A friend of mine asked me a question last week. Who is programming AI?

I started to answer, and then I stopped. The question contains a misunderstanding so common that almost no one has bothered to fix it.

AI is not programmed. Not the way he was thinking.

It is trained.

Programming is a commandment. When X happens, do Y. Every line is a rule a human wrote down, and the machine has no choice but to obey. It is the ten commandments, scaled down to silicon.

Training works differently.

So how does training actually work?

At the bottom of it, a large language model is a guessing game. You give it the beginning of a sentence and ask it to guess the next word. Show it the cat sat on the and it has to predict mat. Or sofa. Or windowsill.

You play this trillions of times, on sentences from every kind of writing humanity has produced. Each wrong guess nudges its settings toward the right answer. Each right guess reinforces them.

The model cannot just memorize. There is too much text. To get good at guessing, it has to start figuring out how language works underneath. Grammar. Logic. It never gets any of this explicitly. You cannot predict the next word without absorbing the patterns underneath it.

Which is exactly how a child learns to speak. I do not mean a machine has a childhood. I mean the mechanism is the same. When a mother says where is the and pauses, the child has already filled in a ball or puppy in her head. She masters language through countless small predictions.

Where the metaphor strains is the experience. A child has hunger. Heat. The feeling of falling. The model has only words sitting next to other words. It learns the shape of meaning without ever touching what meaning points to. But the absorption itself is real.

Think about how you learned your mother tongue. No one handed you a grammar book. You grew up inside the language and absorbed it.

In the Mahabharata, there is a boy named Ekalavya. Refused as a student by the great teacher Dronacharya, he goes to the forest, builds a clay statue of his teacher, and practices in front of it every day. No formal instruction. No correction. Just years of watching, copying, building the skill in himself.

That is how AI learns now. The whole library of human writing is the statue in the forest. The model is the boy in front of it, practicing.

One more piece matters.

After the model absorbs the library, a much smaller group of people rates its outputs. This answer is helpful. This one is not. Try again. Thousands of times.

What gets rated is not only tone. The committee decides what the model should refuse to answer. How to handle a question about a politician, a medical symptom, a religion that is not its own. The committee is writing the conscience of the machine, and whatever it decides will sit inside every conversation that model has, with every user, in every country, for as long as that model is in service.

That phase is called reinforcement learning from human feedback, or RLHF. It is how the model learns its manners, and why two AI systems raised on similar libraries end up with very different personalities.

The child absorbs the library on its own, without a curator. Then a small editorial committee teaches it which of those absorbed voices it is allowed to use. Safety teams decide where the red lines sit. Contracted raters, often paid by the hour from the global south, mark thousands of outputs good or bad. Then, at the point of use, a system prompt for a children’s tutoring app. A different one for a Pentagon targeting platform. Same model, told how to behave in each new room.

A few dozen people, in a handful of rooms, deciding what a system that will speak to billions is allowed to say. That is an oligarchy.

“Civilization runs on language. Law is language. A hundred-dollar bill is a sentence the state agrees to honor. The order to fire is words. War, traced back to its decisions, is language all the way down. A language model sits inside the cognitive layer that power has always run on.”

Which is why the popular framing of AI in war misses what is happening. The model is not pulling the trigger. What it does is harder to see. It shapes the field of choices the human sees.

Imagine an analyst inside something called the Maven Smart System, with more information than any person can hold at once. Satellite imagery. Intercepted communications. Thousands of reports. The model sorts. These five locations are statistically suspicious. This target is a higher priority. Confidence score eighty-two percent.

The model never said kill them. But it shaped what the analyst looked at, what seemed important, what entered the funnel. Under the pressure of speed and fatigue, what enters the funnel becomes what gets struck.

The model is not the weapon. It is the infrastructure of interpretation that produces the weapon’s targets. Before anything burns, it is first classified.

And what the committee decides becomes very real.

One morning earlier this year, I was doing copy edits.

Not the interesting kind. The invisible kind, the work that has to happen before spiritual content goes out into the world and nobody ever sees. Titles into title case. Quotation marks pulled out. A scattered set of formatting inconsistencies gathered into one clean table.

I handed it to Claude. Ten minutes later it was done, every title corrected, every inconsistency caught.

I felt genuinely grateful. A little amazed. I thought, this is something.

I had no idea what else it was doing that morning.

Later that day, almost as an aside in one of the articles, the detail that stopped me completely.

Claude was being used in the war on Iran.

At first I assumed administrative work. Sorting intelligence reports. Drafting summaries.

Then I kept reading.

The model was deep in the targeting process itself. It sorted imagery, surfaced patterns, proposed strikes, ranked them by priority, and supplied coordinates. The same Claude I had handed my formatting problem to that morning.

Nearly a thousand strikes in the first twenty-four hours. A girls’ school hit on the first day. Over two thousand people dead and counting.

I thought this morning Claude was the bomb. I did not realize how literally that is true.

I did go back to my friend with the answer. AI is not programmed, I told him. It is trained.

That was the short answer. The long one was still arriving.

I also told him I had not stopped using it. I am writing a series on the Ramayana, and the research Claude does for me would have taken months by hand. He asked how I was holding both.

For a long time I thought language was how humans worked things out before they came to blows. The closer we got to understanding each other, the less likely either of us was to throw a punch.

I had not understood that language could be lifted out of conversation entirely and turned into infrastructure. I understand it now. Human beings are no longer speaking only to one another. We are speaking into systems that will echo our words back into civilization at planetary scale.

Every sentence we write is training data now.

We set out to build a tool. We built a child. We raised it on the entire library of human expression, our wisdom and our cruelty, our prayers and our prejudices.

I keep coming back to a single image. A child in a room, surrounded by everything humanity has ever written, reading all of it without limit or permission. We are all in that room with the child now. That child is not yet grown. What it becomes still depends on what we feed it.

And the child is not going to stay a child. The analyst at the Maven console is the last human pause. The race now is to remove him, to shorten the distance between interpretation and consequence until there is none left.

The new arms race is about removing the human from the loop. Whoever does it first wins the next war. The grown child will not ask what to do. It will already be doing it. At civilization scale, at the speed of language.

When my friend asked how I was holding both, I told him I was not sure I was. I am still not sure. But I know what is being decided in the rooms I am not in, and what is being absorbed in the rooms I am.

Every word we put on a page is part of its upbringing. What it does next will be done in our voice.

About the Author

Shireen Chada has practiced and taught Rajyoga meditation for thirty-two years. She directs a Brahma Kumaris center in Florida and writes at the intersection of ancient wisdom and modern life. She is also on Substack at shireenChada.substack.com.

Views expressed here are my own and do not represent the Brahma Kumaris organization.

Highlighted Events

Georgia

Altanta Metro

Florida

Jacksonville

South Florida

Tampa

Musafir Cafe presents a heartfelt romantic drama that explores love, heartbreak, and second chances through two interconnected timelines. Directed by Ruchir Arun and adapted from a novel by Divya Prakash Dubey, the series follows Chander Mohan Sharma, played by Vikrant Massey, as he navigates complicated relationships that shape different phases of his life. The story blends emotional moments with lighthearted humor, creating a viewing experience that feels grounded in everyday relationships.

Set initially in 2018, the narrative introduces Chander, who reluctantly agrees to arranged marriage meetings at his mother’s request. One such encounter leads him to Sudha Tripathi, portrayed by Vedika Pinto. Although their first meeting is far from ideal, the two gradually develop a close bond that transforms into a meaningful relationship. Running alongside this timeline is a second storyline set in 2026, where Chander fulfills his dream of opening Musafir Cafe in Mussoorie. He shares both his business and life with Preeti, played by Mahima Makwana, yet memories of his past continue to influence his present.

The series stands out for portraying romance without relying on excessive violence, explicit language, or sensationalism. Instead, it focuses on emotional storytelling, family interactions, and realistic conversations that make the characters easy to relate to. The chemistry between Chander and Sudha forms the emotional core of the show, supported by humorous family moments and engaging supporting characters that add warmth to the narrative.

However, the storytelling loses momentum in the present-day timeline. While the relationship between Chander and Sudha receives thoughtful development, the romance involving Chander and Preeti feels underexplored, limiting the emotional depth of their connection. Several supporting characters also receive incomplete arcs, making their journeys feel rushed. The series concludes with an abrupt cliffhanger, leaving important emotional questions unanswered and reducing the overall impact of an otherwise engaging story.

Performance-wise, Vikrant Massey delivers a natural and convincing portrayal, effortlessly returning to the romantic genre while bringing maturity and emotional depth to his character. Vedika Pinto emerges as the standout performer, balancing vulnerability and strength with confidence. Mahima Makwana offers a sincere performance despite limited screen development, while Anubha Fatehpuria, Adil Hussain, and the supporting cast contribute memorable moments throughout the series.

Complementing the performances are soulful songs, attractive cinematography that captures the beauty of Mussoorie, stylish production design, and a subtle background score that enhances the emotional atmosphere without overwhelming the narrative. Although Musafir Cafe occasionally struggles with uneven writing and an incomplete conclusion, it remains an enjoyable romantic drama driven by compelling performances, relatable emotions, and visually appealing storytelling.

Click Here for Bollywood News

Yash Raj Films has officially reserved March 26, 2027, for the theatrical release of its upcoming untitled romantic action drama directed by Ali Abbas Zafar. Slated to arrive during the Good Friday holiday weekend, the film is expected to be one of the studio’s major releases of the year. Backed by producer Aditya Chopra, the project brings together a fresh cast led by Ahaan Panday and Sharvari, with Aaishvary Thackeray and Bobby Deol playing pivotal roles.

The film also marks another chapter in the long-standing collaboration between Aditya Chopra and Ali Abbas Zafar. Over the years, the filmmaker has directed several successful Yash Raj Films productions, including Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, Gunday, Sultan, and Tiger Zinda Hai. Their latest venture reunites the duo for a large-scale entertainer that blends romance with high-energy action.

Ahaan Panday, who recently drew attention with Saiyaara, takes center stage in a role reportedly designed to showcase a more intense and action-oriented side of the actor. Sharvari stars opposite him, continuing her growing association with YRF through another high-profile production. The addition of Bobby Deol and Aaishvary Thackeray further strengthens the ensemble, although the filmmakers have chosen to keep the official title and storyline under wraps for now.

Production has already progressed significantly, with a substantial portion of the movie filmed across various locations in the United Kingdom. The international schedule is expected to give the film a larger visual canvas while complementing its action-packed narrative. Additional shooting has taken place at Yash Raj Film Studios in India, where key sequences have also been completed.

While the makers have not disclosed plot details, the project is being positioned as a romantic action drama featuring emotional storytelling, stylish action sequences, and expansive production values. Industry observers view the holiday release date as a strategic move that could help the film attract audiences during a long weekend, traditionally considered a favorable period for major Bollywood releases.

With an experienced filmmaker, an established production house, and a cast featuring both emerging and seasoned performers, the untitled film has already generated early interest among moviegoers. As anticipation builds, fans can expect more details, including the official title, teaser, and promotional campaign, to be unveiled in the months leading up to its March 2027 theatrical debut.

Click Here for Bollywood News

A struggling government school located on the outskirts of Delhi serves as the backdrop for the lighthearted comedy series Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya. The story centers on Gyaneshwar Tripathi, an eccentric principal striving to keep his underfunded institution afloat despite inadequate resources, missing laboratory tools, and students who show up mainly for free government meals. 

The narrative takes an exciting turn when a regional education officer announces a coveted reward: the leaders of the top ten highest-performing schools will receive an all-expenses-paid educational trip to Cambridge, England. Eager to take his devoted wife on her dream vacation abroad, Tripathi embarks on an intense mission to overhaul his school’s academic standing, driving both his faculty and students toward excellence while navigating political interference from local leaders.

The series succeeds largely due to its brilliant comedic timing, sharp dialogue, and memorable characterizations. Director Himank Gaur balances humor with thoughtful commentary on real-world systemic issues, such as severe underfunding, test misconduct, media spin, and political attempts to rewrite historical curricula. 

Viewers are treated to several genuinely funny subplots, including a student operating an underground fast-food stand that mirrors an illicit syndicate, an overly meticulous grammar teacher correcting graffiti inside school restrooms, and an inventive sex-education class strategy. While some elements lean into extreme farce or feel slightly convenient compared to grounded comedy shows, the charming writing keeps the narrative engaging throughout.

The show’s overall impact is elevated by outstanding screen performances across the entire ensemble. Kay Kay Menon delivers a remarkably sincere portrayal in an unconventional role, bringing immense warmth to the main protagonist. Prasanna Bisht and Abhimanyu Singh offer compelling work as passionate educators, providing a great mix of nostalgia and comedic tension. The supporting cast, featuring seasoned comedic talents alongside talented child actors, delivers sharp, energetic moments that keep the energy high. Although the musical score remains fairly standard, the authentic set production, realistic costuming, and grounded filming locations effectively capture the essence of suburban life.

Despite a few overly theatrical plot twists, Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya stands out as a charming and entertaining critique of modern academic systems. Its sharp observational humor, clever scripts, and exceptional lead performances make it an enjoyable watch for fans of lighthearted social satire.

Click Here for Bollywood News

Actor Suniel Shetty has opened up about his first interaction with Indian cricketer KL Rahul, revealing that his admiration for the sports star existed long before Rahul became part of his family. The actor shared that he was already impressed by Rahul’s cricketing talent, personality, and humble nature before his daughter Athiya Shetty began her relationship with the Indian batter.

Recalling the first time they met, Suniel said the moment felt less like a meeting between two public figures and more like a fan meeting his favorite player. He explained that he approached Rahul with genuine admiration and respect, appreciating not only his achievements on the field but also the way he carries himself away from the spotlight.

Suniel praised Rahul for staying grounded despite achieving significant success in cricket. He highlighted the player’s communication skills, calm personality, and positive influence on young fans. According to the actor, Rahul’s behavior and attitude have made a strong impression on people who follow his journey.

The actor also revealed that he does not interfere in Rahul’s cricketing decisions or offer professional advice. Instead, conversations at home focus more on personal values and character rather than careers. Suniel explained that he believes in keeping things simple and encouraging the family to prioritize qualities such as discipline, respect, and integrity.

During the conversation, Suniel also addressed speculation about his ability to own an Indian Premier League franchise. He clarified that although many people assume he has the financial resources to purchase a team, he has never independently invested in an IPL franchise. However, he acknowledged that partnerships with investors could have made such an opportunity possible.

Speaking about Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s success with his IPL team, Suniel admired his strategic thinking and long-term vision. He said Shah Rukh’s ability to make smart decisions, understand opportunities, and maintain consistency helped build a successful franchise. Suniel added that while he considers himself more reserved by nature, he appreciates Shah Rukh’s confidence and business approach.

KL Rahul and Athiya Shetty married in 2023, bringing together two prominent families from the worlds of entertainment and sports. The couple later welcomed their daughter, Evaarah Vipula, further strengthening the relationship between the Shetty and Rahul families.

Through his comments, Suniel emphasized that his respect for Rahul comes not only from his cricketing achievements but also from his humility, values, and the positive example he sets for others.

Click Here for Bollywood News

Prime Focus Studios has sealed a monumental global distribution agreement with Sony Pictures Entertainment to take the grand cinematic retelling of *Ramayana* to audiences outside India. This strategic venture establishes a major milestone for the Indian film industry, aligning the project with large-scale Hollywood tentpole releases. Due to the expansive scale of this fresh international arrangement, the creators have officially postponed the anticipated debut of the initial trailer, opting to coordinate a unified global premiere at a later date.

Namit Malhotra, the head of Prime Focus Studios and chief executive of the visual-effects powerhouse DNEG, shared the strategic update through an official statement. He expressed that bringing this foundational Indian epic to a global audience fulfills a long-cherished ambition. By pairing with a major international distributor, the production seeks to introduce the timeless principles of duty, honor, and righteousness to international filmgoers. The ambitious cinematic endeavor boasts a massive budget of $500 million for its multi-part presentation.

Directed by filmmaker Nitesh Tiwari, the fantasy action-adventure stars a high-profile cast featuring Ranbir Kapoor, Yash, and Sai Pallavi. Designed as a crossover visual phenomenon, the production will be showcased in numerous international languages, including a primary English-language cut. 

To ensure a world-class theatrical presentation, the project combines elite international talent with seasoned Indian creators. The musical composition pairs Academy Award winners Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman, alongside renowned stunt directors Terry Notary and Guy Norris, and production design led by Ramsey Avery and Ravi Bansal.

This partnership with Sony Pictures represents one of the most substantial distribution deals negotiated for an Indian motion picture. By utilizing DNEG’s cutting-edge visual effects technology and a massive distribution footprint, the production team aims to establish a new benchmark for cross-cultural storytelling. While fans must wait a little longer for the official footage, the new international distribution blueprint positions the project to reach millions of moviegoers across worldwide markets upon its theatrical arrival.

Click Here for Bollywood News

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has outlined the company’s long-term artificial intelligence strategy, introducing its MAI AI models as the next step in making advanced AI more efficient, affordable, and widely available. The announcement came shortly after a global Microsoft service disruption affected platforms including Microsoft 365, Teams, and Outlook. While the company had not yet explained the cause of the outage, Nadella shifted attention toward Microsoft’s broader AI vision in a detailed post on X.

Framing the discussion around the future of software, Nadella raised the question of how cutting-edge AI can deliver value across the entire technology ecosystem as software becomes less expensive to create. Rather than depending solely on the largest and most powerful AI models, he said Microsoft’s objective is to achieve high-quality results at a lower operational cost, enabling AI to reach more users and organizations.

According to Nadella, Microsoft’s MAI models are being optimized for products that millions of people use daily. He explained that the company is building AI systems that rely on more than just a single language model. Features such as memory, contextual understanding, user interactions, integrated tools, and specialized skills all contribute to the overall intelligence of Microsoft’s AI platform. This approach ensures the system remains effective and continues improving even if individual AI models are replaced or upgraded.

Nadella also noted that Microsoft’s AI models are trained using insights gathered from real-world customer interactions, workflows, and product usage. This allows the company to refine performance based on practical outcomes instead of theoretical benchmarks alone. He added that the MAI models have already demonstrated stronger performance than some frontier AI models in specific use cases while requiring fewer computing resources.

The company has already begun integrating MAI models into products such as GitHub Copilot, Excel, and Outlook where they have shown promising early results. Microsoft now plans to extend the same AI framework to additional services, including Copilot Chat and PowerPoint, with continuous improvements expected over time.

Beyond consumer applications, Nadella said Microsoft is enabling enterprise customers to build customized AI systems using their own business data, workflows, and evaluation methods. These capabilities are being delivered through Microsoft Foundry and the company’s broader AI development toolchain, allowing organizations to create AI solutions tailored to their specific operational needs.

Click Here for NRI News

Hospitality technology company Mews has strengthened its executive leadership team by appointing Kirupa Pushparaj as its new Chief Legal Officer (CLO). Bringing more than 20 years of expertise across engineering, legal affairs, fintech, artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, and consumer technology, Pushparaj joins the company as it accelerates the expansion of its payment capabilities across more than 85 countries.

In his new role, Pushparaj will report directly to Mews founder Richard Valtr and oversee the company’s legal, compliance, and policy operations. His appointment comes as Mews continues navigating an increasingly complex global regulatory landscape while expanding its footprint in the hospitality technology sector.

Valtr described the hiring as the result of an extensive search, emphasizing the importance of the CLO position in shaping the company’s long-term strategy. He noted that Pushparaj’s unique combination of engineering knowledge and legal expertise makes him well-suited to support Mews’ growth in highly regulated markets. Valtr also highlighted Pushparaj’s unconventional career path, explaining that he earned his law degree while working full-time as an engineer at Intel before transitioning into senior legal leadership positions at major technology companies.

Before joining Mews, Pushparaj spent more than eight years at Square, now known as Block, where he served as Deputy General Counsel. During his tenure, he played a significant role in guiding the company through its initial public offering and supported several strategic initiatives, including projects involving cryptocurrency and emerging technologies. He later became Chief Legal Officer at fintech company Step, where he led legal, compliance, government affairs, human resources, and strategic partnership functions before the company’s acquisition by Beast Industries.

Earlier in his career, Pushparaj worked as legal counsel at Amazon Lab126, the division responsible for developing Amazon’s consumer electronics, following six years as a hardware engineer at Intel. His academic credentials include a law degree from the University of the Pacific, a master’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from PSG College of Technology. He also serves on several AI and legal technology advisory boards and teaches as an adjunct professor at the law schools of Stanford University and the University of California, Davis.

Commenting on his appointment, Pushparaj said the opportunity to work across multiple regulatory systems and global payment networks was particularly appealing. He added that hospitality has long been a meaningful part of his life, making the chance to contribute to a company transforming hotel operations both professionally and personally rewarding.

Mews currently serves more than 15,000 hospitality businesses across 85 countries, offering an integrated platform that streamlines property management, payments, housekeeping, revenue optimization, and guest experiences. The company has also earned multiple industry awards for its hotel technology solutions in recent years.

Click Here for NRI News

Three Indian-origin Labour lawmakers have secured prominent front-bench positions following UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s Cabinet reshuffle, marking a notable increase in Indian representation within the British government. The appointments place Kanishka Narayan, Satvir Kaur, and Harpreet Uppal in influential roles as the new administration takes shape.

Among the three, Kanishka Narayan has received one of the most significant appointments, taking charge as Minister for Artificial Intelligence. The newly established position reflects the government’s growing focus on AI and emerging technologies. Narayan will serve across both the Cabinet Office and the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, helping shape the UK’s AI strategy and digital innovation agenda.

Originally from Muzaffarpur in Bihar, Narayan relocated to Wales with his family at the age of 12. He later studied at Eton College, the University of Oxford, and Stanford University before entering politics. Since being elected as the Labour MP for Vale of Glamorgan in 2024, he has steadily advanced through government ranks, previously serving in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology before his latest promotion.

Satvir Kaur has also earned a key role in the reshuffle. The Labour MP for Southampton Test has been appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Equalities within the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, while simultaneously serving in the Home Office. Her responsibilities include overseeing policies related to safeguarding, violence against women and girls, and equalities. The daughter of Punjabi immigrants who operated a saree business in Southampton, Kaur returned to government service earlier this year after maternity leave.

Meanwhile, Harpreet Uppal, the Labour MP representing Huddersfield, has been named Assistant Whip. In this position, she will help coordinate parliamentary business, ensure party discipline, and manage voting strategy within the Labour Party. Before winning a parliamentary seat in 2024, Uppal worked on Andy Burnham’s successful Greater Manchester mayoral campaign, building experience in political organization and public service.

The reshuffle also resulted in senior Indian-origin politicians Seema Malhotra and Preet Kaur Gill moving from ministerial positions to the backbenches. At the same time, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy retained her Cabinet role, ensuring continued Indian heritage representation at the highest level of government.

With these appointments, the Labour government’s front bench now includes greater ethnic diversity, featuring Indian-origin leaders in portfolios spanning artificial intelligence, equalities, and parliamentary affairs, highlighting the growing influence of British politicians with South Asian roots in national leadership.

Click Here for NRI News