Most GCCs In India Investing In Gen AI, Upskilling Teams In The Technology

The adoption of artificial intelligence within global capability centres in India is accelerating, with nearly 70% of centres investing in generative AI, according to the EY India GCC Pulse Survey 2024. The survey showed that 78% of GCCs are upskilling teams for gen AI adoption, while 37% are piloting use cases, highlighting a shift from experimentation to practical applications of AI. 

The report highlighted insights from 88 GCCs in India across various industries and functions. When asked about GCCs' top three priorities for 2025, 100% of respondents identified climate change and sustainability agenda as the top focus area. This was followed by 85% wanting to expand functional capabilities and 61% wanting to drive enterprise-wide digital transformation. 

Key risks for GCCs include the rising cost of talent, challenges in attracting talent, and improvement in leadership development.

Regarding the top three areas where GCCs plan to leverage gen AI, 69% said customer experience, including applications such as automated chatbots, personalised support, and sentiment analysis. Around 57% cited operations, and 47% aim to leverage gen AI for IT and cybersecurity. 

For 51% of GCCs, growth is reliant on technology rather than expanding headcount, with a clear emphasis on reskilling staff in emerging areas such as AI. Data and analytics skills are essential to GCCs, with strong demand for these skills to be integrated into service offerings.

Around 76% of GCCs are integrating talent into global teams, while 78% are upskilling internal teams for gen AI adoption. Business intelligence and data visualisation skills are in demand. For 71% of GCCs, fostering a leadership-driven innovation culture is a key differentiator. Additionally, 34% believe driving a "digital mindset" is critical to improving workplace flexibility.

The report also revealed that the risk of confidential information leaks due to increasing cyberattacks and data breaches is a top concern for GCCs. With hybrid and remote work expanding the attack surface, security intelligence and monitoring is a priority for 73% of GCCs. Additionally, 82% believe it is crucial to enhance cybersecurity awareness among employees while implementing robust cybersecurity policies.

GCCs are also increasing their budgets for technology and transformation initiatives, with 26% allocating over 20% of their budget to these areas, according to the report.