Indian firms follow IBM as AI‑driven GCCs grow, creating assisted professionals
Indian companies are racing to copy IBM’s playbook for AI‑powered global capability centers, and the momentum is palpable. While the tech is impressive, the real shift is in how firms stack talent: dense squads of data scientists, engineers and domain experts working side‑by‑side. That model promises quicker product cycles and tighter integration with business units, from banks to drug makers.
Yet the payoff isn’t just speed; it reshapes roles, birthing a hybrid breed of workers who lean on algorithms to augment, not replace, their judgment. Observers note that these “assisted professionals” are emerging across sectors such as retail and pharmaceuticals, blurring the line between pure tech and core industry knowledge. As more Indian firms pile on AI resources, the question becomes whether the added headcount translates into measurable advantage.
Kapil Joshi, CEO at Quess IT Staffing, summed up the sentiment when he told AIM, “High‑density AI teams give us faster go‑to‑market, superior user e…”
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.
Is the surge in AI‑first GCC mandates delivering the efficiencies promised? Over 60 % of new 2024 mandates now carry a digital and AI charter, suggesting a clear pivot from pure service delivery toward strategic value creation. Indian firms are echoing IBM’s model, building high‑density AI teams that, according to Kapil Joshi of Quess IT Staffing, enable faster go‑to‑market and superior user experiences.
Yet the impact on traditional roles remains uncertain; the emergence of “assisted professionals” across banking, pharma and retail hints at a hybrid workforce, but whether this blend will consistently outperform legacy structures is unclear. Moreover, the pressure on GCCs to unlock data value and deliver omnichannel personalization may stretch resources, especially where domain expertise must be tightly integrated with AI outputs. In practice, firms will need to balance rapid deployment with robust governance, a tension that the article does not resolve.
Ultimately, the data points to a growing AI‑driven agenda, but the long‑term payoff for both clients and employees remains to be demonstrated.
Further Reading
- 58% GCCs in India investing in Agentic AI; two-third creating dedicated innovation teams to globalize ideas: EY GCC Pulse Survey 2025 - EY
- 5 Shifts Defining India's Global Capability Center (GCC) Story in 2025 - Zinnov
- India's GCCs are driving AI projects for global ops - The Times of India
- Infosys Unveils AI-first GCC Model to Transform Global Capability Centers into Innovation Hubs - Infosys
- Global Capability Centers in India: The Next Growth Engine - AMS
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Common Questions Answered
How are Indian firms replicating IBM's AI‑driven global capability center (GCC) model?
Indian companies are building high‑density AI squads that combine data scientists, engineers, and domain experts, mirroring IBM's approach. This structure aims to accelerate product cycles, integrate tightly with business units, and deliver faster go‑to‑market solutions across sectors such as banking and pharma.
What does Kapil Joshi of Quess IT Staffing mean by “assisted professionals” in the context of AI‑first GCCs?
Joshi describes “assisted professionals” as workers who blend domain expertise with AI tools, enabling them to perform complex tasks more efficiently. These hybrid roles emerge from dense AI teams that enhance productivity, user experience, and scalability across industries like retail and drug manufacturing.
What proportion of new 2024 GCC mandates include a digital and AI charter, and why is this significant?
Over 60 % of new 2024 GCC mandates now carry a digital and AI charter, indicating a strategic shift from pure service delivery to value‑creation through AI. This trend underscores the growing importance of AI talent concentration for faster innovation and competitive advantage.
According to the article, what are the claimed benefits of high‑density AI teams for Indian firms?
High‑density AI teams are said to deliver faster go‑to‑market timelines, superior user experiences, and significantly higher productivity and scalability. By concentrating AI talent, firms can innovate more rapidly, integrate AI with business functions, and potentially outpace competitors.