HFS PODCASTS

In this episode of HFS Unfiltered, David Cushman speaks with EY's Dan Diasio and Thiru Vengadam about what it takes to move from AI experimentation to enterprise-scale agentic operations. Drawing on EY’s recognition as a Horizon 3 Market Leader in the HFS Horizons Agentic Services 2026 report, they discussed why the biggest barriers to AI adoption are no longer technology, but business transformation, governance, operating models, and workforce readiness. The conversation explores how organizations can move beyond proof-of-concept projects by embedding AI into core business operations, building trusted agentic systems with strong governance, and adopting outcome-based partnerships. They also discuss the evolution of Services-as-Software™, where AI-enabled services are creating new business value by combining software, human expertise, and continuous innovation.Key takeawaysAI success is a business transformation challenge, not just a technology one.Scaling AI requires rethinking operating models, processes, data, governance, and talent.Agentic AI must be built on trust. Governance, security, auditability, and human oversight are essential for deploying enterprise-scale AI systems.Partnerships are evolving. Organizations need deeper co-development and outcome-based collaborations rather than traditional vendor relationships.Services-as-Software™ is reshaping enterprise services. AI enables organizations to combine software with human expertise to deliver new, higher-value outcomes.The future belongs to enterprises that embed AI into operations, not just experiments.Sustainable value comes from integrating AI into the way work is designed and delivered.Learn more about the 2026 HFS Horizons: Agentic Services report, which assesses how effectively 36 service providers help enterprise clients adopt agentic AI and realize value across three distinct Horizons, here.#AgenticAI #AgenticServices #EnterpriseAI #ServicesAsSoftware #AIOperatingModel #EY #HFSResearch #AIGovernance #DigitalTransformation #FutureOfWork

In this episode of HFS Unfiltered, Saurabh Gupta, President of HFS Research, joins Vinod Kumar, President and CEO of Akkodis North America, to explore why AI must move beyond cost savings to deliver real business transformation. They discuss the convergence of IT, OT, and business transformation, why enterprise AI struggles to move from pilots to production, and how engineering-led AI can accelerate time to market, improve product outcomes, and create competitive advantage. What you’ll hear:Why enterprise AI struggles to move from POCs to production How contextual and undocumented data can hold AI back Why forward-deployed engineers are becoming increasingly important How AI can transform engineering, product validation, and speed to market Why trust, safety, traceability, and human oversight remain critical How leaders can shift the AI conversation from cost savings to competitive advantageLearn how Akkodis is helping enterprises integrate engineering, AI, and operations to drive superior outcomes, here: https://www.hfsresearch.com/research/redefine-engineering-lifecycle/#enterpriseai #agenticai #itot #digitalengineering #productengineering #automotive #businesstransformation #aistrategy

In this episode of HFS GCC Advantage, Rajeev Gangal, Senior Vice President, R&D Engineering at Mastercard, shares how the company is using its India center in Pune as a strategic innovation hub for AI, product development, and emerging technologies. The conversation explores how Mastercard measures AI impact through tangible business outcomes, accelerates product development across the full lifecycle, and builds trust in next-generation payment experiences. Rajeev also discusses the role of external collaboration, startup partnerships, and GCC culture in driving innovation at scale. What you’ll hearHow Mastercard’s Pune hub supports global R&D and innovationWhy AI is being applied across the full product development lifecycle, not just software deliveryHow Mastercard measures AI value through business outcomes, customer satisfaction, and speed to productionWhy fraud detection, dispute resolution, and digital identity are important AI use casesHow Mastercard balances innovation with trust, reliability, and securityWhy dedicated R&D enables “zero to one” innovationHow the company works with startups, universities, and external partnersWhat GCC leaders can learn about building a culture of innovation beyond deliveryHow agentic commerce and secure digital experiences may shape the next phase of payments Key takeawaysAI creates the most value when tied to measurable business outcomesGCCs can drive strategic innovation, not just operational executionTrust, security, and speed must advance together in financial servicesDedicated R&D teams help move ideas from concept to production fasterExternal partnerships can strengthen internal innovation enginesThe future of payments will be shaped by agentic commerce and digital identity To know more about HFS on Global Capability Centers (GCCs), visit us here: https://www.hfsresearch.com/global-capability-centers-gccs/ We recently launched our GCC Pulse Report, "Ownership is the next imperative for India's GCCs to become generative enterprises." Read more here: https://www.hfsresearch.com/research/indias-gcc-pulse-index/

Ramachandran S, Practice Leader, HFS Research, speaks with Raghavendra Vaidya, Group CIO, Daimler Truck AG, about how AI is transforming both enterprise operations and commercial vehicles. Vaidya explains why AI has become the industry's top priority, moving beyond earlier technology waves like cloud and blockchain. While Daimler Truck has used machine learning for years, large language models are driving a broader strategy to create lasting competitive advantage. The conversation explores physical AI, including Torc's work on Level 4 autonomous trucks, the use of humanoid robots in manufacturing and logistics, and Daimler Truck's rollout of LibreChat alongside Microsoft Copilot. Vaidya shares why adoption has been so successful, emphasizing that the biggest shift is treating AI as a trusted colleague rather than just another IT tool. They also discuss agentic AI in manufacturing and supply chain, the future of fleet management, and why simplifying systems and data is essential before AI can scale across the enterprise. #enterpriseai #PhysicalAI #AutonomousTrucks #AgenticAI #DaimlerTruck #HFSResearch #AIStrategy #Manufacturing #FleetManagement #DigitalTransformation

In this episode of HFS Unfiltered, HFS’ Ashish Chaturvedi and Hridika Biswas are joined by Nagaraj Sastry, SVP and Global Head of Data and AI for Digital Business Services at HCLTech, to explore a critical enterprise AI paradox: organizations are gaining faster insights and efficiencies from data and AI, but only a small percentage are translating those investments into new revenue and meaningful transformation. The conversation explores why infrastructure-led modernization alone isn’t enough and how strong data governance, domain ontologies, contextualized intelligence, agentic AI, and operating model redesign can help enterprises move from AI experimentation to measurable business value. Nagaraj also shares how HCLTech is approaching this shift through its data and AI capabilities and industry-specific solutions.What you’ll hear:Why faster insights aren’t necessarily translating into new revenue How domain ontologies and trusted data foundations can unlock AI value Why process and operating model redesign are essential for scaling agentic AI What separates enterprises monetizing AI from those still treating it primarily as infrastructure Learn more about the 2026 HFS Horizons: Data Modernization and AI report, which evaluates 40 service providers across the data modernization and AI value chain, here: https://www.hfsresearch.com/research/hfs-horizons-data-modernization-and-ai-2026 #DataModernization #EnterpriseAI #AgenticAI #DataGovernance #DomainOntology #AIMonetization #HCLTech #HFSResearch #DataAndAI #DigitalTransformation