Beyond The Hype: How AI Is Already Changing Work | CII President Explains

At Davos 2026, Business Today Group Editor Siddharth Zarabi speaks with Rajiv Memani, President of CII and Chairman & CEO of EY India, on the real impact of AI on productivity—cutting through the hype. He explains why AI-driven gains are visible but gradual, requiring strong data foundations, infrastructure, pilots, and organisational change before results fully materialise. He outlines how EY is embedding AI across tax, audit, consulting, transactions, supply chain, and due diligence, automating processes that once took days into minutes. He also cautions against impatience driven by market hype and valuations, stressing that AI is a long-term transformation, not a quick-return investment. The winners, he says, will be firms that move fast—but with structure, content depth, and leadership conviction.