AI or IQ? A feisty battle of wits and ideas

The team from Jain University, Bengaluru was declared the winner after two hours of thoughts and arguments flying thick and fast

- HT Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Bengaluru's Jain University won the national final of the Hindustan Times Centennial Debate on Tuesday, bringing the curtain down on an event that spanned several months, about 50 educational institutions, and regional rounds in three cities.

The Jain University team, comprising Aastha Bhattacharjee and GS Harini, was declared the winner after nearly two hours of exhilarating debate that saw thoughts, ideas and arguments fly thick and fast as speakers attempted to convince the audience and an esteemed jury.

Preetika Khilnaney from Vivekanand Education Society's Institute of Technology in Mumbai was declared the best speaker, followed by Abhirami Anilkumar from Jyoti Nivas College in Bengaluru, and Harini from Jain University.

The teams squared off on the topic—AI and IQ don't see eye to eye.

The jury — comprising former Union minister of state and senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, former chief justice of the Jammu & Kashmir high court justice (retired) Gita Mittal, and Bharatiya Janata Party national vice-president and senior parliamentarian Baijayant 'Jay' Panda — hailed the centenary of Hindustan Times, and held out advice for the debaters.

Panda said he was impressed by how people from various backgrounds and academic streams brought diverse perspectives on the issue. Justice Mittal commended the range and level of the debate and speeches, and said there was very little difference in quality between the speakers. Tharoor said the debate was a terrific experience and advised the students to inject wit and humour in their speeches.