Greener Cities, Greener Steel and a Greener Future:
Smart Shift 2025
The future of sustainable cities and resilient industries came into sharp focus at Smart Shift 2025, a conference hosted by Core Cognitics in association with Markaz Knowledge City and PeeKay Steel Castings Pvt Ltd, held at the Sahya Auditorium, Cyberpark, Kozhikode. The event brought together technology leaders, environmental strategists, and industrial innovators to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the way we live, govern, and manufacture.
AI as the Next Industrial Catalyst
Shabeer Puthukkudi, CEO of Core Cognitics, delivered the keynote titled AI as the New Industrial Revolution. He emphasized that AI represents the fourth major industrial shift, following electricity, computing, and the internet. With 70% of the global population projected to occupy just 2% of land by 2050, he argued, smart, scalable AI systems are imperative for managing urban energy, water, and healthcare infrastructure.
A Blueprint for Smart, Sustainable Cities
One of the most powerful sessions came from Dr. Abdul Salam Mohammed, CEO of Markaz Knowledge City and former ISRO scientist. He shared insights into how sensor-driven systems are transforming everyday functions, from sewage treatment to disaster prediction. His team’s work at Knowledge City showcases real-world smart city applications: AI-monitored water recycling, landslide prediction using environmental sensors, and one of the cleanest air indexes in India.
Dr. Salam also called for blending modern technology with ancient urban wisdom — highlighting architectural insights from civilizations like Babylon and Mughal India that remain relevant today.
Democratizing AI for Real Impact
Faizal Rahamadulla, Director at Core Cognitics, gave a practical walkthrough of enterprise-ready AI systems. He outlined solutions ranging from predictive maintenance in manufacturing plants to AI-enabled urban infrastructure like sewer overflow monitoring and smart energy grids. He introduced an innovative integration layer — Model Context Protocol (MCP), which aims to simplify AI adoption across industries by functioning like a universal connector between systems.
Industry in Transition: Green Steel and Automation
The event also spotlighted how traditional manufacturing is evolving. PeeKay Steel Castings (P) Limited, a leading steel foundry exporting to over 35 countries, shared its journey from conventional processes to Industry 5.0.
Dr. Nithin Raj and Adhil Moideen presented a compelling narrative: AI and automation now touch every aspect of their operations, from AI-based casting simulations to energy optimization via SCADA systems. Their environmental achievements are equally impressive: renewable energy capacity, smart water recycling, and turning waste sand into commercial-grade bricks. This fusion of technology and sustainability has already positioned Peekay as Kerala’s first EPD and GreenPro certified steel producer.
From Vision to Action
Closing the conference, Yusra Shabeer, Director at Core Cognitics, reflected on the deeper purpose of the event: bringing together government, industry, and technology leaders not just to talk innovation, but to humanize it. “AI is not a replacement for human effort,” she said. “It’s a tool to build adaptive, thoughtful, and resilient systems — one step at a time.”
Takeaways and Way Forward
Smart Shift 2025 wasn’t just another tech conference. It was a powerful statement: AI is no longer optional — it is foundational. Whether managing cities, manufacturing steel, or planning public policy, the tools of the future must be built today — with empathy, sustainability, and intelligence at their core.
