July 17: As businesses continue to integrate artificial intelligence into everyday operations, AI Appreciation Day serves as an opportunity to reflect not just on the technology’s rapid evolution, but also on how organisations are using it to drive meaningful outcomes. While AI is accelerating innovation, improving efficiencies and transforming customer experiences, industry leaders agree that its true value lies in complementing human intelligence, creativity and responsible decision-making.
Sharing their perspectives on the occasion, leaders across technology, marketing, media and entertainment discuss the evolving role of AI and the principles that will shape its future.
Prashant Puri, Co-founder and CEO, AdLift, said,
“The irony of AI Appreciation Day is that as AI becomes more capable, it highlights the distinct, irreplaceable value that only humans can bring. AI is already transforming businesses by shrinking timelines from weeks into hours. However, the long-term impact is less about the work we hand off to machines and more about how much sharper our own insights become because of them. The future belongs to businesses that master collaborative intelligence and know exactly when to keep a human in the room. Technology gives us speed, but human empathy and creativity give us direction. At AdLift, we drive this philosophy, combining powerful machine capabilities with irreplaceable human oversight to build truly authentic, sustainable brand visibility.”
Echoing a similar sentiment, Sonia Nahar, Group Head – Social Media & Strategic Initiatives, BarCode, said,
“AI Appreciation Day feels like a good moment to pause and really notice how fundamentally AI has reshaped the way industries operate. A few years ago, AI was something we talked about in theory – now it’s quietly running in the background of almost everything we do at work, from how we make decisions to how we serve customers.”
She added,
“Looking ahead, its impact will only deepen – driving innovation, unlocking new efficiencies, and creating entirely new business models we’re only beginning to imagine. As we integrate AI deeper into our workflows, prioritizing transparency, ethical governance, and human-centric design isn’t optional – it’s essential. Technology should amplify human potential, not replace human judgment. That balance will define which organizations truly thrive in the AI era.”
Offering a business-first perspective, Ajay Varma, Managing Partner, 0101.Today, said,
“My concern is that we’re appreciating AI for the wrong reasons. Too many organisations are celebrating the number of AI tools they’ve adopted instead of the business problems they’ve solved. AI doesn’t create competitive advantage on its own. Better decisions do. We’re already seeing Indian organisations like HDFC Bank use AI to strengthen fraud detection, Apollo Hospitals improve clinical decision-making and Flipkart personalise customer experiences at scale. Those are meaningful outcomes. As AI becomes part of every business, success won’t be measured by how much AI a company uses, but by how responsibly it applies it to create value for customers, employees and society.”
Highlighting AI‘s role in enhancing audience engagement and creativity, Anuja Trivedi, Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer, Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd., said,
“The true power of AI lies in helping brands craft more meaningful consumer experiences. At Shemaroo Entertainment, AI helps us decode audience behaviour, personalise content discovery, and enhance social media storytelling. We have also been exploring AI to create campaigns such as ‘The Glass Ceiling’ for Women’s Day and ‘Kindness Badhaye Goodness’ during Christmas. We view it as a tool that strengthens human creativity rather than replaces it. As AI becomes more deeply integrated into business, its long-term value will depend on responsible adoption, human oversight, and sound judgment.”
Speaking about AI‘s growing role in entertainment, Nitin Burman, CRO, Balaji Telefilms, added,
“AI is no longer just a tool for efficiency, it is becoming a creative collaborator across media, marketing and entertainment. From enabling immersive storytelling and reducing production costs to delivering hyper-personalised audience experiences, AI is redefining how content is created, distributed and consumed. At Balaji, we see AI as an enabler that amplifies human creativity rather than replacing it. The future lies in using AI responsibly to empower creators, accelerate innovation, and make high-quality entertainment more accessible, while ensuring that originality, emotion and authentic storytelling remain at the heart of every experience.”
As AI continues to evolve, the consensus among industry leaders remains clear: while the technology will keep transforming the way businesses operate, its greatest potential will be realised when paired with human creativity, ethical governance and thoughtful decision-making. AI may power the future, but people will continue to shape its purpose.