How AI is Revolutionizing the IT Sector: A Deep Dive into Industry Transformations

As debates continue around whether artificial intelligence (AI) is truly a threat to jobs, one thing is clear: AI has emerged as a powerful tool that enhances productivity and operational efficiency across various industries. Data consistently supports the growing influence of AI, and its potential to revolutionize work is more widely accepted than ever before.

A recent release of the 2024 Work Trend Index by Microsoft and LinkedIn sheds light on this transformation, particularly in the Indian IT sector. The report reveals that 92% of knowledge workers in India are now using generative AI at their workplaces. Furthermore, 72% of these workers bring their own AI tools to enhance productivity and efficiency, indicating a substantial shift in how AI is perceived and utilized.

In the information technology (IT) sector, many companies, including Microsoft, Wipro, HCLTech, Genpact, and LTTS, have adopted generative AI for automating various functions, particularly in customer service and interactions. Industry experts are increasingly discussing the need for reskilling, upskilling, and shifting skills to adapt to this rapidly changing environment.

The AI Evolution in Microsoft’s Operations

Puneet Chandok, president of Microsoft India and South Asia, explained how AI is transforming their internal operations. "Our employees are embracing Azure OpenAI and Microsoft Copilot in Microsoft 365 to transform their work," he said. AI is being used for a wide range of tasks, including summarizing conversations, creating presentations, providing coaching feedback, and even producing digital art. Microsoft has implemented Azure-powered virtual assistants to deliver hyper-personalized experiences across verticals like healthcare, sales, and entertainment.

Dozens of teams at Microsoft are currently working on generative AI (GenAI) projects, eager to adopt new AI tools that boost productivity and foster creativity. Chandok believes that the era of AI is reshaping how businesses operate, driving innovation at an unprecedented pace.

Wipro’s AI Journey: Productivity and Innovation

Wipro has launched its ai360 innovation ecosystem, an initiative designed to integrate AI into its processes and tools to drive productivity and improve employee and customer experiences. "At Wipro, we are our first client or Client Zero," said Anup Purohit, chief information officer at Wipro. The company is using GenAI-based technologies in internal processes, including HR, legal, sales, and marketing, achieving notable gains in productivity. In fact, in areas like quality engineering and testing, Wipro has seen improvements of 20%-30% in test cases and test result analytics.

In collaboration with institutions like the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Wipro has trained over 2,25,000 employees in GenAI fundamentals, with 30,000 employees receiving advanced AI training.

AI Driving Change in HCLTech and Genpact

At HCLTech, AI has been embedded into almost every aspect of business operations. The company has made significant investments in GenAI platforms like AIForce and AIFoundry, which have contributed to substantial productivity gains, especially in software engineering. Vijay Guntur, the company’s chief technology officer, stated that they have committed to training an additional 50,000 employees in GenAI skills during the fiscal year, focusing on developer skills and AI-related technologies.

Similarly, Genpact has seen the benefits of AI firsthand. The company implemented an AI-powered assistant for its global IT helpdesk, resulting in a 30% reduction in service desk staff and a doubling of user satisfaction. Moreover, Genpact’s AI Guru tool, designed to provide personalized learning recommendations for its global workforce of 60,000 employees, has been pivotal in increasing productivity.

According to Vidya Rao, chief information and transformation officer at Genpact, AI has helped the company innovate and improve 120 unique use cases, leading to a 70% increase in training productivity and substantial time savings across various functions.

LTTS and Happiest Minds: AI Innovation on the Rise

L&T Technology Services (LTTS) is focusing on expanding its team of AI specialists, utilizing AI in customer interaction, production processes, quality control, and medical diagnostics. The company is committed to upskilling thousands of engineers over the next three years, with a particular focus on NVIDIA AI Enterprise tools.

Similarly, Happiest Minds Technologies is leveraging GenAI across key functions such as legal, HR, and marketing. Tools like ResumeMatcher Pro and Smart Citation Maker are helping to streamline processes and improve decision-making. According to Sridhar Mantha, the company's president and CEO of Generative AI Business Services, GenAI tools act as "job facilitators," augmenting the capabilities of employees rather than replacing them.