Zero Shot

Here’s a fresh take on the India AI Impact Summit that took place last week in New Delhi: it was two events stitched together, happening at the same time. There was the expo, where companies and nations showcased their products and services to 250,000 visitors. And then there was a conference where the geopolitical effects of AI were front and centre.Inderpal Singh, one of The Ken’s reporters, was on site to find out where the action was. Hear his firsthand account about what really mattered at the summit, what India’s builders were up to, and how it felt to be at what’s called the largest AI-themed gathering ever.Then, hosts Praveen Gopal Krishnan and Brady Ng discuss the ramifications of the summit and the way India is positioned—as an AI middle power, or something else? Plus, one country’s delegates were noticeably absent, and the two hosts have opposite takes on what that means.Tune in for all that and more.If you were at the India AI Impact Summit, tell us about it at zeroshot@the-ken.com *This episode was produced by Vidhatri Rao and edited by Rajiv CN.Zeus, the mascot of Zero Shot, was generated using AI. Everything else is made by humans, just like all articles, columns, newsletters, and other podcasts created by The Ken.Additional Reading: Indian university faces backlash for claiming Chinese robodog as own at AI summitAI impact summit layoutNew Delhi declaration At A.I. Summit, India Tries to Find a Way Between the U.S. and China

“It’s a land grab market…” That’s how our guest Devyani Gupta, the founder of voice AI startup Arrowhead, describes the space she is operating in.  A simple fact illustrates the competition she is stressing on: VC funding for Indian voice AI startups went from seven crore in 2023 to 280 crore in 2025.  There is a lot to unpack in these figures. And Mrunmayee Kulkarni, The Ken’s AI reporter, followed the money to do just that.  She found that the voice AI market is crowded, with many operating for BFSI clients. A senior manager in a bank summed it up best: “differentiate or suffocate”. Then, there is also the possibility of major enterprises acquiring voice AI capabilities themselves.  So, what is the moat for voice AI companies? Mrunmayee joins Zero Shot hosts Rohin Dharmakumar and Brady Ng to ask Devyani this question.  Devyani makes a stark differentiation between “building a demo” and “running production”. The latter part, she argues, is what got Arrowhead its 50 plus enterprise clients. She gets into the technicalities and nuances of the business to explain why. And yes, we discuss the elephant in the room that is the India AI impact summit. We couldn't help but talk about the mild chaos that is unfolding in Delhi. Tune in! What did you think of this episode? Write to us at zeroshot@the-ken.com.---This episode was produced by Vidhatri Rao and edited by Rajiv CN.---Zeus, the mascot of Zero Shot, was generated using AI. Everything else is made by humans, just like all articles, columns, newsletters, and other podcasts created by The Ken.---Additional Reading: Voice AI has gone from whisper to commotion. Can the market get any louder?Voice AI startups hear the sound of money as enterprises sign uphttps://arrowhead.ai/Artificial Intelligence in India's Voice AI SectorFounder stuck outside the India AI impact summit venueIndia's AI Summit opening in New Delhi marred by long queues, confusion

It’s the end of 2025, so we don’t have a full episode of Zero Shot for you today.This podcast launched in September, and we’ve produced 14 episodes for you so far. We’ve covered a wide range of topics, and our conversations—between Praveen, Rohin, and Brady—only work because you’re willing to sit with the complexities we wade into. We know artificial intelligence will move fast in 2026, so we’ll keep asking the questions that matter in this AI hype cycle. We’re glad you’re coming along with us.So, thank you, and we’ll be back next week.As always, if you’d like to get in touch with any or all of our hosts, please drop us a note at zeroshot@the-ken.com. We respond to all messages.The cover art of Zero Shot is generated by AI. Everything else is made by humans, just like all articles, columns, newsletters, and other podcasts created by The Ken.

Join Brady Ng, Praveen Gopal Krishnan, and Rohin Dharmakumar of The Ken as they discuss the big ideas in artificial intelligence. You’ll get the macro view, explore their experiments in practical applications, go deeper than the news coverage you’ve seen, and hear about the implications of the latest developments. Nothing is off the table.