- 8 hours ago
The race for faster artificial intelligence is expanding globally, but it is colliding head-on with a massive physical reality. In this episode of Tech Today, we explore the heavy environmental toll of the infrastructure powering our digital world, test a tech-packed affordable EV, and review a new photography powerhouse. Big Tech Story: The Real Cost of AI Boom Everyone wants faster chatbots and instant AI image generation, but almost nobody is looking at the physical data centers making it happen. These massive facilities demand enormous amounts of power, land, and water for cooling. From Northern Virginia to Chile and Ireland, local communities are pushing back against severe strains on electrical grids and scarce water resources. Now, India is facing its first major warning sign. We look at the 15 billion dollar data center hub in Visakhapatnam, the subsequent social media censorship surrounding it, and why India must find a transparent, responsible path forward to build its AI future without making citizens pay the hidden environmental cost. Auto Intelligence: Tata Tiago EV Electric vehicles are moving into the Indian mainstream, and Tata is targeting accessibility with the updated Tiago EV. We put this entry-level electric hatchback to the test to see if affordable mobility can still feel high-tech. Premium Tech & Safety: Featuring a refreshed design, a unique rotary drive dial, a 10.25-inch floating infotainment screen, and a segment-first 360-degree camera system. It also comes standard with six airbags and connected-car companion app functionality. Battery & Range: Delivering an estimated range of up to 215 kilometers, the Tiago EV supports improved DC fast-charging that juices the battery from 20 to 80 percent in just 30 minutes. Plus, Tata is addressing buyer anxiety by offering a lifetime warranty on the battery pack. Tech Review: Xiaomi 17T Xiaomi is changing its tactics in the mid-range segment, shifting focus toward versatile physical hardware over computational marketing buzzwords. We review the new Xiaomi 17T to see if it is the complete package. Leica Periscope Camera: The main highlight is the periscope telephoto system featuring a 50MP main Leica camera with OIS, a 12MP ultra-wide, and a 50MP telephoto lens capable of 5X optical zoom and up to 120X AI zoom. It delivers excellent multi-focal portraits and clean low-light shots. Specs & Battery: Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8500 Ultra processor with 12GB RAM, UFS 4.1 storage, and a bright 6.59-inch AMOLED display. It packs a massive 6500mAh Silicon Carbon battery that easily lasts 2 full days on a charge, supported by 67W fast charging. What do you think about the hidden resource costs behind your favorite AI tools? Are you ready to make the switch to an affordable EV? Let us know in the comments below. Share this video with a friend and hit Subscribe to catch our upcoming coverage of Apple's WWDC from Apple Park in Cupertino!
Category
đź—ž
NewsTranscript
00:13This week on the show, we are looking at one of the biggest questions in the AI era.
00:19Everyone wants faster AI, but behind all of this is a massive data center consuming electricity, water and even resources.
00:27Now, India is racing to build the infrastructure needed for AI, but can we really build with responsibility and transparency
00:35or are we overlooking the environmental cost?
00:39That is our big tech story.
00:41Also on the show, we get behind the wheel of the Tata Tiago EV, one of the most affordable electric
00:47cars in the country right now.
00:49But what does it offer when it comes to the tech inside of it, the features and the overall EV
00:54experience for first time buyers?
00:56We will tell you.
00:58And in the end, this one, the Xiaomi 17T, which boasts of flagship level photography with a powerful periscope camera.
01:06But a great camera alone doesn't make a great smartphone, does it?
01:10So, is it a complete package for all the people who want to buy a phone?
01:14All of this on this week's Tech Today with me, Cyrus.
01:17But first, the top tech headlines of the week.
01:24Google has rolled out an automated fake call detection feature on Android to stop AI-powered voice cloning and digital
01:31arrest scams.
01:32The tool uses a digital handshake to verify if an incoming call is genuinely originating from a contact's device.
01:39If a scammer attempts to spoof a number or clone a voice, the handshake fails, triggering an instant on-screen
01:45warning advising the user to hang up.
01:47The security protection is rolling out globally this month, starting with Pixel devices.
01:57Anthropic is expanding access to its highly-powered cybersecurity-focused model, Claude Mythos, across 15 countries, including India.
02:05Under an initiative called Project Glasswing, the startup is giving 150 critical infrastructure organizations the ability to scan code for
02:14severe software flaws.
02:16Anthropic maintains it has no plans to release the model publicly due to potential weaponization risks.
02:26Microsoft has unveiled its next-generation quantum chip, which was developed using agentic AI material science platforms.
02:34The new chip replaces traditional aluminum with specialized lead-based materials to deliver a massive 100-fold improvement in reliability.
02:43The company says the system will eventually tackle complex problems across global health and sustainability.
02:53UBER is placing a hard $1,500 monthly spending limit on employee usage of agentic coding tools like Claude and
03:00Cursor.
03:01The restriction comes after the ride-hailing company maxed out its entire annual AI budget within the first four months
03:07of the year.
03:08UBER has previously run internal leaderboards urging staff to use AI as much as possible before hitting the massive infrastructure
03:15costs.
03:20And NVIDIA has officially stepped into the consumer PC market with the launch of its RTX Spark ARM chip.
03:27Developed in collaboration with MediaTek, the silicon combines a 20-core Grace GPU with a Blackbell architecture graphics processor.
03:34Built specifically to challenge Apple's premium M-Series Max, the architecture targets upcoming thin-and-light Windows laptops with all
03:42-day battery life.
03:51Now, for the last three years, the world has been obsessed with artificial intelligence.
03:56Who has the smartest chatbot?
03:58Who has the fastest chipset?
04:00Who will win the AI race?
04:01But while everybody is looking at AI, almost nobody is looking at what powers the AI.
04:07Because behind every chatbot response, every image that you create, every recommendation you're getting from AI is a giant data
04:14center.
04:15And around the world, people are beginning to ask, what is the real cost of these AI facilities?
04:21Because from America to Chile to Ireland, communities are now pushing back.
04:26In fact, American environmental advocate Erin Brockovich has launched a crowdsourced tracking map on her official platform to get global
04:34community document the local impact of these facilities,
04:39calling data infrastructure the new pollution, hitting towns worldwide.
04:44Things are now heating up.
04:45And now, for the first time, India is seeing the same thing.
04:53The AI boom has triggered the biggest data center construction wave in history.
04:58Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Meta.
05:01Every major technology company is racing to build more capacity.
05:06But the backlash is growing.
05:10In Northern Virginia, often called the data center capital of the world, residents have protested against new developments, citing noise
05:18pollution, land use, and strain on local infrastructure.
05:23In Chile, environmental groups have challenged data center expansion over concerns about water consumption during prolonged drought conditions.
05:31In Ireland, authorities have repeatedly raised concerns about data centers consuming a growing share of the country's electricity grid.
05:40Citizens have questions whether scarce water resources should be diverted towards large technology facilities.
05:47Different countries, different concerns, but the same question.
05:51How can AI growth happen without hurting local communities?
05:55Now, until recently, that felt like a foreign debate, an outside problem, not an Indian one.
06:03But in recent days, India has started its first real taste of these structural changes.
06:08As global attention turns to high-profile tracking efforts, local realities are colliding with digital ambitions right here at home.
06:21India is trying to make a mark in an evolving space, and it's pushing initiatives aggressively.
06:27A tax holiday for setting up data centers, accelerated semiconductor manufacturing, cloud infrastructure, AI startups, and much more.
06:36All this is just the tip of the iceberg compared to what's happening all over the globe.
06:45One of the biggest examples is emerging in Vishakhapatnam, a city that Andhra Pradesh hopes will become one of India's
06:52largest AI and cloud infrastructure hubs.
06:55Projects involving Google-linked infrastructure plans worth more than $15 billion, Adani Connex and other players have transformed Vizac into
07:04one of the most important locations in India's digital future.
07:09For policy makers, this is exactly what India needs, investments, technology, jobs, and global relevance.
07:18But as the project gained attention, questions began emerging from the ground.
07:24The concerns weren't about AI itself.
07:27Nobody was protesting technology.
07:29People were asking something far simpler.
07:31What happens to their land?
07:34What happens to the water?
07:36And also the environment?
07:38Local activists and residents began raising concerns about the impact of large-scale data center development around the Vishakhapatnam region.
07:45And then something happened that pushed the issue into the national spotlight.
07:51A video documenting the concerns of locals and protests began circulating online.
07:56The video gained significant traction on social media.
07:59Users notified that access to the video on Instagram had been restricted in India.
08:05Suddenly, a local environmental concern became a national conversation, not just about data centers, but about who gets to question
08:13them.
08:13And that's exactly when this stopped being a local story.
08:18Because what happened next mirrors a much bigger problem, more systemic debate happening all around the world.
08:26When a local issue gets overlaid with a digital restriction, it shifts the entire conversation.
08:32It forces us to look past the corporate logos and examine the raw physical reality of what it actually takes
08:38to keep our digital world running.
08:42The easy version of this story is tech companies versus the local population.
08:47But that's not what's actually happening.
08:49The real issue is about infrastructure.
08:52Data centers need three things.
08:54Power, land and cooling.
08:57And cooling often means water.
08:59Lots of it.
09:00As AI models become larger and more powerful, the infrastructure supporting them becomes larger too.
09:06This isn't a Google or a Microsoft problem.
09:10It's an AI problem.
09:13The very technology that promises to transform our future also demands enormous physical resources.
09:19And somebody has to host that infrastructure.
09:24But here's the truth.
09:25AI is a revolutionary technology.
09:28And India cannot afford to miss this AI revolution.
09:31The country needs data centers, cloud infrastructure, AI compute capacity and digital investments.
09:37Without these, India risks becoming merely a consumer of AI rather than a creator.
09:44Of course, all of this comes at a cost.
09:47Look at how China is taking data centers under the sea or how US is planning to send them to
09:52space.
09:53The idea should never be about stifling tech.
09:58The answer is building better and being transparent.
10:02The government and private firms need to be absolutely transparent and educate the local population about their plans.
10:08We also need to be a bit more skeptical about cataclysm claims by activists
10:13and realize that there will always be certain costs that have to be paid for the sake of technological development.
10:19Because we have already seen what happens when industrial ambitions collide blindly with local realities.
10:27We saw it in the 1980s when the Narmada Dam project faced decades of crippling resistance over human and environmental
10:35displacement.
10:35We saw it when the pristine Silent Valley Dam was completely scrapped by public demand to protect a rainforest ecosystem.
10:43And we also saw it when Tata was forced to abandon its massive near-complete nano plant in Sinkur
10:50after a historic standoff over fertile farmland.
10:53The lessons of our own history are entirely clear and this time India just cannot afford to lack.
11:00For the sake of development, jobs and overall growth of the country and a toehold in AI,
11:07India will need more data centers, more R&D and more resources.
11:13The countries succeeding in technology today are increasingly discovering something important.
11:18Citizens are no longer willing to accept a development first, question later.
11:23They want transparency, environmental assessments, water accountability and public consultation.
11:30And stakeholders need to make all of this happen.
11:33All right, you need to realize that the AI race is real and there's a lot at stake here for
11:40India and its citizens as well.
11:42Because the future isn't a choice between AI and citizens.
11:46The real challenge is building an AI future where citizens don't have to pay the hidden costs.
11:52I believe transparency, fair compensation and responsible development are key pillars that we need to focus on.
12:00And maybe that's the lesson India can learn before the backlash becomes bigger than the technology itself.
12:13The year 2026 has been tumultuous indeed because of the conflict and what it led to the rise in the
12:19cost of fuel.
12:20And that has started a conversation among people for the need of more electric vehicles.
12:26Now, with EVs, there's a usual problem. The starting price is usually higher over 10 lakh.
12:30But what if I told you today on the Tech Today Show, we have an electric vehicle that starts under
12:3610 lakh and could be in that affordable segment for many people.
12:40This is the Tata Tiago EV which starts at 6.99 lakh rupees.
12:45And we are doing a tech check of this car.
12:49What kind of technology does this car come with and how does it add value for a lot of people
12:54who are aspiring to buy an electric vehicle.
12:56What we are going to do is give you a check of the tech stack and how it can completely
13:00change your driving experience.
13:02Let's go.
13:12Electric vehicles are steadily moving into the mainstream in India.
13:17With global players like Tesla and BYD entering the market, Indian manufacturers are under pressure to innovate faster and bring
13:25more options to consumers.
13:29In fact, EV sales in India have more than doubled between 2022 and 2025.
13:36While much of the EV conversation still revolves around premium and mid-range offerings, Tata is betting on affordability with
13:44the all-new Tiago EV.
13:46The question is, can an entry-level EV still feel premium?
13:51Let's find out.
13:54This is the updated Tata Tiago EV, building on the 2024 model with a refreshed design and a more modern
14:02cabin experience.
14:05Upfront, you get these new LED headlamps paired with a blanked-off grille that gives the car a cleaner EV
14:12identity.
14:14There is also the convenience of keyless entry, making everyday use a little more seamless.
14:23Step inside, and the first impression is surprisingly premium.
14:26This doesn't immediately feel like an entry-level mini hatchback.
14:31Instead, it gives off the vibe of a much more expensive EV.
14:36One feature that immediately stands out is this new rotary drive dial for selecting drive modes, something that's still relatively
14:44rare in cars at this price point.
14:47The upholstery has a rich premium feel, while the fabric inserts across the dashboard and door panels add a layer
14:54of sophistication.
15:05And of course, a smart car today needs a smart companion app, something Tata has bundled with the new Tiago
15:13EV.
15:15Now, the Tata Tiago EV has the Tata Motors IIRA.EV app, which you install, and you can download it
15:22via iOS or the Play Store.
15:25Now, once you enter the application, you obviously have to set up the security pin, and this one details all
15:30of the metrics that you would want to know about the car.
15:32How much of kilometer range that it has, how much of it is remaining, if you want to geofence your
15:38car, services, and even roadside assistance.
15:41Beyond the usual vehicle statistics and charging information, the app offers a range of remote functions, including door lock and
15:49unlock controls, air conditioning management, and seat belt alerts.
15:55On the high voltage side, we've changed the formulation of the chemistry of the battery in order to be able
16:02to accept higher rates of charge,
16:04which means that the new car charges itself in 40% less time as compared to the older car, and
16:10that's a huge enablement.
16:13In case of an emergency or breakdown, the vehicle also sends notifications to designated contacts.
16:19Adding to the safety package, both battery variants come equipped with six airbags as standard.
16:24What impressed us the most, however, is the inclusion of some segment-first tech, including a 360-degree camera system.
16:35Now, how you activate it, it's very simple, there is a button over here, under the AC vent, you tap
16:40on it, you get the display of the 360-degree view right here on the console,
16:45and you can switch between different modes.
16:47There is a 3D mode as well, which gives you a 3D view of the car, and on the console,
16:52you can touch and control wherever you want to view.
16:54This is the camera quality that you get. There is also an additional safety camera view that automatically activates while
17:02turning, helping improve visibility around the vehicle.
17:05Most of the vehicle information is displayed on this 10.25-inch floating infotainment display.
17:11The system supports both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, while the freestanding digital instrument cluster features an anti-reflective coating
17:19for improved visibility.
17:20Tata has also included a tyre pressure monitoring system that alerts you if any tyre drops more than 20%
17:27from its recommended pressure level.
17:29While wireless charging is missing on this EV, you do get a 65W USB-C fast charging port along with
17:36a standard USB charger beneath the central console.
17:39There is also the 12V charging socket tucked away inside the armrest for added convenience.
17:46So, I want to be absolutely clear that this is not a review of the Tiago EV.
17:50It's more like a first look and feel of what this car can offer, but we can talk about the
17:55battery specs.
17:55Now, this one comes in two specs.
17:57One is a 19.2-kilowatt battery and the other one is a 24-kilowatt battery.
18:03What really matters is how this will behave in actual city conditions, which obviously we will let you know in
18:09our full review.
18:10People who want a vehicle for daily use, want to go to work and just want to stay in the
18:15city for urban traffic, this is, I would say, a good spec.
18:23The company claims a range of about 215 kilometers on a full charge.
18:28But perhaps the bigger story here is the improved DC fast charging capability, which can charge the battery from 20
18:34to 80% in just 30 minutes.
18:37Because of the electrical architecture having been brought over from the alpha architecture, which as we know is a much
18:46more premium architecture in terms of the software.
18:51And that has enabled us to give premium features even in this entry level car.
18:56And that itself is a great enablement for all our customers.
19:02During our drive, we kept regenerative braking at level one out of four, which helped recover a little additional charge
19:10while we were on the move.
19:13Tata is offering a lifetime warranty on the battery back, addressing one of the biggest concerns many first-time EV
19:19owners have.
19:20Beyond that, you also get several comfort features including a cold glove box, automatic climate control and automatic rain sensing
19:28wipers on the top variant.
19:31As one of India's most affordable electric vehicles, the Tiago EV isn't just about reducing fuel bills.
19:38It's also an example of how premium automotive technology is gradually making its way into more accessible vehicles.
19:45Features like connected car functionality, a 360-degree camera and faster charging were once reserved for more expensive cars.
19:54And now they are finding their way into the mass market.
19:58And if this trend continues, consumers stand to benefit the most.
20:04So that was a first look at the newly launched Tata Tiago EV, a practical solution for city driving and
20:10also addresses the affordability factor.
20:12Now, if you have any queries about the tech stack and what kind of tech is inside the car and
20:17want to know more about it, you can definitely write to us and we will try to get you all
20:21of the answers and solutions that you want to know about this car.
20:24And also, by the way, if you want a full review, please do write to us and we promise to
20:28get you a full comprehensive review of the new Tata Tiago EV.
20:32I'll be back with more tech. As for this one, I really liked it.
20:41Now, Xiaomi used to be a dominant force in the Indian market a couple of years ago, especially in the
20:46mid-range category where they had phones for everybody in India.
20:51But they've kind of slipped down that pecking order primarily because of a few reasons, product innovation is stalled and
20:57also the competition is kind of getting better products.
20:59Now, they have turned to new tactics, which is trolling.
21:02They are saying that they do not require a physical telephoto lens, something like competition like Vivo and Oppo are
21:09offering with their devices.
21:11But is that just exaggeration or is it really true that the Xiaomi 17T over here really has a good
21:19inbuilt telephoto lens?
21:20Is that what we are trying to find out in our review of the newly launched Xiaomi 17T. Let's go.
21:38Let's start with the design which feels ergonomically minimalistic.
21:42At 200 grams, the Xiaomi 17T isn't trying to be the lightest phone in your pocket, but that weight is
21:48being put to good use over here.
21:49Up front, there's Corning Gorilla Glass 7i protection and you also get IP68 rating.
21:55One thing I do like is Xiaomi's commitment to software support and that's reassuring since you can use the device
22:02for longer.
22:06This is a 6.59-inch AMOLED display and it's bright and good whether you're scrolling social media, watching Netflix,
22:15editing videos or gaming.
22:16This screen delivers the kind of premium smartphone experience people now expect in the mid-range segment.
22:22And you also need a good display because when you are shooting portraits, zoom shots or travel photos, you need
22:28a display that can properly showcase those images.
22:31Outdoor visibility is also good and overall you won't have any problems with the display clarity.
22:41Under the hood, the Xiaomi 17T is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8500 Ultra processor paired with 12GB of RAM
22:49along with UFS 4.1 storage.
22:51Now let me translate that into normal human language.
22:54Every possible task that a phone is supposed to do happens smoothly on this one.
22:59So whether you're gaming, shooting videos or editing content, the cooling system is designed to maintain performance over long periods.
23:06On the software side, you have a few nifty AI features apart from the fluid HyperOS experience that the phone
23:13offers.
23:17Now let's talk about the headline making feature of the smartphone which is the camera.
23:22Now Xiaomi has bundled a triple camera setup on this one but it's really talking about, it's wanting to pitch
23:28the telephoto lens as really the headline maker.
23:30So let's take a look at the camera, what samples are we getting out of this and really whether it
23:35is a game changer for people who want to adopt photography, especially when it comes to a smartphone.
23:40The Xiaomi 17T features a 50MP Leica main camera with optical image stabilization.
23:45Alongside it is a 12MP Leica ultrawide camera but the star of the show is undoubtedly the 50MP telephoto camera.
23:54And this is what makes the Xiaomi 17T different.
23:57The company has made zoom photography the centerpiece here.
24:01The phone offers 5x optical zoom and up to 120x AI zoom.
24:06Even at concerts, sporting events, wedding or at travel destinations.
24:10A good telephoto camera completely changes what your phone can do.
24:14Even the selfies from the 32MP camera are good for social media.
24:18Colours pop out well and the subject separation comes out very good in the portrait mode.
24:27One of the biggest concerns that many smartphone buyers especially in mid-range have that the battery is not enough
24:35for them because they are using so many applications, they are running their camera almost every day.
24:39And with a phone like the 17T where you will be using the camera the most, you need a good
24:43battery.
24:43Which is why this one comes with a 6500 mAh battery and also comes bundled with fast charging.
24:49So, if battery is a big concern for you, then this smartphone just offers everything that you would require.
24:54I got around 2 days of regular use with this one, which I feel is more than enough.
24:59Charging is handled by a 67W charger and you also get 22.5W reverse charging.
25:05So, for travelers, content creators and heavy users, battery life could easily be one of the most strongest reasons to
25:12consider the 17T.
25:18So, verdict time, is the Xiaomi 17T really a good, a practical smartphone for you?
25:24I would say definitely, keep aside the whole telephoto lens, the whole marketing gimmick that they are trying to pull.
25:31I mean, a physical telephoto lens does enhance your photography, it is fat.
25:35However, I will still say that the telephoto lens on the 17T is good enough.
25:40And if it had a physical lens, that would just, you know, made things wonderful.
25:44But, as a practical phone, I would say the battery capacity, everything just fits perfectly.
25:49And for a mid-range smartphone, if you are looking for a good option, then this one is really good.
25:54It just depends on what pricing this phone comes in at.
25:57Because if they price it aggressively, under 50,000, I think it would be fantastic.
26:02Anything between 50 and 60, you might think twice and go for other options.
26:06But, in all practicality, I am absolutely satisfied with what the camera offers on the 17T.
26:12And overall, as a package, it's really good.
26:14And that brings us to the end of this week's edition of Tech Today.
26:17As always, thank you so much for joining us and being a part of the conversation around different technologies shaping
26:22our future.
26:23And next week will be a very special episode that we will be getting to you from Apple Park in
26:29Cupertino as we cover the WWDC 2026 Live.
26:33From the biggest software announcements to hands-on experiences and exclusive insights,
26:38we will have everything that you need to know from one of Apple's biggest tech events of the year.
26:44Stay tuned for that. This is Cyrus signing off on Tech Today.
26:47Today's office.
26:51Bye-bye.
26:51Have a great day.
26:53Bye-bye.
26:56Bye-bye.
27:01Bye-bye.
Comments