SAP Labs India’s plans to open a second campus in Bengaluru reflect the growing emphasis on building AI-ready talent pipelines.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is set to redefine industries in 2025, driven by advancements in agentic AI, smaller language models (SLMs), and domain-specific solutions. These technologies promise to revolutionise workflows, enhance customer experiences, and drive innovation across sectors such as healthcare, finance, supply chains, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Companies are responding with increased budgets, prioritisation of custom AI applications, and a focus on workforce upskilling to prepare for this AI-driven transformation.

Industry leaders have underlined the potential of AI in reshaping their operations. Harrick Vin, chief technology officer at TCS, predicts that AI will shift the focus of workflows from task management to driving customer success, fundamentally transforming knowledge work. Similarly, Wipro is investing in industry-specific AI frameworks aimed at solving sector-specific challenges and maximizing returns on AI investments. Sindhu Gangadharan, managing director at SAP Labs, emphasised that generative AI will revolutionise how organisations interact with data, optimise operations, and create unique customer experiences.

Agentic AI and SLMs are emerging as pivotal technologies for 2025. These innovations enable higher levels of autonomy and collaborative decision-making, allowing organisations to manage complex tasks more efficiently. SAP Labs India has already demonstrated the potential of agentic AI through tools like Joule, which streamlines predictive maintenance and supply chain optimisation.

TCS’ Vin highlighted the transformative role of agentic AI in healthcare and finance, promising greater personalisation and efficiency in service delivery. Infosys added that the cost-effectiveness of SLMs makes them ideal for scalable solutions in sectors such as education and agriculture. Ramprakash Ramamoorthy, director of AI Research at Zoho Corp, underscored their commitment to democratising AI for SMEs, ensuring that even smaller businesses can leverage these tools to compete effectively with larger enterprises.

Coforge’s vice president for AI, Deepak Bagchi, elaborated on how agentic AI will drive automation, resource optimisation, and personalised engagement. He pointed to the integration of 23 open-source and licensed large language models (LLMs) within Coforge’s ecosystem, as well as investments in fine-tuned and domain-specific SLMs, as key enablers of this transformation.

Enterprises are making AI an integral part of their digital transformation strategies. Vijay Guntur, chief technology officer at HCLTech, remarked on the growing allocation of AI budgets toward vertical-specific needs, highlighting their critical role in driving business outcomes. Investments in AI talent and infrastructure are also surging, with SAP Labs doubling its AI workforce and upskilling over 50% of its employees in response to rising demand for AI expertise.

AI’s integration with complementary technologies like IoT and blockchain is also gaining traction. Gautam Singh, head of analytics, data, and AI at WNS, noted that generative AI is reshaping supply chains and customer engagement strategies, further cementing its position as a cornerstone of modern business operations.

As AI adoption accelerates, reskilling and upskilling the workforce have become top priorities for organizations. Vin stressed the importance of critical thinking and creative problem-solving as essential skills for the workforce of 2025. Companies like Coforge are addressing this need through initiatives like AI Spark, a transformative learning programme for over 32,000 employees designed to foster innovation and ensure an AI-first approach.

SAP Labs India’s plans to open a second campus in Bengaluru reflect the growing emphasis on building AI-ready talent pipelines. Similarly, HCLTech, Infosys, and other leading firms are equipping employees with AI skills to meet the demands of emerging technologies.

https://www.financialexpress.com/business/digital-transformation-ai-in-2025-transforming-industries-and-empowering-workforces-3703565/lite/