Published on 31st August 2026
At TEDxSJCC 3.0 in Bengaluru, I came away
with a simple thought:
AI tools and humans working together can be a very good
combination.
Just as humans have different strengths and weaknesses, AI
tools appear to have them too.
Perhaps, over time, the human learns which AI tool can
complement which strength or weakness.
Nayakanti Prashant
3rd Gen Banker & Citizen Lobbyist – Bengaluru
https://in.linkedin.com/in/prashantnayakanti
The Trigger
On 29 August 2026, I had an opportunity to attend TEDxSJCC 3.0
— Artificial Minds, Natural Limits at St. Joseph’s College of Commerce,
Bengaluru.
Due to a mix-up, I attended the afternoon session from around
1 PM onwards.
Well, I wish I could have attended the morning sessions too.
What struck me was the diversity of voices on the stage — from
Kalahandi to Bengaluru, and from perspectives spanning technology, finance,
healthcare, education, sustainability, public administration and AI.
The speaker lineup itself was wonderfully diverse:
- Avik
Roy — building technology for more sustainable real estate.
- Divya
Kumar — leadership, finance, technology and the AI agenda.
- Dr.
Rimjhim Agrawal — AI, neuroscience and personalised brain care.
- Eshwar
Sundaresan — writing, counselling and critical thinking.
- M.
N. Anucheth — policing, public administration and real-world technology.
- Ranjitha
Jayasimharao — sustainability, design, data and AI in the built
environment.
- Rev.
Dr. Bala Kiran Kumar Hrudayaraj, SJ — economics, capability and social
thought.
- Rishi
Mazumdar — education, responsible AI and digital agency.
- Sunayana
Sitaraman — inclusive, context-aware AI, evaluation and AI safety.
- Ankita
— a 10th-grade student from Kalahandi, Odisha, bringing a young
perspective to the stage.
But what stayed with me was not one particular talk.
It was something much simpler.
Today, someone in Bengaluru, Kalahandi, Dharwad, Guwahati or
Kochi can ask an AI tool for an opinion.
And sometimes, after receiving one answer, we ask another AI
tool for a second opinion.
Almost like asking another trusted human.
The AI responds to our prompt with the knowledge, context and
capabilities available to it.
We then compare, question, accept, reject or ask again.
Perhaps this is not AI replacing the human.
Perhaps it is the beginning of humans learning how to work
with a team of very different AI tools.
The Prospective Audience
For a student in Kalahandi.
For a teacher in Bengaluru.
For a professional in Mumbai.
For a researcher in Hyderabad.
For an entrepreneur in Ahmedabad.
For a parent in Kochi.
For anyone, anywhere, beginning to work alongside AI.
Perhaps all of us are learning a new skill — knowing which AI
to ask, when to ask another, and when the human should have the final word.
Act I — The Starting Point
AI tools and humans are increasingly working together.
But AI is not one uniform tool.
Different AI tools can respond differently to the same
question — sometimes explaining, analysing, challenging, structuring or
presenting an idea in different ways.
Just as humans have different strengths and weaknesses, AI
tools appear to have them too.
Perhaps the emerging human skill is therefore not finding the
best AI tool.
It is learning which AI tool is useful for which need.
And, also ensuring the least pressure is put on finite resources.
Act II — The Second Opinion
And here comes the interesting part.
A human asks one AI tool a question.
The answer comes.
Then the human thinks:
“Let me ask another AI.”
Why?
Perhaps for a different perspective.
Perhaps to challenge the first answer.
Perhaps simply because we are not yet sure.
Isn't that remarkably similar to what humans have always done?
We ask one person we trust.
Then, sometimes, we seek another trusted opinion.
The difference is that today, the second opinion can come from
another AI tool — almost instantly.
And the human remains the one deciding what to ask, what to
compare and what to believe.
Act III — The Complement
Perhaps this is where the human–AI relationship becomes
interesting.
Not:
Human vs AI.
Not:
AI replacing human.
But:
Human + AI.
One AI tool may complement one weakness.
Another may strengthen another part of the journey.
And the human gradually learns the combination that works
best.
Perhaps the real skill of the future will not be knowing
everything about every AI tool.
It may simply be knowing:
Which tool to ask.
When to ask another.
And when the human should have the final word.
The journey may therefore be simple:
Ask → Compare → Question
→ Decide
The AI assists.
The human remains responsible.
Closing Thought
Perhaps the future of AI is not about finding one perfect
tool.
It may be about learning how different tools can complement
different human needs.
We may ask one AI.
We may ask another.
We may disagree with both.
And then, ultimately, a human still has to decide what to do.
Perhaps that is the real partnership we are only beginning to
understand.
Different AI strengths.
Different human strengths.
One shared journey.
April 11 — Digital Transactions Day
Digital journeys are increasingly becoming journeys of choice.
We choose the app.
We choose the channel.
We choose how we transact.
And perhaps, with AI, we are beginning to choose which digital
intelligence to work with.
Ask → Compare → Decide
Perhaps better digital journeys are not about removing the
human from the loop.
They make the human more capable within the loop.
The Joy of Digital Transactions
Disclaimer
This Citizen Observation is based on my personal experience of
attending TEDxSJCC 3.0 — Artificial Minds, Natural Limits at St. Joseph’s
College of Commerce, Bengaluru, on 29 August 2026, and the reflections that
followed.
The observations about AI tools are personal reflections and
are not intended to represent the views of TEDxSJCC, St. Joseph’s College of
Commerce, or any speaker at the event.
The descriptions of speakers and their areas of work are
provided only to give context to the event and are not intended as a summary or
evaluation of their individual talks.
ChatGPT was the primary assistant in this blog post, of course
the final output is owned by me only.
Copyrights, if any belong to the brand owners only.
Nothing More — Nothing Less.
The Joy of Digital Transactions
Nayakanti Prashant
3rd Gen Banker & Citizen Lobbyist – Bengaluru
Advocating Digital Transactions Day (April 11)
Author’s Blogs
https://prashantrandomthoughts.blogspot.com
https://prashantnepayments.blogspot.com
https://innovationinbanking.blogspot.com
