Infosys, an Indian IT giant has launched a comprehensive AI certification training program called Infosys Springboard, aimed at empowering individuals with the necessary skills for future job market success. The program offers a range of AI courses, including introductory and advanced topics such as deep learning, natural language processing, and generative AI. It also includes a course called 'Citizens Data Science' covering essential aspects of data science like Python programming, linear algebra, probability and statistics, and exploratory data analysis. Infosys Springboard, accessible on any device, provides a curriculum-rich learning experience and fosters collaboration between educators and learners, catering to students from Class 6 onwards and lifelong learners. With over 5.5 million registered users, the platform meets the growing demand for AI education and positions Infosys as a trusted provider, aiming to impact global education and career development.
In addition to the training program, Infosys has been making significant investments in AI. CEO Salil Parekh highlighted the potential of generative AI to create more opportunities, acknowledging that revenue was affected by cancellations and specific issues. In 2015, Infosys, along with Elon Musk, AWS, and others, donated $1 billion to OpenAI, which has since become one of the world's most influential AI startups. Recently, Nandan Nilekani, the co-founder of Infosys pledged a donation of USD 38.5 million to the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, (his alma mater) to drive the advancements of AI.
Infosys has also launched Topaz, an AI-focused suite with 12,000 use cases, enabling industry-specific solutions in intelligent automation, AI-driven customer service, and enhanced security. By leveraging open-source language models (LLMs) to build narrow transformers, Topaz helps businesses tackle specific enterprise challenges and foster growth.
Gary Bhattacharjee, VP of Data Strategy and AI at Infosys emphasized that AI has the potential to replace entire functions rather than just improving processes, resulting in significant cost reductions for clients. He cited the use of robotic process automation (RPA) within Infosys as an example of how AI can replace human decision-making processes, leading to "labour arbitrage" by substituting low-cost robots for human labour.
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While Infosys is shifting its focus from coding to algorithms as coding becomes more automated, the company aims to enhance its employees' mathematical understanding and develop complex quantitative models. Although this transformation will take time, Infosys plans to continue hiring freshers and collaborate with prestigious institutions such as the Indian Institutes of Technology and Management to attract talented individuals. They are also revamping their fresher program to prioritize skill development over coding.
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However, the impact of AI adoption on freshers' hiring at Infosys has not been sufficiently addressed. While the overall hiring at the company, including freshers and experienced software developers, has decreased from the previous fiscal year, the effect on freshers specifically remains uncertain. A report by Goldman Sachs suggests that AI could potentially replace the equivalent of 300 million full-time jobs, highlighting the importance of individuals upskilling to stay relevant in the evolving job market
