of the consumer electronics sales and marketing workforce could eventually be affected, with more cuts possible after the festive season. Despite the restructuring, Samsung's smartphone business in India remains stable for now, with the company betting on strong festive sales.

Forbes' 2026 list of America's richest immigrants shows a record 144 foreign-born billionaires living in the U.S., with a combined wealth of $2.2 trillion — nearly 15% of all U.S. billionaires. India tops the list for the second year in a row with 19 billionaires, ahead of Israel and Taiwan, which have 11 each. Prominent India-born names include Vinod Khosla, Jay Chaudhry, Rakesh Gangwal and Shyam Sankar. India also added multiple new entrants this year — more than any other country.