VIT Chennai Marketing Conclave Focuses on AI Impact and Consumer Trust

CHENNAI — VIT Business School at VIT Chennai organised a Marketing Conclave on Friday, bringing together entrepreneurs, marketing professionals, and industry leaders to discuss consumer behaviour, brand building, and creativity amid the growing integration of artificial intelligence (AI).

The event featured keynote addresses from Lakshminarayanan Duraiswamy, Managing Director of Sundaram Home Finance Ltd, and LV Navneeth, Chief Executive Officer of THG Publishing Private Ltd (The Hindu).

During his keynote address, Duraiswamy emphasised the critical need for organisations to build and sustain customer trust in a business environment increasingly shaped by AI. He noted that technology and innovation must remain anchored in customer needs.

“AI is not about creating a new technology, and it is not about creating a new design. It is about what it does for the customer,” Duraiswamy stated, adding that organisations must actively work to earn and strengthen customer trust on a daily basis.

Speaking on the theme “Imagining the Future,” Navneeth addressed students and professionals regarding the importance of reflection in the creative process. He noted that the constant pressure to remain busy often leaves little time for reflection, which he described as essential for fostering innovation and creative thinking.

The gathering was also addressed by senior academic leadership, including Thyagarajan T, Pro-Vice Chancellor; Suresh Balakrishna, Consultant; and Saju B, Dean of VIT Business School at VIT Chennai.

The one-day conclave included three panel discussions and two fireside chats. These sessions provided a platform for participants to discuss emerging marketing trends, evolving consumer expectations, and the influence of technology on brand strategy.

The first panel, titled “The Human Edge: Understanding Consumers in the Age of AI,” focused on the continued relevance of human insights within technology-driven marketing frameworks. Subsequent panels examined strategies for building long-term brand loyalty and consumer relationships, as well as the branding challenges and opportunities presented by the growth of direct-to-consumer (D2C) business models.

The event concluded by offering a collaborative forum for students and industry practitioners to exchange perspectives on the changing landscape of the marketing sector.

"As artificial intelligence continues to reshape business operations, events like the VIT Chennai Marketing Conclave highlight the critical balance between technological capability and consumer trust. For modern businesses and startups, adopting new tools must always serve a clear purpose that benefits the end consumer. True innovation requires leaders to step back, reflect, and ensure that technology enhances human understanding rather than replaces it." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes