SBI’s AI Lending Push & Yulu’s $93 Million Bet: Two Stories, One Big Shift

Imagine a small business owner walking into a bank for a loan. Earlier, the process could mean paperwork, branch visits and weeks of waiting. Now, banks are increasingly using GST records, bank statements, ITR data, credit history and other digital footprints to make lending decisions faster. SBI is pushing deeper into this model. Its automated credit-risk systems already use financial and transactional data to assess MSME borrowers, showing how AI and data could change the way India lends to small businesses. At the same time, another transformation is happening on Indian roads. Electric mobility startup Yulu has raised $93 million through equity and debt. Its plan is ambitious: expand its EV fleet from around 50,000 to 200,000 vehicles within two years and enter more cities. The company is targeting quick commerce, food delivery and other last-mile logistics opportunities. What connects these two stories? Technology is reducing friction. In banking, AI can reduce the time required to evaluate borrowers. In mobility, shared EVs and battery swapping can reduce the cost and downtime involved in running delivery vehicles. Bajaj Auto — an existing investor in Yulu and a major player in India’s two- and three-wheeler ecosystem. Mahindra & Mahindra — exposure to electric last-mile mobility, particularly electric three-wheelers. Reliance Industries — its new-energy business is preparing battery-swapping solutions for electric two-wheelers targeting logistics and delivery applications. Shriram Finance $SHRIRAMFIN — MSME and vehicle financing exposure, including financing directed toward EV buyers. The bigger lesson is not to buy stocks simply because a theme is growing. Watch who actually converts the theme into revenue, market share and sustainable profits. AI lending and electric mobility show how technology can reduce costs, improve efficiency and create new opportunities across Indian businesses.