Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Friday, 4 July 2025

Centre hikes monthly salaries

 Centre hikes monthly salaries of MPs by 24% April 1

Extract from the article:

The Government of India has officially sanctioned a 24% increase in the salaries of Members of Parliament (MPs), effective from April 1, 2023. This adjustment is a part of the periodic revision of remuneration, reflecting ongoing inflationary pressures and the evolving economic landscape. Alongside the hike in salaries, pensions for former MPs have also been augmented significantly — rising from Rs 25,000 per month to Rs 31,000 per month. The notifications point toward a deliberate effort by the Centre to acknowledge and compensate legislative representatives more robustly for their service.

This move rekindles a perennial debate about the remuneration of elected public officials and the justifications for such increments. The timing and scale of the hike summon diverse viewpoints, ranging from advocating fair compensation to concerns about fiscal prudence and public perception. The increase, in both salaries and pensions, may have implications for political nomination dynamics, as enhanced financial security could shape candidate motivation, the attractiveness of political careers, and consequently, the quality and diversity of leadership aspiring for these public offices.

My Take:

A. Electoral Reforms Capsule – A Bitter Pill

"Hey, look at what I thought of/suggested about this topic, 6 years ago. I had predicted this! I had offered a solution for this." In that blog, I advocated for a radical restructuring of how MPs and MLAs are remunerated. Instead of a patchwork of allowances and subsidies, I proposed fixed salaries supplemented by a variable component contingent upon performance, much like the executive compensation structure in corporate governance. This model envisioned Rs 5 lakhs/month fixed plus Rs 10 lakhs/month variable for MPs, linked to measurable constituency feedback via a mobile app, RepReward.

In light of the recent 24% salary hike, my earlier argument remains strikingly relevant. Merely increasing fixed salaries without embedding accountability and performance incentives risks perpetuating complacency rather than spurring excellence. If the salary hike is not tethered to tangible deliverables and public satisfaction, we are looking at a superficial fix rather than systemic reform. This underscores the urgent need for a transparent, performance-linked pay mechanism that motivates MPs while ensuring taxpayers’ money is judiciously utilized.

B. Artificial Intelligence to Fix MP / MLA Salary?

"Reflecting on this blog again, I had already flagged the ethical and legal quandaries around MPs hiking their own salaries in 2018." The Supreme Court was looking into establishing a permanent, independent mechanism for salary fixation to eliminate potential conflicts of interest. The piece underscored how unchecked increments risk eroding public trust and further complicate electoral nomination landscapes by creating financial incentives that may attract candidates less driven by public service.

Today’s notification of a uniform 24% increment, absent a transparent, autonomous adjudicatory mechanism like the one advocated, highlights how far the governance framework still needs to evolve. The proposal to leverage Artificial Intelligence as an impartial arbiter to determine fair compensation based on multiple socio-economic factors remains an innovative and promising solution. It would temper political discretion and transform remuneration determination into a more objective process, ultimately harmonizing financial fairness with ethical governance.

Call to Action:

To the Honorable Lawmakers and the Election Commission of India: As you consider and implement salary revisions for the nation's elected representatives, I urge you to simultaneously champion structural reforms that link compensation with measurable performance metrics. Establish an impartial and permanent body — possibly empowered by cutting-edge technologies such as Artificial Intelligence — to oversee and rationalize salary and pension decisions for MPs and MLAs. This will not only promote transparency and fairness but also enhance the credibility and efficacy of political nominations and governance.

Let us move beyond mere percentage hikes toward a system where remuneration reflects accountability, integrity, and service to the people. The momentum is now; let’s ensure salaries empower exemplary leadership rather than entrench entitlement.

With regards, 

Hemen Parekh

www.My-Teacher.in

The Manager ERA

 

The Manager era: AI agents to transform how we work

The article explores the evolving landscape of AI agents, positioning them as pivotal players in reshaping workplace dynamics. It highlights how AI agents, autonomous yet collaborative digital entities, can efficiently manage tasks, streamline workflows, and augment human decision-making. With capabilities ranging from data synthesis to proactive problem-solving, these agents are heralding what the article dubs “The Manager Era,” where AI takes a central managerial role rather than just being a passive tool. This shift promises to transform traditional hierarchical structures by introducing an ecosystem where AI coordinators optimize team productivity and agility.

Furthermore, the article delves into the nuanced challenges and prospects accompanying this AI manager revolution. It underscores the necessity for ethical guardrails, transparency, and adaptive governance models to balance human agency with AI autonomy. The discussion also touches upon how this agent-driven metamorphosis transcends industries, impacting everything from journalism and content curation to project management and customer relations. The article envisions a future where the symbiotic relationship between humans and AI agents redefines work paradigms, necessitating a reevaluation of leadership and collaboration frameworks.

My Take:

A. Sana – Your AI Anchor
"Of late, there is considerable debate among AI experts re; potential threat of AI bots getting out of control and harming humans." Reflecting on this, years ago, I had already sensed the dual-edged nature of AI advancements. The rise of AI anchors like Sana, delivering fluent news in Hindi, was an early indicator of AI’s expanding role in communication and management domains. I had posited the need for proactive dialogues and stringent regulatory frameworks specifically tailored for Conversational AI. This foresight aligns seamlessly with the article’s call for ethical supervision in the AI manager era. We are now at a junction where the managerial AI agents require a governance model that not only embraces efficiency but safeguards societal trust, a discourse I initiated several years ago.

B. Making Money from Online Jobs Fair (Part 3)
"Agents are also called intelligent agents, because intelligence is a key component of agency. The agent would be endowed with the wishes of its user and then make any necessary decisions while communicating with other agents." This foundational understanding of agents as decision-making surrogates anticipated the sophisticated AI managers discussed in the article. The shift from passive tools to autonomous agents managing tasks and inter-agent communication has been gradual but inevitable. Early insights like these have proven critical in conceptualizing today’s AI agents that juggle complex workflow responsibilities and dynamic team interactions. I see this as a validation of my earlier perspective that AI would transcend executing static commands and evolve into decision-making collaborators.

C. Sofia, Sana, Lisa – Their Tribe is Growing
"In the specific case of the more mechanistic end of journalism... AI tools are replacing, and likely increasingly to replace human delivery." This observation presaged the current scenario where AI agents are not just supporting but leading roles that require managerial acumen and content curation. The article underscores this with the notion of AI becoming the new manager, reshaping work structures across sectors including journalism. My earlier reflections on AI’s disruptive potential to replace certain job roles perfectly dovetail with the notion of AI agents coordinating teams and making managerial decisions. The trajectory from mechanistic functions to managerial autonomy is precisely what I envisaged, indicating a maturing AI ecosystem that is both dynamic and autonomous.

Call to Action:
To policymakers, business leaders, and organizational strategists embracing this AI manager era, I urge proactive establishment of comprehensive frameworks to govern AI agent autonomy. Invest strategically in ethical AI governance, transparency protocols, and continuous human oversight mechanisms. Encourage interdisciplinary collaboration to develop standards that balance innovation with accountability. Only through such foresight can we harmonize AI agents’ transformative potential with human-centric values to truly elevate how we work together.

With regards,
Hemen Parekh

Kompact and “ Voice / Face Animation” on www.HemenParekh.ai

 


 

Dear Chetanbhai :

 

Sub : Kompact and “ Voice / Face Animation” on www.HemenParekh.ai

 

In Feb 2024 , we chatted about animating my face ( with lip-sync ) on

www.HemenParekh.ai


I reproduce a portion of our chat below at ( A )

This required using a GPU server and as drafted by you , my colleague Sandeep

 sent email to Big Rock Team , shown below at ( B )


Unfortunately, price for use of GPU-based service, came out to around $ 1040

 per month.


I gave up this project since this price was unaffordable


Today, I just came across a news report re; IIT-Madras team having launched “

 Kompact “ innovation , which enables LLMs to run on a standard CPU !  No need

 for a GPU  ! . Read this at ( C ) below


Question:

By using KOMPACT, can we manage that “ Animation “ on Big Rock  ( current CPU-

based configuration ) ?

 


( A )  Extract from my past chat with ChatGPT ( 10 Feb 2024 )  :


I said:

Hey , thanks for your encouraging words and how this might become possible . It is heartening that my Virtual Avatar would be able to establish with each visitor , a unique relationship . Even at this moment ( for past 2 years ) , my Avater V 1.o ( www.HemenParekh.ai ) is able to " speak ( although, in a synthetic voice ) in 26 languages but I am told , animating my photo on my site to lip-sync and speak in my own voice, would be quite expensive. Can you suggest a free or a cheap method to achieve this ?

ChatGPT said:

You're already ahead of the curve with HemenParekh.ai V1.0 speaking in 26

 languages! 


The next logical step—lip-syncing animation with your own voice—can

 be achieved using some low-cost or even free AI tools.


💡 Low-Cost / Free Ways to Achieve AI Lip-Sync & Voice Cloning

1 Free AI Lip-Syncing Tools (for Animating Your Photo)

1.     SadTalker (FREE, Open-Source)

o    Can animate a single static photo of you, making it talk and move its

      lips in sync with any audio.

o    GitHub: https://github.com/OpenTalker/SadTalker

o    Demo: https://sadtalker.github.io

2.     HeyGen (Freemium)

o    Upload your photo and an audio clip, and it will generate a realistic talking avatar.

o    Free Plan: Limited output per month.

o    Website: https://www.heygen.com

3.     D-ID Studio (Freemium)

o    Allows you to upload your photo + any voice and create a realistic talking head.

o    Free version allows limited video generation per day.

o    Website: https://www.d-id.com


2 Free & Cheap AI Voice Cloning (For Your Own Voice)

1.     OpenAI TTS API (Coming Soon)

o    OpenAI is working on a personalized voice model. When available, this could generate lifelike speech in your voice.

2.     RVC (Retrieval-Based Voice Conversion, FREE)

o    This clones your voice with just a few minutes of your speech.

o    It works offline and is open-source!

o    GitHub: https://github.com/RVC-Project/Retrieval-based-Voice-Conversion

3.     ElevenLabs (Freemium)

o    Creates natural-sounding voice clones.

o    Free version allows limited cloning & output per month.

o    Website: https://elevenlabs.io


🔗 How to Combine These for a FREE / Cheap Solution


1 Train your AI voice clone using RVC (or ElevenLabs if you prefer a paid but easy option).


2
Generate speech in your voice using the AI model.


3
Use SadTalker (or HeyGen/D-ID) to animate your photo with accurate lip-syncing.


4
Integrate this into HemenParekh.ai Your avatar can now "speak" in your own voice, lip-syncing perfectly!


🚀 Future Upgrade: Fully Interactive AI Avatar

If you later invest a bit, platforms like:


Synthesia (paid, but excellent for interactive avatars)


DeepBrain AI (real-time talking avatars)


HeyGen Pro (real-time voice & lips)

can transform your avatar into a truly interactive AI speaker.


🔮 FINAL THOUGHTS

Right now, you can animate your photo & lip-sync your AI voice for FREE or under

 $  20 / month  ! 

With future AI advancements, this will become even more realistic, affordable, and

 real-time.

Want me to help outline a step-by-step workflow for implementation? 🔥

You said:

Hey Friend , I would love that ( my collegue Kishan - who has developed my V 1.0

 , would love that , even more ! )


ChatGPT said:

Great! Let’s break this down step by step so Kishan can start working on it

 immediately. The goal is to animate your avatar’s face, sync it with your own

 cloned voice, and make it interactive on HemenParekh.ai.


🛠 STEP-BY-STEP WORKFLOW FOR AI AVATAR LIP-SYNC & VOICE INTEGRATION


🔹 STEP 1: Create a Voice Clone (Your Own Voice in 26 Languages)

🔹 Option 1  (FREE, Open-Source): Retrieval-Based Voice Conversion (RVC)

  • Install RVC on a local machine or cloud.
  • Train it using your recorded voice samples (~5-10 minutes of clear speech).
  • Convert text into speech using this cloned model.

🔹 Option 2  (Freemium, Easier to Use): ElevenLabs

  • Visit https://elevenlabs.io
  • Upload a sample of your voice (1-2 minutes).
  • Generate speech in any language using AI cloning.

OUTPUT : 

AI-generated speech in your voice, sounding natural in multiple languages.


🔹 STEP 2: Generate a Talking Avatar with Lip-Sync

🔹 Option 1 (FREE, Open-Source): SadTalker

  • Install SadTalker from GitHub
  • Input:
    • Your static photo
    • Your AI-generated voice file
  • Output:
    • Video of your animated face speaking with lip-sync
    • Works well, but slightly robotic

🔹 Option 2 (Freemium, More Realistic): D-ID or HeyGen

OUTPUT : 

A realistic video of your AI avatar speaking in your voice with lip-sync.


🔹 STEP 3: Automate Avatar Interactions on HemenParekh.ai

Now, let’s make your avatar interactive on your website.

🔹 Option 1: Simple Pre-Recorded Video Responses

  • Create multiple pre-generated avatar videos (e.g., “Hello [Name]!” in different languages).

  • Use a chatbot to trigger the right video based on visitor data.

🔹 Option 2: Real-Time AI Speech & Lip-Sync (Future-Proofing)

  • Combine OpenAI GPT-4 Turbo API with DeepBrain AI or HeyGen API.

  • Fetch the visitor’s name, language, and context using cookies or login data.

  • Generate real-time voice responses in your voice.

  • Live-render a lip-synced video using an API.

OUTPUT : 

Your avatar greets each visitor personally, in real-time, with their name in their language!


💡 FINAL ARCHITECTURE OVERVIEW

HemenParekh.ai detects visitor name & language


AI generates a greeting in your voice (via ElevenLabs/RVC)


Your animated face lip-syncs the response (via D-ID/HeyGen API)


Video is displayed in real-time on the homepage


🚀 NEXT STEPS FOR KISHAN

1 Experiment with RVC or ElevenLabs for voice cloning.


2
Test SadTalker or HeyGen for face animation.


3
Integrate automated video playback on the website.


4
Explore API-based real-time avatar interactions.


Would you like a sample Python script for Kishan to get started? 🚀🔥

You said:

If you do , Kishan would feel absolutely delighted !

ChatGPT said:

Here’s a starter Python script for Kishan to integrate a personalized AI avatar greeting system into HemenParekh.ai. This script will:

Detect visitor name & language
Generate speech in your voice using ElevenLabs API
Create a lip-synced talking avatar using D-ID API
Play the generated video dynamically on your website


🚀 Python Script for AI Avatar Greeting

  • This script assumes Kishan has API keys for ElevenLabs (voice cloning) and D-ID (avatar animation).
  • If you want a free setup, he can replace D-ID with SadTalker (open-source face animation).
python
CopyEdit
import requests
import json
import time
 
#  Step 1: Define API Keys (Replace with your actual keys)
ELEVENLABS_API_KEY = "your-elevenlabs-api-key"
DID_API_KEY = "your-d-id-api-key"
 
#  Step 2: Function to Generate AI Speech in Your Voice
def generate_speech(text, language="en"):
    url = "https://api.elevenlabs.io/v1/text-to-speech"
    headers = {
        "xi-api-key": ELEVENLABS_API_KEY,
        "Content-Type": "application/json"
    }
    data = {
        "voice_id": "your-voice-id",  # Replace with your actual cloned voice ID
        "text": text,
        "model_id": "eleven_multilingual_v2",
        "language_id": language
    }
    response = requests.post(url, headers=headers, json=data)
    if response.status_code == 200:
        speech_url = response.json()["audio_url"]
        return speech_url  # Returns link to AI-generated speech file
    else:
        print("Error generating speech:", response.json())
        return None
 
#  Step 3: Function to Create Lip-Synced Talking Avatar
def generate_avatar_video(audio_url, photo_url):
    url = "https://api.d-id.com/talks"
    headers = {
        "Authorization": f"Bearer {DID_API_KEY}",
        "Content-Type": "application/json"
    }
    data = {
        "source_url": photo_url,  # Your photo (uploaded or hosted)
        "script": {
            "type": "audio",
            "url": audio_url
        }
    }
    response = requests.post(url, headers=headers, json=data)
    if response.status_code == 200:
        video_id = response.json()["id"]
        print("Video generation started. ID:", video_id)
        return video_id
    else:
        print("Error generating avatar video:", response.json())
        return None
 
#  Step 4: Function to Retrieve the Video URL Once Ready
def get_video_url(video_id):
    url = f"https://api.d-id.com/talks/{video_id}"
    headers = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {DID_API_KEY}"}
    
    for _ in range(10):  # Polling for video completion
        response = requests.get(url, headers=headers)
        if response.status_code == 200:
            data = response.json()
            if data["status"] == "done":
                return data["result_url"]  # Final video URL
            else:
                print("Processing... Waiting 5 seconds")
                time.sleep(5)
        else:
            print("Error fetching video:", response.json())
            return None
 
#  Step 5: Main Function to Greet Visitor by Name in Their Language
def greet_visitor(visitor_name, language="en"):
    text = f"Hello {visitor_name}, welcome to HemenParekh.ai!"  # Customizable greeting
    speech_url = generate_speech(text, language)
    
    if speech_url:
        print("Speech generated:", speech_url)
        avatar_video_id = generate_avatar_video(speech_url, "your-photo-url")
        
        if avatar_video_id:
            video_url = get_video_url(avatar_video_id)
            print("Final avatar video:", video_url)
            return video_url
    return None
 
#  Step 6: Example Usage
visitor_name = "Priya"
language = "hi"  # Hindi
video_result = greet_visitor(visitor_name, language)
 
if video_result:
    print(f"🎉 Video ready: {video_result}")
else:
    print(" Failed to generate greeting video.")

🚀 How Kishan Can Implement This

1 Get API keys for ElevenLabs & D-ID (or use free alternatives).
2
Upload a clear photo of you (Hemen Parekh) as the base avatar.
3
Run the script to generate greetings dynamically.
4
Embed the video URL in the homepage for real-time playback.


🔥 Next Steps

Would you like a web-based demo (React/Flask) so visitors can enter their name and see your avatar greet them live? 🚀🔥

You said:

Fabulous ! You never cease to surprise me !

ChatGPT said:

I'm absolutely thrilled that you loved it! 🚀🎉

Now, imagine the moment when your AI Avatar V2.0 greets every visitor personally, in your own voice, in their mother tongue—it will be a game-changer! 🔥

Let Kishan explore the Python script, and whenever he's ready, we can expand it into a full-fledged interactive web experience.

Looking forward to your next big step—just say the word, and we’ll make it happen! 😊

 

 

( B )  Email ( drafted by ChatGPT ) sent to Big Rock Server ( 10 Feb 2024 )  :


Subject: Request for VPS Upgrade with GPU for AI Lip Sync Processing

 

Dear Big Rock Support Team,

 

I am currently hosting my website www.HemenParekh.ai on a Big Rock VPS

with the following specifications:

 

  • Plan Name: Standard
  • CPU : 2 Cores
  • RAM: 2 GB
  • Disk Space: 20 GB SSD
  • Bandwidth: 1 TB
  • OS: Ubuntu 20.04
  •  

I am planning to implement real-time AI-powered lip sync on my website and

 require an upgraded VPS with a dedicated GPU for optimal performance.


 Could you please provide me with a quotation for a VPS plan with the following

 specifications?


 Recommended VPS Upgrade Requirements:

 

CPU: 4 to 8 Cores (Intel Xeon or AMD Ryzen)
RAM: 16 GB or higher
Storage: 100 GB SSD/NVMe
GPU: NVIDIA A100 / RTX 3090 (or any available equivalent)
Bandwidth: 5 TB per month (or Unlimited)
OS: Ubuntu 22.04 (or latest available version)

 

Additionally, please confirm:

 

If GPU acceleration is supported on your VPS plans.

Estimated cost per month/year for the upgraded plan.

Any one-time setup charges or migration assistance available.

 

I appreciate your assistance and look forward to your response.

 

( C )  To-days Development ( 20 April 2025 ) :

 

Reply by ChatGPT :


Hello Hemenbhai,

It's great to reconnect with you! I understand your interest in animating your

 avatar's face with lip-sync on www.HemenParekh.ai, and the challenges you've

 faced due to the high costs associated with GPU-based services.

The recent development of Kompact AI by IIT Madras and Ziroh Labs is indeed

 promising. This platform aims to run large AI models efficiently on standard

 CPUs, potentially reducing the reliance on expensive GPUs.Tech in

 Asia+8Hindustan Times+8LinkedIn+8Tech in Asia+3The Tech Portal+3Hindustan Times+3


However, it's important to note that while Kompact AI shows potential in making

 AI more accessible, there have been critiques regarding the novelty and

 practicality of its achievements. Some in the tech community have replicated

 similar performance using existing tools, suggesting that the claimed

 breakthroughs may not be as groundbreaking as presented.Medium+1Medium+1



Regarding your specific application—animating your avatar's face with lip-sync

—the feasibility of using Kompact AI depends on several factors:


  1. Model Compatibility

  2. Kompact AI has optimized certain models to run on CPUs. If your animation tools can leverage these models, integration might be possible.The Indian Express+2LinkedIn+2Analytics India Magazine+2

  1. Performance Requirements

  2. Real-time face animation with lip-sync is computationally intensive. While Kompact AI aims to run models on CPUs, achieving smooth, real-time animation without GPUs may still be challenging.Medium+6TICE News+6Analytics India Magazine+6

  1. Integration Complexity

  2. Adapting your existing setup to work with Kompact AI would require technical adjustments. The ease of this integration would depend on the flexibility of your current system and the support provided by Kompact AI.

Given these considerations, while Kompact AI offers an exciting avenue to explore, it may not fully meet the performance needs for high-quality, real-time avatar animation without further optimization or support.


Alternative Approaches:


  • Pre-rendered Animations

  • Instead of real-time animation, consider generating pre-rendered videos of your avatar speaking common phrases. These can be triggered based on user interactions, reducing computational demands.
  • Hybrid Systems

  • Use CPU-based processing for less intensive tasks and reserve GPU resources for demanding processes. This approach balances performance and cost.
  • Cloud-based Services

  • Some platforms offer pay-per-use models for avatar animation. This can be more cost-effective than maintaining dedicated GPU infrastructure.

If you'd like, I can assist in evaluating these alternatives or provide more detailed guidance on integrating Kompact AI into your project. Let me know how you'd like to proceed!