Xoriant CEO on real AI application; Women redefining what’s possible

The first trading day of 2026 was off to a good start. 

The S&P 500 closed slightly higher on Friday, up 0.19% at 6,858.47, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.03% to finish at 23,235.63. The Dow Jones Industrial Average moved up 0.66% to settle at 48,382.39.

Friday’s gain marked a reversal from the first-day trading trend of the last few years. The S&P 500 finished lower on the first day of trading for each of the last three years, according to CNBC. 

Nvidia rose more than 1% and was among the big winners in 2025. 

ICYMI: A look at Nvidia’s top startup investments. 

In fact, the US dollar began 2026 stronger, snapping last year’s slump against most currencies as investors look ahead to a critical week of economic data that could steer US Federal Reserve policy and global markets, Reuters said.

Meanwhile, Eternal Founder Deepinder Goyal has batted for “less regulation” for India’s gig economy, arguing that it will eventually help bring more people into the “organised” workforce. 

Lastly, social media users in the UK on their quest to avoid AI slop content have now landed on Reddit—which is now the fourth-most visited social media platform in the country. 

Gen Zs in the UK are swapping TikTok for Reddit!

In today’s newsletter, we will talk about 

• Xoriant CEO on real AI application
• Women redefining what’s possible

Here’s your trivia for today: The average person has over 1,460 of what each year?

Interview

Xoriant CEO on real AI application

As AI continues to dominate technology discourse, Xoriant CEO Rohit Kedia is calling for a fundamental shift from AI innovation to practical implementation, warning that the industry faces a significant application gap despite massive capital investments.

The Chrys Capital-backed mid-sized digital engineering and technology services company has positioned itself as a leader in what Kedia terms “applied intelligence”, a strategic approach focused on delivering measurable business value through AI rather than chasing technological trends.

Changing scenes:

• Its applied intelligence strategy centres on three key pillars: workforce transformation, domain expertise through ontology development, and platform-led delivery acceleration through its Orion platform. 
• Xoriant has already achieved 100% AI literacy across its workforce and aims to reach complete AI fluency by the end of next year.
• Central to Xoriant’s strategy is the concept of software-defined businesses. Kedia believes every company, regardless of industry, is on a journey to become fundamentally software-driven.

Inspiration

ICYMI: Women redefining what’s possible

For women, age is frequently treated as a boundary rather than a milestone. It’s often assumed that ambition, determination, and reinvention belong to the youth. But women are dismantling these assumptions to prove that age is just a number, and you are as old as you feel. They are choosing purpose and adventure and focusing on giving back. 

Meet the women rethinking and reinventing ageing while being the change they wish to see in this world.

News & updates

• Leadership: Berkshire Hathaway shares slipped as investors digested the formal end of Warren Buffett’s six-decade tenure as CEO and the start of a new era under successor Greg Abel. Class A shares fell 1.4% on Abel’s first day as CEO, following the close of one of the most storied leadership tenures in corporate history.
• Rollout: SEBI has proposed a phased rollout of a new net worth requirement for existing merchant bankers, stepping up risk management of India’s booming IPO market. The proposed timeline is part of SEBI’s overhaul of rules announced in December for bankers managing fund raises and deals, requiring them to maintain a liquid net worth of at least 25% of the minimum net worth requirement at all times.
• Ban: US President Donald Trump blocked US photonics firm HieFo Corp’s $3 million acquisition of assets in New Jersey-based aerospace and defence specialist Emcore, citing national security and China-related concerns.

The average person has over 1,460 of what each year?

Answer: Dreams. The average person experiences about 4 dreams per night, which totals over 1,460 per year. Some reports also suggest this number represents the average number of lies told annually!

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