The Morning Brief

SaaS giant Salesforce has always been a disruptor in the tech industry. But it now stands at a point where the future of this industry is being completely reshaped by AI.

In this episode, Marc Benioff, the man behind the CRM major, talks to ET’s tech editor Surabhi Agarwal about Salesforce’ origin, its core ethos, present and future..the last two driven largely by AI.

He elaborates on the company's new technological and business model, focusing on the agentic layers and AI-driven digital labor. He talks about the importance of India as a lucrative market, talent pool and spiritual influence on his work; about challenges such as commoditization of AI agents and Balkanization of tech in the face of new trade wars and export controls. He talks about responsible AI usage and says that US’ perceived lead in the AI race is an illusion.

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After a turbulent week when global markets were battered by Donald Trump’s announcement of high tariffs on the world, there came a sudden reprieve: Trump announced a 90 day pause..on all countries except China. The bourses bounced back in record rallies, even as US and China slapped 125% tariffs on each others’ imports.
It’s a trade war between two of the strongest economies of the world, a three month relief for the rest of the world.
What made Donald Trump pull back? Is it a temporary relief? Will he make good on his tariff threats on other countries if the deals with them don’t fructify? What happens to smaller nations? Is the market bounceback sustainable? How will the Federal Reserve React? And are fears of a US recession allayed for now?
Host Anirban Chowdhury and Chris Watling, founder of Longview Economics talk about these and many other questions

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After more than a week of traumatising global markets with talk of implementing huge tariffs, Donald Trump did a volte face on Wednesday night pausing their implementation on all countries but one: China. It sparked a huge comeback rally in a battered Wall Street. But is this a sustainable turnaround or just a short-lived rebound? On The Morning Brief, ET’s Markets Editor Nishanth Vasudevan speaks to Sankaran Naren, CIO of ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund, to explore the broader impact of this policy u-turn, the escalating US-China trade tensions, and the implications for Indian markets. Drawing on over three decades of experience, Naren offers valuable perspectives on investment strategy, asset allocation, and whether India can outperform amid global volatility.

You can follow our host Nishanth Vasudevan on his social media: Linkedin & Twitter

Check out other interesting episodes from the host like: Corner Office Conversation with Maersk’s Keith Svendsen and Chris Cook, Tata, Airtel’s DTH merger: Will 2 Negatives make a Positive?, Tesla Tug-of-War: Maha, AP woo Elon Musk, and more!

Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on ET Play, The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts,JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Youtube.

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Netflix’ popular show Adolescence, once In this episode, Dr Victoria discusses her study on the usage and permissibility of phones in schools and their impact on adolescent mental health. She explores the increasing prevalence of mental health issues among adolescents, the role of smartphones and social media, and examines data comparing schools with and without phone bans. Dr Victoria advocates for a broader approach emphasizing digital education and age-appropriate technology design, rather than outright phone bans.

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President Donald Trump has officially announced reciprocal tariffs on countries around the world, sending global markets into turmoil and shaking up international trade. The move is being called an unmitigated disaster, with little thought seemingly given to how the tariffs were calculated or what rationale supported them.
In this episode, host Anirban Chowdhury speaks with Biswajit Dhar of the Council for Social Development to unpack the rising tensions in global trade.
As market volatility spikes and investor confidence wavers, the impact of U.S. tariffs is beginning to bite and India is feeling the heat. Key sectors like auto exports, gems and jewellery, textiles, and electronics are facing significant setbacks.
So, how will this new wave of tariffs reshape India’s trade landscape? What’s at stake for businesses and workers on the ground? And critically, how does this tariff salvo align with the bilateral trade agreement India is currently finalising with the U.S.?

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The influencer economy is undergoing a reset, not least due to recent controversies like “India’s Got Latent”. While the number of influencers and their content continue to surge, the brands are now curtailing their extravagant spends on them, exercising greater caution, closely evaluating creators and their content. The video of a controversial slip up, or a careless social media post may suddenly turn up to scuttle a lucrative brand endorsement. Are influencers adapting to survive? Hosts Dia Rekhi speak with Aman Garg, Director & Co-Founder of Ebullient Gaming India, and Pankhuri Harikrishnan, Founder & Director of Fetch Consulting, to explore the true impact of this industry shift and what it means for the future of influencer marketing.

Check out Dia’s other interesting episodes like: Move Aside Tech Bros!, Will Musk’s Starlink Finally Come to India?, The Economics of Terror, Devious Genius: The “Digital Arrests” Scam Pt 1 & Pt 2, India's CCTV Crackdown, and more!

You can follow Dia Rekhi on social media: Linkedin & Twitter

Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on ET Play, The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Youtube.

Credits: Republic TV, NDTV

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Once seen as the promising power duo of India’s renewables and EV story, Gensol Engineering and BluSmart Mobility are now at the center of a high-stakes corporate unraveling. Gensol, a key lessor and vehicle supplier for BluSmart, is battling a severe liquidity crisis, with its stock crashing 65%, credit rating slashed to unprecedented lows, and allegations of financial mismanagement emerging. Now, in a desperate move, Gensol is trying to pare ties with BluSmart and sell 3,000 vehicles from its fleet. But this isn’t just about one company’s cash crunch. Host Anirban Chowdhury talks about a business model under stress, a web of related-party deals, and the larger implications for India’s EV ecosystem. Was BluSmart too dependent on Gensol to begin with? Did Gensol’s investors get the short end of the deal? And what does this turmoil mean for the future of EV ride-hailing and clean energy startups?

Check out other interesting episodes from the host like: Corner Office Conversation with Maersk’s Keith Svendsen and Chris Cook, Tata, Airtel’s DTH merger: Will 2 Negatives make a Positive?, Tesla Tug-of-War: Maha, AP woo Elon Musk, and more!

You can follow Anirban Chowdhury on his social media: Twitter and Linkedin

Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on ET Play, The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Youtube.

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The crisis at IndusInd Bank is escalating, with an accounting discrepancy in its derivatives portfolio leading to possible loss of Rs 1,500 crore, regulatory investigations, insider trading concerns, and leadership upheaval. As the RBI intervenes, critical questions arise about governance, compliance failures, and financial stability. How did this happen? Who knew? What does it mean for investors and the banking sector? And can IndusInd Bank rebuild trust? Host Anirban Chowdhury, along with Krishna Appala of Capital Mind, Reena Zachariah and Saloni Shukla of ET, unpacks the controversy, key players, and the road ahead for the bank.

Check out other interesting episodes from the host like: Corner Office Conversation with Maersk’s Keith Svendsen and Chris Cook, Tata, Airtel’s DTH merger: Will 2 Negatives make a Positive?, Tesla Tug-of-War: Maha, AP woo Elon Musk, and more!

You can follow Anirban Chowdhury on his social media: Twitter and Linkedin

Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on ET Play, The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Youtube.

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Eli Lilly has launched its obesity and diabetes drug Mounjaro (Tirzepatide) in India. Weight loss drugs, a pharmaceutical segment that has taken the world by storm, has catapulted Eli Lilly to being the world’s most valuable company with a market cap of over $800 billion. In this episode, ET’s Vikas Dandekar and Teena Thacker speak with global CEO David Ricks and Winselow Tucker, President & GM India, about new breakthroughs in drug development, competition, and the role of emerging markets. They also discuss strategic partnerships, political challenges like tariffs, and Eli Lilly’s commitment to funding innovation and advancing global healthcare.

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You can follow Vikas Dandekar on his Linkedin, Twitter profiles and read his Newspaper Articles.

You can follow Teena Thacker on her Linkedin, Twitter profiles and read his Newspaper Articles. 

If you like this episode, check out more Corner Office Conversations from the podcast: Adar Poonawalla, Sandip Patel, The Mega Listing Of Vishal Retail, Antonoaldo Neves, Rajesh Jejurikar, Srikanth Velamakanni, and more!

Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on ET Play, The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Youtube.

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For McDonald’s, India presents a consistent growth in contrasting the headwinds its facing globally. That story has been charted by Westlife Foodworld, McDonalds top seller in India since it opened its first local store in Vasant Vihar, New Delhi in 1996. In this episode, Host Anirban Chowdhury talks to Akshay Jatia, President and CEO of Westlife talks about how he sees the Indian QSR story evolving, the growing importance of tier II and III cities to McDonald’s growth in India, what he thinks of competition like Good Flippin Burgers, why he won’t hive off McCafe into an independent entity and much more.

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If you like this episode, check out more Corner Office Conversations from the podcast: Adar Poonawalla, Sandip Patel, The Mega Listing Of Vishal Retail, Antonoaldo Neves, Rajesh Jejurikar, Srikanth Velamakanni, and more!

You can follow Anirban Chowdhury on his social media: Twitter and Linkedin

Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on ET Play, The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Youtube.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.