AI-Driven GCCs’ Race Gets Dense as Indian Firms Follow IBM

Global capability centres are now under pressure to enhance operational efficiency, unlock data value, and deliver personalised, omnichannel experiences.

This results in a growing number of GCC mandates now coming with a built-in digital and AI-first agenda. In fact, industry analysts report that over 60% of new GCC mandates in 2024 include a digital and AI-first charter, reflecting the shift from service delivery to strategic value creation.

At the backdrop of such AI led innovations in India, Infosys recently unveiled its AI-first GCC model, a specialised offering designed to transform GCCs into AI-driven hubs for innovation and business growth. 

The model leverages Infosys’ experience with over 100 GCC engagements, including setups for Lufthansa Systems, zooplus, and Danske Bank. Infosys has enabled GCCs’ setup to operational readiness, embedding AI-led transformation through production-grade agents and a unified platform ecosystem.

AI-first GCCs unify technology, talent, and transformation capabilities to convert these centres into scalable innovation engines supporting global mandates, the company mentioned in its release. 

Infosys is not alone in this AI-driven GCCs’ race.

LTIMindtree has also launched its GCC-as-a-Service model, helping enterprises leverage AI and next-generation capabilities to build global innovation hubs.

EY has its AI-powered intelligent GCC solution suite, offering tools to design AI-native centres, overhaul value chains with autonomous intelligence, build an AI-fluent workforce, and embed responsible AI governance.

From Old to New

IBM, which has helped multinational corporations set up and scale GCCs in India for over seven years, carries a unique lens on this transformation. 

“We started looking at how we enable our talent to become assisted talent with an augmented channel,” said Santhosh Rao, partner and executive director for India-South Asia at IBM and GCC business unit leader. 

The approach, referred to as the “+AI to AI+ journey,” integrates AI at every step of workflows — from software development and testing to operations, allowing employees to be more productive and strategic in their roles.

“We have been able to leverage AI within IBM itself, what we refer to as ‘Client Zero’,” Rao added.

At the core of this transformation is IBM’s consulting advantage platform, which embeds automation, machine learning, and generative AI into daily operations.

This platform enables all roles through SDLC (software development life cycle), i.e. assisted BA, assisted developer, assisted tester and Ops. It also continuously gets enhanced with each engagement aligning to responsible AI guardrails.

Recently, IBM helped an insurance client establish their own AI-enabled design CoE to re-imagine workflows between a payer and provider, driving productivity and improving the end-to-end workflow, enhancing both customer and employee experiences.

Rao added, “We’ve trained our talent to become more productive using this platform, effectively taking the same workforce and enabling them to deliver more.”

This methodology is particularly effective in HR, procurement, and supply chain functions. Routine workflows, such as generating reference letters or payroll processing, are now handled by AI agents, freeing employees to focus on higher-value work. 

The approach also extends to complex functions where AI intersects with domain expertise, creating a new class of “assisted professionals” across banking, pharma, retail, and more.

Kapil Joshi, CEO at Quess IT Staffing told AIM that “High-density AI teams give us faster go-to-market, superior user experiences, and significantly higher productivity and scalability.” Simply put, the organisations that concentrate AI talent move faster, innovate better, and win more, he added.

The EY India GCC Pulse Survey 2025 that AIM accessed revealed that India-based GCCs are moving from experimentation to enterprise-scale adoption of AI, with 58% currently investing in Agentic AI and 83% in GenAI. The survey also found that pilot programs for GenAI have grown from 37% in 2024 to 43% in 2025.

However, as per the BCG report, only 8% of GCCs qualify as top performers, demonstrating maturity across three key strategic levers — market advantage, innovation, and enterprise efficiency.

Augmenting Talent with AI

Arindam Sen, partner and GCC sector leader, technology, media, entertainment and telecommunications at EY India, told AIM that “EY’s newly launched AI-powered intelligent GCC solution suite is fundamentally changing how GCCs are set up and scaled in India.”

Instead of relying on traditional build-operate-transfer models, organisations can now adopt what he calls a “build-orchestrate-transfer” approach, where AI becomes the operational backbone from day one.

By automating workflows, codifying knowledge, and activating operations immediately, AI reduces stabilisation timelines and accelerates readiness. Sen noted that this allows GCCs to go live much earlier without waiting for large teams, or processes to mature.

A key component of enabling AI-powered GCCs is talent upskilling. 

IBM combines internal training programs with industry-academia partnerships to ensure graduates and mid-career hires are prepared for real-world challenges. 

Rao said, “Every employee goes through a structured path where they gain both technical skills and industry knowledge.” This blended learning approach ensures that GCC workforces are not only AI-literate, but also capable of applying AI in practical, value-driven ways.

Sen added that the EY AI Academy offering accelerates workforce readiness through immersive, role-based learning paths and hands-on simulations, that will enable GCC talent to become AI-fluent, agent-ready and fully capable of unlocking the power of human-AI collaboration.

The outlook for India’s GCCs is promising. Rao anticipates sustained growth driven by AI adoption and the availability of skilled talent. “The centre of gravity of decision-making is shifting,” he observed. 

“India’s talent is adapting, scaling, and driving innovation, what used to be a cost centre is now becoming a true value creator.”

The post AI-Driven GCCs’ Race Gets Dense as Indian Firms Follow IBM appeared first on Analytics India Magazine.