Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has asked employees to use artificial intelligence tools to deliver work faster and at lower cost, even if this reduces the company’s revenue.
Speaking at the Nasscom Technology and Leadership Forum in Mumbai, Chief Executive K Krithivasan said: “We are telling associates that if you find that you can do something faster, better, cheaper with AI, you should probably go and tell your customers, even if it cannibalises revenue.”
He added, “We are not afraid that this technology will take away our livelihood. We believe it is going to open up more, so you enjoy the benefits the more you do, and not by resisting the change.”
The comments come as concerns over AI disruption have weighed on Indian technology stocks. The Nifty IT index has fallen 21% this month, and also hit a two-year low in February.
TCS has asked its more than 600,000 employees to become fluent in AI tools and apply them in client projects. Krithivasan said it is not enough to use simple prompts on platforms such as ChatGPT, adding that staff must build solutions using AI technologies.
He noted that senior employees have been slower than younger staff to develop AI-based solutions, saying that those higher in the hierarchy often read about new tools but do not build with them.
Krithivasan described AI as a “civilizational shift” that democratises knowledge and addresses long-standing problems. He said AI is now discussed at the board level, with chief information officers asked to identify solutions.
He also said TCS is exploring whether AI systems can govern other AI tools through multiple agents.