Category technology

LdotR expands dotBrand Advisory across India, Middle East and ASEAN, aim to help organisations prepare ahead of ICANN’s 2026 Domain Opportunity, opening in April 2026

“Enterprises are reassessing how they manage trust, security, and brand presence online in the fast-changing world of generative AI. A dotBrand allows organizations to move from defending their brand on the internet to owning their digital ecosystem outright. The next gTLD round is not just a naming exercise, it’s a strategic inflection point in customer trust,” said Vinay Singh, CEO and Co-founder, LdotR.

Across industries, AI is rapidly moving from a “tool” to an invisible layer of infrastructure that now underpins code, content, supply chains, risk management and even board-level strategy. Global adoption has surged in just a few years, outpacing the early growth of both the internet and smartphones. As AI usage scales and companies continue to innovate, the real winners will be the ones that deliver measurable value to customers.  

The bar for “AI innovation” is now significantly high. Businesses must level up to deliver AI solutions that are safer, cheaper and smarter at scale. As this shift continues, thousands of indistinguishable AI solutions will fade away, while a smaller group of builders that deliver real value and solve genuine customer problems will rise to the top. This article showcases the 7 AI companies to watch in 2026 for their distinctive innovations.

• KOGO AI

KOGO AI is a flagship agentic systems platform, built to make AI usable, secure and trustworthy for mission-critical enterprises. With its “Private AI in a Box” model, KOGO delivers a sovereign AI stack that organisations can deploy fully on-premise and at the edge, so sensitive data never leaves their own environment.

KOGO anchors this platform in an end-to-end, zero-trust security model. It uses air-gapped pipelines, strict access controls and compliance with standards such as GDPR, HIPAA, PCI-DSS and RBI norms to protect regulated data and classified workloads. By keeping both models and data inside the customer’s perimeter, KOGO not only reduces compliance risk but also improves ROI, cutting cloud egress costs, reducing integration firefighting and freeing teams to focus on growth and new revenue. In 2026, as enterprises shift from experimental AI to secure, production-grade deployments, KOGO’s sovereign, privacy-first architecture positions it strongly to become the trusted AI backbone for heavily regulated industries.

• Neysa

Neysa offers an AI Acceleration Cloud System built on open-source technologies to deliver fast, secure and cost-efficient training and inference on GPUs. The platform provides a full-stack AI infrastructure that allows businesses to discover, deploy and scale GenAI and AI use cases without wrestling with complex tooling. Teams can train, test, deploy and monitor their AI models from a single dashboard, eliminating the friction of managing multiple systems.

As AI adoption accelerates across industries, enterprises increasingly need infrastructure that is powerful, predictable and financially responsible. Neysa’s Velocis platform brings orchestration, cost governance and enterprise-grade security into one environment, giving organisations the confidence to run mission-critical AI workloads at scale. Whether a team is training foundation models, fine-tuning LLMs or deploying inference in production, Velocis helps them move from prototype to real-world impact, faster and more efficiently.

• Mistral AI

Mistral AI is building one of the most powerful open AI platforms for enterprises, enabling organisations to customise, fine-tune and deploy AI assistants, autonomous agents and multimodal applications with full control over their data. The company focuses on high-performance open models that enterprises can train, distill, fine-tune and deploy across on-prem, cloud, edge and device environments

Mistral backs this with strong orchestration, safety tooling and developer-friendly APIs, allowing teams to build production-grade copilots, knowledge assistants and automation agents at scale. Its models support multilingual workloads and mission-critical enterprise use cases, while the company’s applied AI experts provide hands-on support across deployment, optimisation and safety.

Mistral combines cutting-edge research with an open-source philosophy that gives developers the flexibility to experiment, iterate and innovate efficiently and cost-effectively. As enterprises seek AI platforms that balance power, cost, control and openness, Mistral’s efficient, enterprise-ready models position it as one of the most credible global challengers in the AI ecosystem.

• Vahan Ai

Vahan AI is building a large-scale platform to support India’s 300-million-strong blue-collar workforce, helping workers access earning opportunities while giving businesses a faster, smarter way to hire and manage frontline talent. The company uses AI-driven chatbot technology to simplify recruitment, onboarding, payroll and staffing, allowing enterprises to scale their blue-collar workforce with lower overheads and fewer vendor dependencies.

Through AI-assisted workflows, Vahan helps employers source high-quality workers, improve supply even in stressed markets and reduce turnaround times by 20% or more. Businesses can hire on-demand workers in days, rapidly onboard during peak seasons and ensure labour supply aligns with operational needs. At the same time, Vahan aims to give workers access to better tools, benefits and support systems so they can build more stable livelihoods.The company’s broader mission is to create a ripple effect of inclusive economic growth starting in India and eventually impacting over a billion people worldwide.

• Resmonics AI

Resmonics AI offers a fully automatic, plug-and-play system built on years of research at leading Swiss universities and hospitals. The platform detects and monitors the use of hand and surface disinfectants in real time, delivering 24/7 objective monitoring, not just periodic manual audits. This always-on insight helps hospitals identify trends, uncover gaps in hygiene compliance and take timely corrective action.

The system works anonymously, so it avoids privacy concerns, and it operates independently without requiring integration into hospital IT. Hospitals can deploy it straight out of the box and immediately benefit from accurate, continuous disinfection monitoring that supports patient safety and infection control. With hospital-acquired infections under increasing scrutiny worldwide, Resmonics AI’s simple, automated and privacy-safe approach gives healthcare systems a practical way to improve hygiene standards and outcomes at scale.

• Covariant 

Covariant is building a universal AI platform for robotics designed to give robots the ability to see, reason and act reliably in complex, real-world environments. Powered by its foundation model RFM-1 and trained on one of the world’s largest multimodal robotics datasets from warehouses globally, the Covariant Brain enables robots to pick and handle virtually any SKU from Day One, without brittle rules or long setup times.

The company focuses on moving AI from the lab into high-volume logistics and industrial operations, powering autonomous robots for tasks such as picking, sorting and kitting. By standardising intelligence on a single AI layer, Covariant helps enterprises scale automation across sites and workflows.

As supply chains push for automation that works in messy, ever-changing environments, Covariant’s universal AI brain positions it strongly as the intelligence layer behind the next wave of warehouse and industrial robotics.

• Simbian

Simbian is an AI security operations platform that deploys context-aware autonomous agents to triage, investigate and respond to threats at machine speed. The company delivers AI-powered, hyper-automated security operations for enterprises worldwide, helping security teams operate faster, smarter and with greater resilience.

Simbian runs 24/7 autonomous SOC agents that detect and respond to incidents in real time, reducing alert fatigue and strengthening defensive readiness. As AI-driven and highly sophisticated cyberattacks continue to rise, this level of automated threat detection and response is becoming critical. Simbian’s agents autonomously investigate every alert, improve detection accuracy, reduce dwell time and deliver consistent, reliable outcomes. The platform also validates security controls, prioritises the risks that matter most and guides precise remediation,often before adversaries can strike.

By:-  Anand Mahurkar, CEO Findability Sciences

“In 2026, the biggest shift will be from ‘AI that talks’ to ‘AI that does.’ Enterprises will move beyond chatbots and pilots into agentic systems that can reason over company knowledge, orchestrate workflows, and execute decisions with human guardrails. The winners will be organizations that treat findability of data as a strategic asset unifying structured data, documents, emails, and domain expertise into a governed knowledge layer that AI can reliably retrieve, cite, and act on.

We’ll also see a clear split between generic models and domain-specific intelligence. Smaller, specialized models fine-tuned on proprietary data and reinforced with knowledge graphs and hybrid search will outperform bigger models on accuracy, cost, and compliance. Multimodal AI will become mainstream, turning images, audio, and video into searchable, actionable knowledge, while real-time analytics will drive next-best actions in sales, service, and operations.

In India especially, the next wave will be enterprise AI in vernacular and sector-specific contexts like sugar manufacturing, co-operative sector, agriculture, manufacturing, legal where ROI is tied to speed, precision, and governance, not novelty. The workforce impact will be ‘human + AI’ teams, with copilots embedded in everyday tools and measurable productivity gains.

Finally, trust will be the currency of adoption. With stricter regulation, deeper scrutiny of data privacy, and rising expectations for transparency, leaders will invest in AI governance, observability, and explainability as seriously as they invest in model performance. The most valuable AI in 2026 won’t be the most impressive demo, it will be the most dependable system delivering measurable outcomes at scale.”

Dec 30: Freyr Energy, India’s leading residential solar solutions providers, announced the launch of India’s first intelligent self-cleaning solar systems and next-generation hybrid solar solutions. These new offerings solve two of the biggest problems faced by home solar users—dust on solar panels and frequent power cuts.

Dust can reduce solar power generation by up to 30% if panels are not cleaned regularly. The company’s groundbreaking Intelligent Self-Cleaning Solar System employs advanced sensor-based technology with water-efficient cleaning mechanisms that automatically maintain optimal panel efficiency. This first-of-its-kind innovation in India boosts energy production while eliminating manual maintenance requirements and reducing water consumption by 90% compared to traditional cleaning methods. For several home owners across India where dust levels are high, this technology transforms solar from a maintenance-intensive investment to a truly hassle-free energy solution.

Complementing this innovation, Freyr Energy’s next-generation Hybrid Solar Systems seamlessly integrate on-grid functionality with battery storage, ensuring uninterrupted power supply even during grid failures. These systems enable intelligent energy management, allowing users to store surplus power for peak demand periods while significantly reducing electricity bills and grid dependency.

“States such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala represent a pivotal market in India’s solar revolution,” said Saurabh Marda, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Freyr Energy. “Freyr Energy’s intelligent self-cleaning technology is a game-changer in the face of a deepening crisis, shaped by dust-heavy streets, and weather patterns that trap pollutants. Combined with our hybrid systems, we’re not just solving existing challenges—we’re making solar more accessible and profitable than ever before. With a payback period of just 3-4 years, a stronger policy push and awareness about government subsidies in the country, there has never been a better time to go solar in these states.”

Residents switching to solar can benefit from combined central and state government subsidies. While Uttar Pradesh provides subsidy up to ₹1 lakh – the highest in the country, Madhya Pradesh offers a substantial subsidy up to ₹78,000. In addition to the central government’s PM Surya Ghar Yojana subsidies, the Kerala government is supporting residents through state-led assistance for net metering arrangements under the Soura programme making solar adoption more affordable than ever. This substantial financial support across states, coupled with Freyr Energy’s innovative technology, ensures a rapid payback period of just 3-4 years and free electricity for the next 20+ years.

Freyr Energy has emerged as the leading solar provider in the Telugu states, recording the highest number of installations across the region.

With over 12,500 installations nationwide and 120+ MW of installed capacity, Freyr Energy is strategically positioned to support Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh’s renewable energy ambitions and contribute to India’s target of 500 GW renewable capacity by 2030.

The company has already witnessed significant traction across its several operational cities in Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow, Kanpur, Prayagraj, and Varanasi), Madhya Pradesh (Jabalpur, Indore, Bhopal, Sagar,Ujjain,Katni,Rewa,Satna,Gwalior), Maharashtra(Nagpur, Pune, Nashik, Aurangabad, Solapur), Kerala (Trivandrum, Cochin, Calicut, Alappuzha, Thrissur, Palakkad), Telangana (Hyderabad, Khammam, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Mahbubnagar, Warangal, Nalgonda, Sangareddy) and Andhra Pradesh (Vishakapatnam, Rajahmundry, Bhimavaram, Kakinada, Eluru, Srikakulam, Ongole, Nellore, Kurnool, Chittor, Kadapa, Vijayawada, Tirupati, Vizianagaram) —with demand for rooftop and hybrid solar systems surging, driven by increasing electricity costs, dust-related maintenance concerns, and Freyr Energy’s comprehensive after-sales support backed by flexible financing options through leading financial institutions. Freyr has 10 solar experience centres empowering 7 lack customers across India.

NEW YORK and NOIDA, India, Dec 23:  HCLTech, a leading global technology company, announced that it has joined the Microsoft Discovery platform, an advanced agentic AI platform designed to accelerate scientific breakthroughs.

As part of this collaboration, HCLTech will participate in deep technical onboarding sessions with Microsoft’s Discovery team to align platform architecture, partner collaboration models and explore joint go-to-market opportunities. Following onboarding, HCLTech will take part in projects to accelerate solutions in areas such as chemistry and materials science, drug discovery and semiconductor design, leveraging its strong domain expertise across industries.

Through the Discovery initiative, HCLTech joins a select group of research institutions and tech innovators shaping the next frontier of innovation.

The Microsoft Discovery platform empowers R&D teams to conduct large-scale data processing and simulation, automate workflows and accelerate scientific innovation to tackle some of the world’s most complex challenges. HCLTech’s participation will extend these capabilities to enterprise-scale applications through collaborative proofs of concept, co-innovation labs and industry-focused implementations.

“HCLTech is a natural choice to help expand the Microsoft Discovery platform and the development of sustainable, innovative solutions,” said Aseem Datar, Corporate Vice President, Product Innovation, Microsoft Discovery and Quantum. “We look forward to building on our shared success and uncovering the next generation of transformative technologies together.”

“This selective collaboration reflects our ongoing commitment to advancing AI technologies in partnership with leading innovators,” said Hari Sadarahalli, Corporate Vice President, Engineering R&D Services at HCLTech. “By combining our deep domain expertise and cloud-based computing services with Microsoft’s enterprise-ready platform, we will accelerate scientific breakthroughs and deliver faster innovation across industries to our clients.”

GURUGRAM, India, Dec 23: The teaser reflects Samsung’s vision of integrating AI across its products and services, positioning the company as a trusted partner that enhances and supports AI experiences throughout users’ daily lives.

Designed to build anticipation for the event, the video uses vibrant lights and lines to form silhouettes of new innovations set to debut at The First Look, symbolizing the seamless integration of AI across Samsung’s portfolio. In the final scene, the light flows into Wynn Las Vegas, where the event will be held, revealing the theme.

The First Look 2026 will officially kick off on January 4 at 7 p.m. PST — two days before the opening of CES 2026 — with a media event at Wynn Las Vegas, followed by four days of exhibitions, tech forums and other events through January 7.

The media event will feature key Samsung executives, including TM Roh, CEO and Head of Device eXperience (DX) Division; SW Yong, President and Head of Visual Display (VD) Business; and Cheolgi Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Digital Appliance (DA) Business. Together, they will outline customer experience innovation strategies across their respective areas.

The tech forums will be held from January 5 to 6, with four sessions covering topics including AI, home appliances and design. More information about The First Look 2026 will be revealed on Samsung Newsroom.

Dubai / Bangalore, Dec 23: JMR Infotech, a global leader in digital transformation and banking technology solutions, today announced its membership in the Caribbean Association of Banks (CAB) as a Service Member, reaffirming its long-term commitment to supporting the digital evolution of banks and financial institutions across the Caribbean. With a regional delivery center in Bogotá and support and delivery centers in St. Kitts and Jamaica, JMR Infotech continues to strengthen its presence and capabilities to serve the region with agility and deep domain expertise.

“Our association with CAB is an important milestone in our mission to empower Caribbean financial institutions with future-ready digital solutions,” said Jayafar Moidu, Founder & CEO, JMR Infotech. “We are committed to partnering closely with banks and financial institutions across the region to help them accelerate growth, enhance resilience, and adapt breakthrough innovations that drive long-term competitiveness.”

As a Service Member of CAB, JMR Infotech will bring its global banking expertise to the region by supporting institutions in modernizing their core systems through agile, cloud-ready platforms; enabling AI-powered innovation with smart automation, predictive analytics, and intelligent decisioning; strengthening regulatory and risk compliance in line with evolving regional and international standards; and driving digital-first customer experience transformation to ensure seamless onboarding, faster product launches, and superior service delivery.

Backed by robust delivery capabilities and about two decades of experience across more than 75 countries, JMR Infotech aims to work collaboratively with CAB member institutions to co-create scalable, cost-efficient, and innovation-led transformation journeys tailored to the Caribbean’s unique operational and regulatory landscape.

“We look forward to contributing meaningfully to the CAB ecosystem and supporting its members in embracing the next era of digital banking,” added Jayafar.

Tech Trends in 2025

2025 marked a defining moment for enterprise technology as AI moved decisively from experimentation to mainstream, measurable value creation. Across BFSI, telecom, retail and public services, organisations embraced agentic AI to unify customer engagement across voice, digital and back-office ecosystems. What truly accelerated adoption this year was the shift toward open, modular AI platforms that work seamlessly with complex legacy infrastructure—enabling organisations to scale automation without disruption. Verint specialized bots are quick and easy to deploy and drive immediate AI outcomes through CX automation — making your customer engagements smarter and faster. Powered by Verint Da Vinci AI, each bot performs one specific task, and is injected directly into your workflows, putting AI at your fingertips. We also saw strong enterprise uptake of Agent Copilot Bots, which have demonstrated the ability to double agent capacity by automating research, summarisation and post-interaction workflows. This year also brought a fundamental change in enterprise expectations—from cost efficiency to outcome-driven AI deployments. Leaders increasingly demanded faster resolutions, unified digital experiences and AI solutions that deliver accuracy, compliance, and scale. 2025 proved that AI is no longer a standalone initiative—it is the core layer powering operational resilience and customer experience excellence.

Rise of Agentic AI and Changing Employee Experience 

2025 was a transformative year for employee experience, especially in service-heavy sectors where the complexity and volume of customer interactions continue to rise. The shift to agentic AI fundamentally redefined how organisations support frontline teams. Instead of manually navigating knowledge systems, documenting calls or searching for customer history, employees are now assisted by AI copilots that work alongside them in real time. At Verint, our Agent Copilot and Quality Bots automated repetitive, high-effort tasks across 100% of customer interactions, helping employees focus on high-value problem-solving and relationship-building.  These capabilities—combined with the ability of Agent Copilot Bots to double agent capacity have helped enterprises boost morale, reduce burnout, and create more fulfilling, growth-oriented roles. CX leaders increasingly view AI as an enabler of talent growth, supporting agents with real-time guidance, personalised coaching and intelligent knowledge retrieval. In 2025, we saw the workforce evolve into a human + AI partnership, delivering better outcomes for both employees and customers.

Predictions for 2026

2026 will be the year when AI scales from siloed adoption to enterprise-wide orchestration. As customer expectations continue to rise—especially with 73% now preferring digital channels and 86% recognising the value of AI-powered service—organisations will accelerate the shift toward autonomous CX operations. We anticipate strong demand for secure, domain-specific AI models across sectors like banking, insurance and telecom, where accuracy and regulatory compliance are paramount. The next phase will be defined by AI-ready enterprises: operating models that scale, data that enables outcomes, talent that can work side-by-side with agents, and leadership that can close the AI velocity gap thereby —delivering consistent, proactive service across every touchpoint.

At Verint, we expect AI to become the connective fabric between digital channels, assisted service and back-office processes. Enterprises will increasingly measure success not just through efficiency metrics but through business outcomes.. Our own AI deployments—spanning 50+ specialised bots, Agent Copilot and Quality Bots—show how quickly automation can deliver tangible results without reengineering legacy systems.

In 2026, the organisations that lead will be those that orchestrate human + AI collaboration at scale, creating intelligent, outcome-driven customer experiences that are fast, personalised and deeply trusted.