Author: hardraincafe

An alumnus of Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay and Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore I have over three decades of experience enabling leading Indian brands build winning advertising and marketing communication strategies. I have worked with agencies like Draft FCB and Ogilvy and founded and run companies in the area of marketing research, advertising, marketing consultancy and digital marketing. For more see: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashokeagarrwal/

From Machine Learning to Machine Curiosity to Machine Creativity

It is my belief AI will change human civilisation at paradigm-shifting level that the harnessing of fire did. It will do so both at the societal level, through the accelerated progress of science and technology as also in empowering the individual through services like Concierge Intelligence as outlined by me in a previous post. To realise this potential AI will need to go beyond seeking patterns in Big Data to gaining the agency to be curious, to explore and to be creative. This post is a musing on this possibility.

Concierge Intelligence & The Fulfilment of The Promise of The Digital Age

Over the couple of years there has been a creeping disenchantment with the promise of AI. In normal times the cycle would have reversed over a couple of decades. But the pandemic has shortened all cycles of change and I believe AI will make a strong comeback over the next few years. Further I believe that this comeback will be powered by a form of AI that will be an adjunct to an individual and not a corporate or governance tool. A form of AI that I call Concierge Intelligence (CI) It is also my bet that the next big thing in consumer product to rival the smartphone will be CI. This post outlines the forces that will lead to the emergence of CI and its broad contours.

Mr Holmes and Dr Alexa

Will Big Data powered by a layer of AI will become a public utility like electricity and water?. Available to anyone. For a price of course. As today’s post on my blog here is a short, short story to give the thought narrative life. The game is afoot!

The Coming Age of AI and IoT as Public Utilities?

For the past year or so AI has become a big interest of mine both at the professional and the philosophical level. After a few days of wallowing in the shock of the Covid19 disruption I have begun to think about the deeper changes this Black Swan event will effect in all aspect of human society and civilisation. Today’s post on my blog is about a possible paradigm shift that can happen in the area of particular interest to me – AI and the related fields of Big Data and IoT. Look forward to your comments and views.

Audience of One: A Book Review

At the heart of good marketing and marketing communication is a grasp of the gestalt. Of what is and what is likely to happen in the broader world of human lives and society. And good art – both the fine and the popular kind – offers us glimpses into this gestalt that while resonating with our own experience allow us to go deeper and wider in our perception of world. In this “review” series of posts I offer my brief takes on books, movies and television that I have liked and which in some way inform and further my practice as a professional strategist.