Indian IT giants TCS, Infosys, HCLTech, and Wipro recently released their quarterly results and many of them expressed low confidence regarding generative AI and did not disclose the exact revenue figures contributed by generative AI.

Though the Indian IT companies haven’t made any big announcements about the impact of generative AI on the revenue growth, they are quite vocal about integrating generative AI into their operations. Their biggest investment is in training their own employees in the field of GenAI.  

How are Indian IT companies training their employees?

Last year, Infosys announced that it plans to train 100,000 employees, focusing on theoretical and practical aspects through partnerships with GenAI leaders. TCS is training over 150,000 employees, emphasising foundational skills in collaboration with tech giants.

“We have over 100,000 GenAI-ready employees today, and we are now investing in deepening their expertise further with the exciting new technology,” said TCS’ executive vice president and global head – human resource, Milind Lakkad, at the recent earnings call. 

While the numbers are impressive, questions arise about the depth of skills, specialisation options, and real-world application integration. This trend reflects the industry-wide race to build a skilled GenAI workforce, underscoring the growing demand for expertise in this transformative field.

Through internal training initiatives such as the Infosys Learning Hub and specialised Skill Academies, Infosys trains its employees to delve into a wealth of AI-related courses, covering fundamental concepts to advanced applications. Mentorship programs further enhance learning through personalised guidance from seasoned AI practitioners. 

Leveraging technology-enabled learning, Infosys integrates AI simulation platforms and gamified courses, ensuring practical skill development in controlled environments. Meanwhile, TCS, HCL Tech, and Wipro also employ distinct methods to train their employees, like Infosys. 

TCS prioritises innovation with research centres, whereas HCL Tech bridges academic-industry gaps, and Wipro emphasises domain-specific training via HOLMES. Despite differences, all invest in job-specific training and leadership development. 

The distinct focus areas of these IT giants contribute to a comprehensive landscape where generative AI is harnessed for diverse applications, from enhancing customer experiences to automating compliance tasks.

Despite employing a substantial workforce compared to other major tech giants, they underutilise their highly-trained employees, limiting the potential for innovations. Although they are using generative AI to train their employees, they are not being trained for the actual purpose of what AI engineers serve. 

Also read: What to expect from Indian IT in 2024?

Are they making use of their workforce in the right way?

OpenAI, Meta, and Google are the foundation model builders. OpenAI, despite its smaller engineering force, has contributed a lot to research and open-source segments. These companies develop models and serve as product and model sellers, offering APIs and applications for developers to integrate and customise. 

On the other hand, Infosys, HCL, TCS and Wipro stand out as genAI application developers and service providers. They use these foundational models to produce client solutions, deploying generative AI in diverse applications. 

Indian tech giants boast of large and experienced workforces with a proven track record of managing complex projects but still struggle with ambitious projects and limited data access. Although the workforce is huge for these Indian IT companies compared to other big tech companies, the question arises as to why they are not using this workforce for a better solution. 

To navigate the evolving tech landscape and compete with Big Tech, Indian IT giants like Infosys, TCS, HCL Tech, and Wipro must undergo a transformative shift in mindset. Moving beyond cost optimisation, they should position themselves as innovation partners, deeply understanding clients’ industries and investing in emerging technologies. 

While directing the delicate balance between quantity and quality in India’s AI landscape, addressing the current skill gap and aligning the focus towards innovation is imperative. These AI engineers find themselves shouldering the weight of AI services rather than being able to focus on generating innovative AI solutions.

Although India’s extensive pool of AI engineers, notably within companies like TCS and Infosys, offers a strategic advantage in workforce size, there is a pressing need to elevate the skillset and cultivate a culture of innovation.

[Updated January 18, 2024 | 9:17] The headline has been revised for sensitivity and appropriateness.