Insyte Weekly: Google's new search mode, SA plans direct flights to India, and more

This was an interesting week in the business world. Here’s a breakdown of some of the week’s top stories.

Media & Entertainment

At Mobile World Congress 2025, Samsung unveiled the Flex Gaming, a foldable handheld gaming console concept featuring a 7.2-inch OLED display that folds in half, as reported by Chris Thomas. While the device showcases Samsung Display’s advancements in foldable screen technology, it is currently a prototype with no functional buttons or D-pad, raising doubts about its practicality. There is no confirmation that the Flex Gaming will become a commercial product, but it highlights Samsung’s growing interest in the handheld gaming market. Given its expertise in Exynos chips, GDDR6 memory, and OLED displays, Samsung may eventually develop a fully functional gaming console or supply its foldable screen technology to other manufacturers.

Edtech

According to Wendy Jones, artificial intelligence continues to evolve rapidly, outpacing the ability of K–12 school systems to adapt. However, Agentic AI—a form of AI that adapts to changing environments and makes autonomous decisions—could help bridge this gap. Unlike traditional AI, which reacts to data, Agentic AI can analyze multiple data sets, detect patterns, and generate predictive insights. For example, it can assess student attendance, historical test scores, and instructional strategies to develop targeted plans for improving student engagement. While this technology presents exciting opportunities, schools must also address security concerns and data privacy. Organizations like Digital Promise provide frameworks to guide educators on using, understanding, and evaluating AI, while companies like CDW and ALP assist schools in assessing their AI readiness.

AI

Microsoft has introduced Microsoft Dragon Copilot, the first AI assistant for clinical workflows, integrating natural language dictation (DMO) with ambient AI capabilities (DAX) and healthcare-specific safeguards. As part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, Dragon Copilot aims to enhance clinical efficiency, reducing administrative burdens and improving provider and patient experiences. With clinician burnout still a concern and a looming workforce shortage, AI-driven solutions like Dragon Copilot help streamline documentation, surface medical insights, and automate key tasks. Clinicians report saving five minutes per encounter, experiencing 70% lower burnout rates, and providing a better patient experience (93% approval). This AI-powered ecosystem supports multilingual documentation, automated workflows, and integrated medical searches, offering a seamless and intelligent clinical experience.

As reported by Kendrick Cai, Google has launched an experimental AI-powered search mode called "AI Mode", which eliminates traditional 10 blue links in favor of AI-generated summaries. Available to Google One AI Premium ($19.99/month) subscribers, users can access AI Mode through a dedicated tab alongside Images and Maps. Unlike AI Overviews, which summarize search results while retaining links, AI Mode provides a more detailed AI-generated response with hyperlinks to cited sources and a follow-up search bar instead of traditional results. Powered by a custom Gemini 2.0 model, it enhances reasoning for complex queries. While AI integration into search remains Google’s top investment priority, concerns are rising, as seen in Chegg’s lawsuit accusing Google of harming publishers by reducing demand for original content.

Tourism

Ashraf Ahmed reported that South African Tourism is intensifying its efforts to attract Indian travelers with its 2025 India Roadshow, scheduled from March 18-20 across Delhi, Chennai, and Mumbai. With India being a key source market, South Africa aims to increase Indian arrivals by 16% in 2025, building on the 75,541 Indian tourists welcomed in 2024—a 79% recovery from pre-pandemic levels. To achieve this, the country is introducing key initiatives, including visa reforms such as the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system for faster processing and the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS) to streamline group visa applications. Additionally, discussions are underway to establish direct flights between the two nations, eliminating layovers and enhancing travel convenience. A major focus is also on expanding the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) sector, as nearly 50% of Indian travelers to South Africa in 2024 visited for business, with MICE accounting for 20.2% of arrivals. The roadshow will highlight South Africa’s corporate travel offerings, luxury venues, and adventure-based team-building experiences, positioning the country as a top-tier business and leisure destination for Indian travelers.

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