XLRI Hosts ‘Manakriti’; Explores AI’s Impact on Business and Leadership

by Apurva

Jamshedpur: XLRI Jamshedpur made a significant stride in AI discourse by hosting its first-ever AI Conclave, Manakriti: AI & Business – Transforming Strategy, Innovation, and Leadership. The event, organized by the PGDM (GM) AI Nexus Club, gathered prominent industry leaders, policymakers, and AI experts to explore the game-changing role of AI in reshaping business landscapes.

The conclave was officially inaugurated by Dr. (Fr.) S. George, S.J., Director of XLRI, and Dr. Sanjay K. Patro, Dean (Academics) at XLRI. Fr. George focused on the ethical dimensions of AI, stressing its importance in fostering responsible leadership. Prof. Patro emphasized the need for business leaders to embrace AI-driven transformations in order to stay competitive.

The first panel discussion, titled AI & The Future of Work – Redefining Jobs & Skills, delved into the evolving workforce dynamics due to AI. Moderated by Dr. (Fr.) Kuruvilla Joseph Pandikattu, S.J., the panel featured leaders like Srivatsa Subbanna from Axis Bank, who highlighted the role of AI in enhancing customer experiences through innovations like the GenAI chatbot Adi. Mamta Aggarwal Rajnayak from American Express discussed the importance of integrating Emotional Quotient (EQ) and Ethical Quotient (EQ) in AI-driven workplaces to ensure fairness and transparency. Other panelists, including Debayan Nag from PwC and Sameer Sagar Mishra from Tata Steel, stressed the need for human-AI collaboration and shared how AI is optimizing operations across industries.

The second panel, moderated by Rahul Ratnam, a PGDM-GM student at XLRI, focused on how AI is transforming business strategy and leadership. Sankarsan Mukherjee from PwC India spoke about the importance of aligning AI adoption with specific business needs, while Anne Grace from Verizon emphasized that AI solutions must be aligned with both business goals and user requirements. Experts like Amar Kumar from Microsoft and Dr. Amit Sachan from Jio discussed how AI fosters continuous learning and enhances customer engagement, with examples such as Jio-Hotstar’s personalized content recommendations. Other speakers, including Ramakanta Panigrahy from Atos and Rohit Punnoose from Target India, shared insights on how AI-driven automation and pricing strategies are enhancing operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

The conclave concluded with a heartfelt vote of thanks from the AI Nexus Club, recognizing the contributions of XLRI faculty, industry experts, and student organizers. The event underscored XLRI’s commitment to facilitating thought-provoking discussions on AI’s role in shaping future business leaders and driving responsible innovation.

With its focus on strategic AI adoption, ethical considerations, and continuous professional development, the Manakriti AI Conclave 2025 reaffirmed XLRI Jamshedpur’s position at the forefront of AI-led business transformation, preparing leaders for an AI-driven future.