Partners Universal Innovative Research Publication

Sustainable Sparkle: The Emergence and Impact of Lab-Grown Diamonds in India's Diamond Capital

Dr. A. Shaji George — 2024-04-25

Diamond cutting and polishing have historically been conducted in Surat, India, which processes the majority of raw diamonds mined around the globe. Nevertheless, conventional diamond mining is rife with environmental and ethical concerns. Lab-grown diamonds present a sustainable alternative to deep-seated diamond mining by simulating natural conditions to produce the precious stones above ground in a span of six weeks. The emergence of lab-grown diamonds in Surat and its potential repercussions are examined in this article. The paper describes the technological process by which lab-grown diamonds are produced by simulating the underground natural diamond formation process through the application of high pressure and heat to diamond embryos in plasma reactors. This allows for up to a 30% reduction in the cost of diamond production compared to conventional mining methods. Nevertheless, energy demands give rise to concerns regarding sustainability. Currently, Surat is the leader in lab-grown diamond production in India, satisfying the growing demand for ethical and affordable jewelry among consumers. Consumer viewpoints demonstrate a favorable regard for the optical similarity between lab-grown and mined diamonds subsequent to refining, notwithstanding initial reservations regarding the genuineness of the diamonds. Indicating impending disruption, producers anticipate that the global demand for lab-grown diamonds will double to $44 billion by 2028, thereby creating an enormous market expansion opportunity. Ethics and the global valuation of diamonds may undergo significant transformations in the future if production scales up, as the diamond industry has a history of exploitative practices. Nevertheless, further lifecycle analysis is necessary in order to validate sustainability assertions in light of energy requirements. In addition, although Surat has been at the forefront of lab-diamond manufacturing, other regions are shortly to enter the market, thereby dispersing the infrastructure and expertise that have historically provided Surat with its competitive edge. As a result, laboratory-grown diamonds offer consumers a potentially transformative ethical alternative that may alter the dynamics of the supply chain. However, their long-term effects in Surat, the diamond capital of the world, are dubious in the absence of energy innovations and the global diffusion of lab-diamond production. This underscores potential areas for additional investigation concerning regional disparities in the diamond industry's concentration of resources and competition regarding sustainability credentials.

Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Work: Job Shifting Not Job Loss

Dr. A. Shaji George — 2024-04-25

As artificial intelligence (AI) and automation technologies advance fast, substantial discussion remains about their influence on jobs and employment. Some expect enormous job losses and structural unemployment as computers and algorithms replace human workers in a variety of industries. However, the prevailing scholarly viewpoint is that, while AI will revolutionize work, it will not result in longterm job losses. AI is projected to have a net impact of job shifting rather than job loss by increasing productivity, accelerating economic growth, changing the structure of jobs, and allowing sectoral employment transitions. Detailed productivity evaluations show a strong correlation between productivity gains and net job creation. A 2022 meta-analysis of 127 papers indicated that productivity increases consistently improve employment and wages. Additional cross-country data from the OECD shows this association across a wide range of industrialized and emerging countries. Meanwhile, long-term data reveal that working hours have steadily decreased in recent decades without causing significant job losses, while productivity and earnings have increased in parallel. Integrating AI to automate monotonous jobs and improve human capabilities could fuel this trend. Displaced workers can transfer into new occupational jobs with adequate skilling and transition support rather than facing long periods of unemployment. Sectoral shifts have also characterized historical labor market evolutions following technology disruptions. As innovative industries outcompete legacy ones, economies undergo structural transformations. Current trends show that services are expanding while manufacturing is contracting in most sophisticated countries. AI and automation will most certainly speed the shift of occupations from manual production to skilled service roles, hence facilitating this transition. With appropriate government provisions such as retraining programs and educational expansions, the necessary employment transitions between sectors can occur smoothly rather than disruptively. In summary, while the AI revolution will fundamentally alter labor markets, effective governmental measures can ensure that job shifting outpaces loss. Workers must be supported in regularly adapting their skill sets and transitioning into new roles. Firms should invest in personnel skill development as well as smart technology integration. And governments should develop multiple ways to assist different groups in navigating the transitions, including the extension of social safety nets where appropriate. With coordinated efforts to optimize human-AI collaboration, this technology tsunami does not have to result in negative job impacts, but can instead place people in more rewarding, higher-value jobs. The view remains cautiously encouraging, providing stakeholders focus on boosting human talents to share in the AI-driven productivity windfall rather than simply displacing them.

Consequences of Enterprise Cloud Migration on Institutional Information Technology Knowledge

Dr. A. Shaji George — 2024-04-25

As enterprise adoption of cloud computing accelerates, driven by desires to reduce costs and improve agility, IT departments face an unintended consequence - the gradual erosion of internal expertise related to on-premises systems. Surveys indicate 80% of companies have migrated major systems to the cloud, projecting 90% adoption by 2025. While touting benefits like reduced capital expenses and faster provisioning, the reality is many organizations are dependent on external cloud vendors for mission-critical services they no longer fully understand. This knowledge drain regarding legacy infrastructure and applications has left IT teams without the specialized skills to optimize performance, strengthen security, or even adequately evaluate vendor offerings. Analysis shows 70% of IT staff lack deep expertise with cloud platforms and modern devOps tools after migration, struggling to adapt. Entire administrative and troubleshooting tasks around server clusters, data centers, and networks have been ceded to third parties. Though some skills remain transferable, few cloud architects grasp intricacies of the organization's aging ERP system or database infrastructure; this increases risk of issues during any hybrid cloud transition. As veteran staffers with operations experience retire, replacement hires versed in application integration and container orchestration hardly fill the gap. This skill deficit leaves institutions vulnerable when the cloud fails, unable to diagnose internal causes or vendor SLA violations. Outages at leading providers like AWS and Azure have caused significant disruption, while misconfigurations account for nearly 80% of breaches; without in-house technical knowledge, resolving these problems relies entirely on outside support. Delays and downtime can cost millions. Facing this complexity gap, IT leaders must make reskilling existing teams a priority, rather than continued layoffs, while mandating documentation of legacy platforms and processes before that expertise permanently dissipates. Though the cloud journey has lifted basic burdens, organizations must take care not to outsource their entire technological competency along the way.

Rocket-Powered E-Commerce: Exploring the Feasibility and Implications of Suborbital Package Delivery

Dr. A. Shaji George — 2024-04-25

Due to the exponential growth of e-commerce, businesses strive for ever-faster delivery to meet consumer demands. This endeavor has spawned novel transportation concepts such as delivery via suborbital rocket. This study investigates the viability and consequences of employing reusable rockets to accomplish worldwide parcel delivery in less than an hour. The technical specifications put forth by Chinese enterprises engaged in the development of this technology are examined. These specifications encompass payload capabilities, reusability, and the modeling of delivery time via suborbital trajectories. The findings suggest that a rocket system of this nature has the capability to transport payloads of up to 10 tons worldwide in less than an hour, with each rocket capable of being reused twenty times. However, weather disruptions and precise landings remain unresolved obstacles. Additional economic analysis reveals that market demand and cost-effectiveness are ambiguous. While rockets may be attractive for transporting high-priority payloads, they are currently unsuitable for the majority of e-commerce requirements. Additionally, the environmental effects of rocket emissions may limit the technology's viability as a sustainable transport option. In addition to these, social and regulatory concerns pertaining to aviation laws, accessibility, and public safety pose further obstacles. As a result of technical barriers and broader feasibility concerns, the potential for ultrafast delivery via suborbital rockets continues to be largely speculative. Considerable additional development and testing are required to ascertain whether this concept has the potential to transform into a scalable, cost-effective, and socially acceptable innovation, as opposed to merely remaining a novel idea. Viability of the business model, environmental sustainability, and regulatory sanction continue to be crucial concerns. Although there will be ongoing advancements in speed, genuine transformational change may necessitate innovations in various sectors, including technology, economy, and society. This preliminary assessment indicates that at present, the level of enthusiasm surrounding global delivery in less than an hour surpasses the practicality of near-term projections.

Repairing the Future: The Global Fight for Accessible Fixes and Sustainable Tech

Dr. A. Shaji George — 2024-04-25

Electronic waste (e-waste) increases exponentially in tandem with the proliferation of electronic devices on a global scale, with enormous environmental and health repercussions. A maximum of fifty million metric tons of electronic waste were produced in 2021. Hazardous chemicals leach into soil and groundwater through unregulated disposal, endangering vulnerable waste workers. Nonetheless, these alarming patterns obscure nuances in the contexts of various nations. The historical and cultural significance of repair and reuse in India is conspicuous through the presence of cobblers and sari repair businesses. Recent economic development, however, has given rise to business models based on planned obsolescence, which discourage repair. Presently, a worldwide "right to repair" movement opposes intellectual property and manufacturing regimes that impose restrictions. Right to repair reforms provide access to repair manuals, spare parts, and other proprietary resources that are typically restricted by companies such as Apple for independent repair businesses and consumers. More than twenty-seven nations have enacted such legislation. Proponents assert that open access will reduce electronic waste while simultaneously generating employment and a domestic repair sector. Opponents argue that the removal of restrictions undermines the motivations that propel technological innovation. India occupies a central position in relation to these tensions. Fifty companies have ratified a voluntary Right to Repair framework since its inception in 2023. Modular design, affordable spare parts, and the formalization of the informal repair sector are all encouraged by the guidelines. The framework, however, risks being toothless in the absence of a parliamentary law. Manufacturers with considerable sway lobby against proposed mandates such as universal USB-C chargers by 2025. Amid e-waste disposal, the $20 billion domestic repair and $5 billion refurbishment markets remain underserved. The export of used electronics places a disproportionate amount of electronic waste on developing nations, which lack the necessary infrastructure to manage it safely. Delhi is already gravely contaminated by unregulated waste disposal. Nevertheless, the adoption of repair practices does present temporary economic benefits in the form of employment generation in refurbishment. Furthermore, reuse and recycling help conserve rare earth metals and lithium, which are essential electronic resources for the transition to renewable energy. The technological and environmental futures of the Global South are probably dependent on the expansion of ethical repair ecosystems. In spite of contradictory motivations, developing countries are at the vanguard of sustainable technology policy, as they must not only deal with the waste of other nations but also protect their own resources.

Bridging the Gender Gap in STEM: Empowering Women as Drivers of Technological Innovation

Dr. A. Shaji George — 2024-04-25

Despite comprising half the global workforce, women remain significantly underrepresented in STEM fields, holding just 28% of related positions worldwide. This gap is even more pronounced for women of color, who account for less than 2% of the STEM workforce. This stark gender imbalance has cascading effects, transferring to inequality in leadership and pay - with women in tech leadership roles hovering around 24% and earning 14% less than men. If allowed to persist, this gap will have dire economic consequences, causing nations to miss out on innovation, productivity gains, and talent. As we enter the 4th industrial revolution, the importance of STEM to technological innovation and economic growth is accelerating rapidly. However, current statistics project that if women and girls continue to be left out, nearly half the world's brainpower and perspectives will remain untapped. Several countries are recognizing this crisis, pioneering national initiatives to engage women in STEM and harness their potential as drivers of technological innovation. Singapore, Japan, and 26 EU nations are employing comprehensive strategies including funding incentives, policy reforms, and quotas to dismantle barriers facing women in tech. And these initiatives are showing early signs of success - with most EU countries now seeing an increase in women's STEM participation. However, current efforts remain insufficient to bridge the widening gender divide. This is clearly evidenced in the leadership composition of the metaverse - the virtual world set to significantly impact everything from business to healthcare. Despite the embryonic state of metaverse technology, women already comprise just 10% of leadership roles in companies steering its standards and development. This foreshadows an ominous reality where women remain locked out of the innovations shaping the future. Without urgent global efforts to engage women in STEM, from policymakers dismantling systemic barriers to educators empowering girls, this gender gap will persist - hampering social progress and inclusive growth. The world is at a crossroads, and empowering women to be drivers of technological change offers perhaps the most promising path to an equitable and prosperous future.

The Human Touch: Exploring the Synergy Between Bartenders and AI in Cocktail Creation

Dr. A. Shaji George — 2024-04-25

As artificial intelligence systems become more advanced and ubiquitous across industries, questions arise regarding the continued role of human expertise and creativity, especially in services fields dependent on personal client interactions. This paper explores these issues through an experiment comparing cocktails crafted by a human bartender versus an AI system using identical patron flavor and style inputs. 27 patrons at a (B-X) cocktail lounge participated, first filling out a survey on their flavor preferences like sweetness, citrus levels, ingredients, and sensory experiences like "refreshing" or "adventurous." The bartender and AI system used these profiles to each create a unique cocktail recipe for each patron. In a blind taste test, patrons sampled both their bartender and AI cocktail, then guessed which was human made. Results showed 22 out of 27 patrons correctly chose the bartender's cocktail, suggesting significant remaining advantages to human creativity, intuition, and personalization ability versus current AI limits. However, 5 patrons preferred the AI cocktail, confirming the creative potential. Qualitative interviews found most patrons emphasizing the bartender's ability to create "surprising" ingredient combinations aligned to their tastes through personal interactions. The AI was seen as more "rigid," even when the cocktail tasted good. As one patron described, "the bartender just got my vibe immediately and ran with it." The paper argues this aligns with research on emotional intelligence in services roles. However, the paper also explores opportunities for beneficial synergies between human bartenders augmented by AI tools. AI could handle tedious tasks like inventory management, quantified recommendations, and even creative suggestions to spark human imagination. Such collaboration would retain the human touch most valued in bartending, while benefiting from AI's scalability and computational insights, realizing augmented creativity. More bartending experiments are needed, as are expanded service contexts, but initial results suggest maintaining the human role even amidst advancing AI. The creative, emotional, personalized "human touch" retains importance across industries. This study begins quantifying that value.

Decoding the Language of Love: A Dictionary of Modern Dating Terms Used by Gen Z and Millennials

Dr. A. Shaji George — 2024-04-25

The advent of dating apps and online platforms for courtship in the 21st century has given rise to a unique lexicon for modern dating. Terms like “situationship,” “cushioning,” and “zombieing” reflect new dating dynamics and scenarios not experienced by previous generations. This paper analyzes survey data and trends surrounding seven common terms - situationships, cushioning, kittenfishing, zombieing, “date of view” experiences, “riz,” and stashing - used amongst Gen Z and Millennial daters. Situationships describe non-committed relationships existing between the casual and serious. Cushioning refers to keeping backup relationship options in case a primary partner does not work out. Kittenfishing entails intentionally using highly flattering profile photos or descriptions to appear more attractive to matches. Zombieing describes someone who cuts off contact unexpectedly only to resume communication later without explanation. A "date of view" is a date that resembles a business interview with rapid-fire questions rather than an organic chat. The phrase "riz" refers to easy charm or magnetism in attracting lovers. Finally, stashing refers to spending significant time with a clandestine companion who is kept apart from friends and family. Survey data indicates 62% of Gen Z feel disconnected from their parents due to differing generational understandings of such modern dating terminology. Further data reveals 75% of Millennials admit utilizing kittenfishing techniques on dating profiles. Qualitative research included one-on-one interviews with Gen Z and Millennials which suggest zombieing and situationships have become commonplace, representing larger cultural shifts like fear of commitment and keeping backup options. In conclusion, while technological innovations have greatly expanded romantic possibilities, they have also bred new complex relationship dynamics now encoded into dating terminology. Younger generations employ an extensive dating vocabulary reflecting new courtship norms, behaviors and uncertainties distinct from their parents’ experiences. This doubling of language underscores profound intergenerational disconnects. Bridging this widening vocabulary gap will be critical for improving crossgenerational empathy and dialogue amidst rapidly evolving dating culture in the digital age.

The Diminishing Returns of Higher Education in India: Examining Degree Inflation and Employability

Dr. A. Shaji George — 2024-04-25

This paper investigates the diminishing returns of higher education degrees in India, as reflected in high graduate unemployment rates and degree inflation. Analysis of government labor force data from 2022 indicates an overall graduate unemployment rate approaching 30%. However, this national rate masks even higher levels among graduates of elite institutes like the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), where placements rates have dropped below 70%. Through regression analysis of graduate employment outcomes controlling for macroeconomic conditions, the paper finds that every percentage point increase in engineering graduates in India over the past decade has been associated with a 1.2 percentage point decline in IIT graduate employment rates. This suggests that degree supply growth has far outpaced demand evolution in the labor market. Market saturation is also evidenced in declining entry level wages for engineers from top campuses, down 22% in real terms since 2010. To supplement the quantitative findings, the paper includes interviews with over 50 stakeholders across academia, industry and policy. Employers overwhelmingly highlight skills gaps and lack of specialization even among graduates of elite colleges. 72% of corporate recruiters say new graduates require significant additional training before becoming productive hires. Further, 65% say they now bypass degrees to directly assess narrow specialized skills when making hiring decisions. In terms of responses, the paper argues that students, educators and policymakers need to shift focus from simply acquiring degrees to developing in-demand skills aligned with dynamic market needs. It recommends earlier specialization for students, rather than retrospectively trying to gain skills after generalist undergraduate studies. The analysis also finds inertia in terms of curriculum reform, with 75% of engineering colleges not having updated core course content in the past 5 years, out of sync with technological changes. By redirecting India's vast pent-up demand for higher education toward more specialized programs connected to skills development rather than just credentialing, the employability promise of Indian higher education can be revived. With the right partnerships between academia, industry and government, the next generation of Indian graduates need not be destined for unemployment or underemployment akin to previous generations.