VARINDIA IT MAGAZINE

The global economy is on a steady growth trajectory, with projections to reach approximately $115 trillion in nominal GDP by 2025. The International Monetary Fund forecasts a global growth rate of 3.1% in 2024, increasing slightly to 3.2% in 2025. This expansion is supported by easing inflation, resolved supply-side issues, and restrictive monetary policies. . . Global economy 2025, $115 trillion economy, IMF economic forecast, global growth projections, U.S. economy 2025, China GDP 2025, economic rankings 2025, global GDP growth, economic power shifts, global trade outlook, inflation trends, emerging markets growth, macroeconomic analysis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnkdgmxbsoE

The Lazarus Group, a North Korean state-sponsored cybercrime organization, has intensified its cyber campaigns, targeting employees in nuclear-related organizations through fake job scams under the guise of "Operation DreamJob." These sophisticated attacks involve distributing malicious files disguised as IT skill assessments, deploying malware like Ranid Downloader and the newly discovered modular tool, CookiePlus. CookiePlus masquerades as a Notepad++ plugin, enabling data exfiltration, lateral movement, and advanced encryption techniques like RSA and ChaCha20 for stealth operations. By leveraging compromised WordPress servers for decentralized command-and-control infrastructure, the group enhances its efficiency and evasion tactics. This campaign highlights the growing threat to sensitive sectors like nuclear energy, aerospace, and defense. Strengthening cybersecurity measures and vigilance are essential to combat these escalating threats. . . Lazarus Group, Operation Drea...

India's IT sector is set to achieve a significant milestone, with IT exports projected to reach $210 billion by FY 2024-25. This achievement underscores India’s dominant position in the global IT outsourcing market, holding an 18% share and cementing its status as a global technology powerhouse. The robust demand in the US market, coupled with innovation in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and cybersecurity, is driving this growth. However, the industry faces challenges, including slowing demand in Europe and the need for upskilling in emerging technologies like generative AI. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XlkiacP22A&t=1s

The Karnataka High Court has flagged serious concerns over the reliance on private forensic agencies in criminal investigations, particularly in a case filed under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The case involved allegations of bribery, where voice samples were analyzed by a private forensic agency, Truth Labs, instead of government-certified facilities. Justice V. Srisha-nanda ruled that such procedural lapses undermine the credibility of investigations and dismissed charges against the accused. This decision reinforces the necessity of adhering to procedural safeguards and using government forensic resources to ensure fairness and transparency. The ruling is expected to set a significant precedent for future investigations, emphasizing the importance of government-certified evidence in maintaining judicial integrity. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vos2zv5d4Uw .

Meta will be ending support for  WhatsApp  on old Android phones. More than 10-year-old devices are still running on Android KitKat. Meta has thus decided that handsets still running on that version of the OS or older will no longer have access to WhatsApp starting January 1, 2025. The reason for the discontinued support is WhatsApp's evolving features and functionalities, as Meta looks to implement more demanding features, AI functionalities, etc., requiring more modern hardware. The company stated that older platforms often lack the capabilities required to support new updates, posing security risks and limiting functionality. The discontinuation of support means that WhatsApp will no longer provide updates, bug fixes, or security patches for affected devices. https://varindia.com/news/whatsapp-to-drop-support-for-older-android-devices-on-january-1-2025

Google has introduced the Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking model, a pioneering AI system designed to showcase its reasoning process before delivering solutions. Aimed at competing with cutting-edge AI models, this experimental feature enhances the base Gemini 2.0 Flash model with a new "Thinking Mode," offering advanced reasoning capabilities and improved transparency. Available through Google AI Studio, Vertex AI, and the Gemini API, the Thinking Mode represents a significant leap in AI development. It enables developers to access and experiment with a model that explicitly reveals its thought process while solving problems, making it more reliable for complex tasks. Jeff Dean, Chief Scientist at Google DeepMind , highlighted the model’s potential in a recent post on X (formerly Twitter). Built on the Gemini 2.0 Flash framework, the Thinking Mode is designed to break down problems into smaller, logical steps. A demo video shared by Dean showcases the model solving physics problems,...

As part of an ongoing effort to stay ahead in the competitive landscape of artificial intelligence,  OpenAI  revealed on December 20 that it was testing its new AI models, o3 and o3 mini.  CEO Sam Altman  revealed that o3 mini is expected to be released by the end of January, with the full version of o3 following soon after. These new models aim to enhance the AI's ability to tackle complex problems, outperforming earlier models and attracting more investment and users. The company’s previous generation, the o1 models, launched in September, focused on addressing complex tasks in fields like science, mathematics, and coding. The o1 models were designed to spend more time processing queries and were praised for their ability to reason through complicated problems, offering solutions that previous models struggled to provide. https://varindia.com/news/openai-unveils-new-o3-and-o3-mini-models-set-for-2024-launch

Edtech unicorn  PhysicsWallah  is taking a significant step towards a public listing, with plans for an initial public offering (IPO) in 2025. The company’s board has approved the resolution to convert the business into a public entity, renaming it from PhysicsWallah Private Limited to PhysicsWallah Limited, according to a recent regulatory filing. PhysicsWallah, which has revolutionized affordable education in India, intends to list its equity shares on one or more stock exchanges, though no specific timeline has been set. The company aims to go public in the second half of 2025. https://varindia.com/news/physicswallah-transitions-to-public-entity-in-preparation-for-2025-ipo

After Trump’s announcement, Krishnan took to X formerly known as Twitter to thank the president-elect. “I'm honored to be able to serve our country and ensure continued American leadership in AI working closely with David Sacks,” Krishnan       U.S. President-elect Donald Trump  has appointed Indian-American entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and author Sriram Krishnan as Senior White House Policy Advisor on Artificial Intelligence. Krishnan, who has held leadership roles at Microsoft, Twitter, Yahoo!, Facebook, and Snap, will collaborate with David O. Sacks, the newly designated White House AI and Crypto Czar. Announcing the number of appointments around AI, Trump recently said, “Sriram Krishnan will serve as the Senior Policy Advisor for Artificial Intelligence at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Working closely with David Sacks, Sriram will focus on ensuring continued American leadership in AI and help shape and coordinate AI policy across g...

This strategic move aligns with Canon's vision to expand its technological footprint while leveraging India's growth trajectory in the electronics and semiconductor domains.     As India intensifies its efforts to become a global semiconductor hub,  Canon  has expressed interest in contributing to the nation’s semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem. The company's interest aligns with the Indian government’s push to establish a robust semiconductor ecosystem through its  Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes  and initiatives promoting domestic manufacturing.   Canon’s involvement could be a critical step in bringing advanced chip-making technologies to the country. Canon’s expertise could also contribute to creating a supply chain ecosystem that supports innovation and sustainability. https://varindia.com/news/Canon-Eyes-India%E2%80%99s-Semiconductor-Manufacturing-opportunities

NTT DATA  has underscored India’s strategic importance as a global delivery hub. Speaking on the company’s plans, the Asia-Pacific head emphasized India’s unique position in the IT and digital transformation landscape, citing its unparalleled talent pool, robust infrastructure, and growing technology ecosystem as key enablers. With a significant portion of its workforce based in India, NTT DATA has long relied on the country to drive innovation and deliver world-class solutions to its global clients. India’s combination of skilled professionals, competitive costs, and expertise in emerging technologies such as AI,  machine learning,  cloud computing, and cybersecurity makes it a critical component of the company's global delivery strategy. John Lombard, CEO - Asia-Pacific, NTT Data  said, "India’s IT talent ecosystem is second to none. The country’s ability to adapt to evolving technology trends and deliver at scale is integral to our global operations. We are commit...

India's new PAN 2.0 system, designed to improve taxpayer services, is being exploited by scammers. However, scammers are now targeting individuals with fraudulent schemes around new PAN Cards. Fake emails, purportedly from the  Income Tax Department , are circulating, offering e-PAN card downloads.    The Government of India has issued a public alert regarding a sophisticated scam targeting taxpayers under the guise of a "PAN 2.0 upgrade." The scam involves fraudulent messages, emails, or websites claiming to offer an "upgrade" to PAN (Permanent Account Number) cards, which are essential for financial transactions and tax-related activities in India. Victims are lured with promises of faster processing, added benefits, or compliance with "new government regulations."  Typically, scammers direct individuals to fake websites resembling official government portals or send phishing emails containing malicious links. Upon clicking, users are asked to provid...

In a strategic move to strengthen its foothold in the aviation sector, the  Adani Group  has finalized its acquisition of  Air Works , one of India's largest and oldest Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) organizations, for $47 million. This acquisition marks another milestone for the conglomerate, underscoring its ambitious expansion into the aviation and aerospace domains. The acquisition could also pave the way for future investments in cutting-edge technologies such as predictive maintenance, drones, and AI-driven solutions, further enhancing operational efficiency and service quality. The acquisition aligns with Adani Group’s growing focus on the aviation sector. Already a significant player in airport management, the Group operates some of the busiest airports in India, including Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Jaipur. With Air Works under its wing, the Group aims to establish a comprehensive ecosystem that spans airport operations, aviation services, and now aircraft ma...

Encrypted messaging platform  Telegram  has reached profitability 11 years after its launch, according to its  CEO, Pavel Durov . In a recent update on his Telegram channel, Durov credited the milestone to revenue generated through advertisements and its premium subscription service, introduced as part of the platform’s broader monetization efforts. The premium subscription, priced at $4.99 per month, along with a revenue-sharing model for content creators and a business-tier subscription, contributed significantly to Telegram's financial success. The company also managed to pay off a substantial portion of its $2 billion debt this year. https://varindia.com/news/telegram-finally-turns-profitable-after-11-years

Wizad AI Poster Maker , an app which enables easy designs for high-quality posters at low cost, especially for small businesses, has crossed 100,000 app installations and one million generated designs.  The app was developed by young innovators Sanid MTP, Arwitvik Puravankara and Ashiq Abdul Khader, with the support of Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM).  From modest beginning during the Covid-19 pandemic, the app now has customers from allover the world. Available on Android and Ios, the app initially facilitated design for certain brands, before its creators sensed huge opportunities and went ahead with plans that made it hugely popular.  https://varindia.com/news/ksum-backed-poster-maker-wizad-clocks-1-lakh-downloads

As part of an ongoing effort to stay ahead in the competitive landscape of artificial intelligence,  OpenAI  revealed on December 20 that it was testing its new AI models, o3 and o3 mini.  CEO Sam Altman  revealed that o3 mini is expected to be released by the end of January, with the full version of o3 following soon after. These new models aim to enhance the AI's ability to tackle complex problems, outperforming earlier models and attracting more investment and users. The company’s previous generation, the o1 models, launched in September, focused on addressing complex tasks in fields like science, mathematics, and coding. The o1 models were designed to spend more time processing queries and were praised for their ability to reason through complicated problems, offering solutions that previous models struggled to provide. https://varindia.com/news/openai-unveils-new-o3-and-o3-mini-models-set-for-2024-launch

The upgraded Bixby will act as a personal assistant that understands your daily needs, whether it’s organizing a travel itinerary, summarizing emails, or providing real-time translation during conversations.     As  Samsung  is gearing up for the launch of three new Galaxy S25 smartphones next month, experts speculate they will be equipped with Samsung's powerful new  Bixby voice assistant . The enhanced Bixby aims to deliver a smarter, more intuitive, and deeply integrated AI experience, setting new benchmarks in mobile innovation. The Galaxy S25 will debut with a reimagined Bixby, promising improved natural language understanding and faster response times. Leveraging advancements in machine learning and AI, Bixby will now be able to process more complex commands, making interactions feel more conversational and human-like.  Samsung’s focus is on creating an AI assistant that not only answers questions but also understands the context behind them. This wil...

Apple’s unveiling of iOS 18 earlier this year brought a wave of excitement, particularly with the introduction of new  Apple Intelligence (AI)  features. However, the gradual rollout of these features appears to have created challenges for the development of iOS 19, potentially leading to delays in its feature rollout schedule. According to  Apple analyst Mark Gurman , while iOS 19 is expected to debut at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June 2025, some key features might see staggered releases. This delay stems from Apple’s ongoing work to finalize the remaining updates for  iOS 18 . The rollout of iOS 18 has been slower than usual, with major updates like the revamped Siri still in development. The recently released iOS 18.2 included several AI enhancements, and iOS 18.3 and 18.4 are slated to introduce more, including significant updates to Apple’s virtual assistant. These staggered updates have extended Apple’s current development cycle, leaving...

Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL)  has appointed  Ira Bindra as the organisation's Group President  - People and Talent.  Mukesh D Ambani , the chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries, announced Bindra's appointment as he looks to pivot talent, skill, and people policies at the oil-to-telecom conglomerate. RIL's functional heads usually announce talent hires at the senior level. However, Bindra is the first recent appointment announced by Ambani, chairman and managing director of Reliance himself. Bindra joins RIL after a distinguished career at Medtronic, USA, where she served as the Head of Human Resources (HR) and Vice President—Global Regions. RIL said in a statement that she has been hired to “drive transformation across the entire organisation. https://varindia.com/news/Mukesh-Ambani-names-Ira-Bindra-as-Reliance-Industries%E2%80%99-Group-President-for-HR-&-Talent

Suchir Balaji’s death comes at a time when OpenAI and its partner Microsoft face multiple lawsuits alleging copyright infringement   A 26-year-old former researcher at  OpenAI , was found dead in his San Francisco apartment on November 26. Authorities confirmed  Suchir Balaji’s  death as a suicide following a wellness check initiated earlier that day. The San Francisco Medical Examiner’s Office ruled out foul play, and a statement from the San Francisco Police Department confirmed no signs of suspicious circumstances. The news was reported on December 13 by SiliconValley.com. Balaji, an Indian-origin computer scientist, worked at OpenAI from November 2020 to August 2024. During his tenure, he contributed to critical projects, including the pre-training of GPT-4 and enhancements to ChatGPT. However, his career took a dramatic turn when he became a whistleblower, accusing OpenAI of unethical practices involving the use of copyrighted material in training its AI models....

Partners are the frontrunners who help customers embrace Digital Transformation - SNA 2022:  VARINDIA  witnessed a tremendous growth and momentum among the partners who attended the 21st edition of VARINDIA Star Nite (SNA) Awards, held at Hotel Roseate House, Aerocity, New Delhi on 11th November 2022. As both online and offline buying behaviour changes, Indian VARs find massive opportunities and they continue to grow their business.   Transformation drives innovation and the Industry Brainstorming sessions are the most effective way to engage in a Face-To-Face conversation. The 12 hours marathon hybrid event started at 9.00 am and went on till 9.00 pm at night. The event attracted over 2347 attendees - Physical attendees were 400 and the rest of the attendees attended online (VARs/Partners/OEMs) from 30 different cities from across the country.   SNA is well recognised as “the DNA of the Channel”. The Partners and VARs who got together took this opportunity to share ...