Cognizant and Microsoft partners to expand adoption of generative AI

Satya Nadella-led technology giant Microsoft and Cognizant have expanded their partnership to integrate further and promote the adoption of Microsoft’s generative AI and Copilots across various industries.

The partnership aims to transform enterprise business operations and enhance employee experiences, significantly impacting economic growth both in the U.S. and India. Through this partnership, Cognizant intends to deploy Microsoft 365 Copilot to one million users within their Global 2000 clients and across 11 key industries.

How will this impact business operations and employee productivity?

As part of the initiative, Cognizant has purchased 25,000 Microsoft 365 Copilot seats for its associates, along with 500 Sales and 500 Services Copilot seats.

The acquisition will enhance productivity, streamline workflows, and transform customer interactions. The companies also emphasize the training and development of Cognizant’s workforce on these platforms, with 35,000 developers already trained and an additional 40,000 slated for training under Cognizant’s Synapse skilling program.

Economic projections tied to this AI integration?

The economic implications of integrating AI are substantial. AI is projected to add between $450 and $500 billion to India’s GDP by 2025 and approximately $1 trillion to the U.S. GDP over the next decade. 

"Generative AI can be a game-changer for virtually every business in every industry, opening up new possibilities for innovation, efficiency and growth," said Ravi Kumar S, CEO, Cognizant.

"That's why we are investing $1 billion in generative AI over the next three years and leading the development of new research to explore its potential for our clients, their employees and end customers. We're committed to helping them harness the power of generative AI at scale, and Microsoft Copilot is a proven tool that can bring transformative gains, unlocking talent and potential in ways we can only imagine," Kumar said.

Which industries will benefit from this partnership?

The partnership is set to focus on delivering customized AI solutions across multiple sectors, including healthcare, retail, consumer goods, financial services, life sciences, manufacturing, communications, and media.

For instance, the healthcare industry might see AI-driven innovations like automated task handling that could free up time for emergency physicians, thereby improving service delivery and patient care.

"Our expanded partnership with Cognizant will help organizations harness generative AI to transform business operations, enhance employee experiences, and deliver new value for customers," said Judson Althoff, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at Microsoft.

"By combining Cognizant's industry expertise with Microsoft's Copilot capabilities –including Copilot for Microsoft 365 and GitHub Copilot – we will help drive AI adoption and innovation for millions of users across its network," Althoff said.

Ethical AI deployment

Recognizing the profound implications of AI, Cognizant said it is committed to ethical AI deployment. The company is a member of Microsoft’s Responsible AI Council, focusing on maintaining high standards in safety, security, privacy, transparency, and inclusion.

The company aims to ensure responsible adoption of AI technologies, fostering trust and reducing the friction associated with technological transformations in work roles.