HFS PODCASTS

David Cushman, HFS Executive Research Leader, sits down with Paul Roehrig, Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer at Ascendion, to discuss how to time your move on enterprise AI, why software development is the ideal starting point, and how AI is freeing us to rethink work after decades of production-line thinking.

Key discussion highlights include:

• When and how to time your move on enterprise AI
• Why software is the pivot point to start accelerating AI adoption
• How AI creates the opportunity to break free from outdated ways of thinking and working

See why HFS named Ascendion a Horizon 3 Market Leader in our Generative Enterprise Services Horizons Report: https://www.hfsresearch.com/research/hfs-horizons-generative-enterprise-services-2025/

In this exclusive videocast, Phil Fersht, CEO and Chief Analyst at HFS Research, speaks with Venu Lambu, CEO (Designate) at LTIMindtree, in a candid and forward-looking conversation about the future of enterprise transformation in the AI era.

Venu shares his vision for leading LTIMindtree through a strategic inflection point—where AI, enterprise productivity, and outcome-driven thinking are reshaping the services landscape. He introduces a two-playbook strategy: integrating AI into traditional IT services, and reimagining business processes to unlock enterprise-wide productivity.

Together, they explore how organizations can move beyond cost-centric models to become truly relevant transformation partners.

Key topics discussed:

• Evolving from legacy IT to enterprise-wide, AI-driven productivity
• Shifting from revenue share to client relevance
• Building risk appetite to embrace transformative AI
• Redefining the role of service providers in the automation age
• Navigating economic and geopolitical uncertainty with resilience

Watch now to hear how LTIMindtree is redefining the enterprise services model for the AI-powered future.

Stay ahead of the curve. Subscribe for visionary research, insights, and event updates: https://www.hfsresearch.com/subscribe/

In this edition of Unfiltered Stories, HFS's Don Ryan speaks with KPMG leaders Ron Walker and Thomas Davies about the essential components for successfully deploying managed services at scale. They discuss the differences between traditional outsourcing and managed services, highlighting the importance of technology, expertise, and collaboration. The conversation emphasizes the transformative potential of managed services, particularly in sectors such as finance and cybersecurity, and the crucial role of AI in enhancing service delivery. They also examine the distinctive aspects of KPMG's approach, which include their advisory capabilities and a focus on stakeholder alignment and change management.

The key points discussed include:

• Managed services are gaining traction across most enterprise functions and applications.
• Managed services provide a pathway to automation and widespread AI usage.
• Managed services are foundational to many transformational initiatives.

Read detailed research on managed services deployment at HFS Research here: https://www.hfsresearch.com/accelerating-business-transformation/

How are enterprises leveraging AI, analytics, data platforms, and automation to drive real business impact? In this exclusive conversation, Chetan Manjarekar, SVP and Global Head of Digital with Eviden, an Atos Group Company, joins HFS Research to break down the latest trends, challenges, and innovations shaping the generative enterprise. From customer experience to data readiness and co-innovation, discover how Eviden leads the charge in digital transformation.

The key points discussed include:

• AI & automation are reshaping enterprise transformation: GenAI and automation are now central to digital transformation, but success depends on aligning technology investments with clear business outcomes.
• Customer, employee, and partner experience are interlinked priorities: 75% of enterprises prioritize customer experience, but organizations are now equally focused on improving employee and partner experiences to drive holistic transformation.
• Data readiness is the biggest AI adoption challenge: 74% of organizations struggle with fragmented, inconsistent, and unstructured data, limiting AI’s full potential. Eviden tackles this with its Data Readiness Assessment Framework to improve governance and accessibility.
• AI investments are surpassing traditional analytics: A major shift is happening; AI spending is set to grow from 19% to 31% in two years, overtaking analytics. AI is increasingly embedded in enterprise applications, automation, and smart platforms.
• Co-innovation & responsible AI will define industry leaders: Eviden emphasizes co-innovation with customers and partners to develop industry-specific AI solutions. Responsible AI, data governance, and security are critical for sustainable success.

Watch now to explore key insights and what’s next for AI-powered business evolution!

Access the full report on AADA Quadfecta Services for the Generative Enterprise 2024: ⁠https://www.hfsresearch.com/research/hfs-horizons-aada-quadfecta-services-for-the-generative-enterprise-2024/

How are enterprises leveraging AI, analytics, data platforms, and automation to drive real business impact? In this exclusive conversation, Chetan Manjarekar, SVP and Global Head of Digital with Eviden, an Atos Group Company, joins HFS Research to break down the latest trends, challenges, and innovations shaping the generative enterprise. From customer experience to data readiness and co-innovation, discover how Eviden leads the charge in digital transformation.

The key points discussed include:

• AI & automation are reshaping enterprise transformation: GenAI and automation are now central to digital transformation, but success depends on aligning technology investments with clear business outcomes.
• Customer, employee, and partner experience are interlinked priorities: 75% of enterprises prioritize customer experience, but organizations are now equally focused on improving employee and partner experiences to drive holistic transformation.
• Data readiness is the biggest AI adoption challenge: 74% of organizations struggle with fragmented, inconsistent, and unstructured data, limiting AI’s full potential. Eviden tackles this with its Data Readiness Assessment Framework to improve governance and accessibility.
• AI investments are surpassing traditional analytics: A major shift is happening; AI spending is set to grow from 19% to 31% in two years, overtaking analytics. AI is increasingly embedded in enterprise applications, automation, and smart platforms.
• Co-innovation & responsible AI will define industry leaders: Eviden emphasizes co-innovation with customers and partners to develop industry-specific AI solutions. Responsible AI, data governance, and security are critical for sustainable success.

Watch now to explore key insights and what’s next for AI-powered business evolution!

Access the full report on AADA Quadfecta Services for the Generative Enterprise 2024: https://www.hfsresearch.com/research/hfs-horizons-aada-quadfecta-services-for-the-generative-enterprise-2024/

Join HFS Practice Leader Ashish Chaturvedi and C TWO CEO Erik Lien as they unpack the critical business imperatives behind intelligent automation orchestration. Discover how effective orchestration can significantly boost bot utilization, simplify governance, and drive measurable ROI. Explore insights on transitioning from siloed RPA to unified AI-driven automation, managing autonomous AI agents, ensuring compliance, and leveraging advanced analytics to optimize automation strategies.

The key points discussed include:

• Maximizing automation ROI: Intelligent orchestration increases bot utilization by over 50%, reduces manual overhead by 75%, and resolves up to 90% of support issues.
• Breaking automation silos: Effective orchestration integrates fragmented automation initiatives, moving enterprises beyond isolated RPA deployments to comprehensive intelligent automation platforms.
• Governance and compliance: Orchestration provides essential governance, auditability, and error handling, ensuring compliance with evolving regulatory frameworks like the EU AI Act.
• Managing autonomous AI agents: Advanced orchestration manages deterministic bots and autonomous AI agents seamlessly, ensuring control, prioritization, and efficiency at an item level.
• Future automation landscape: The convergence of automation, AI, analytics, and optimization through orchestration platforms is key to achieving higher efficiency, governance, and business-driven insights.

Dive deeper into the future of intelligent automation orchestration. Visit the HFS website to access the full report titled “RPA supervisor to IA orchestrator—C TWO advances up the Generative Enterprise S-curve” here: https://www.hfsresearch.com/research/rpa-ia-orchestrator-ctwo-enterprise-s-curve/

In this episode of HFS Unfiltered Stories, Saurabh Gupta, President, Research and Advisory Services at HFS Research, chats with Piyush Jain, Global Head for SDX and AI at L&T Technology Services, about the powerful convergence of the physical and digital worlds. Piyush shares two fascinating real-world IoT use cases—from predictive maintenance in plant engineering to carbon footprint reduction through smart city lighting—and how AI is transforming industrial operations.

The discussion dives deep into:

• The evolution of IoT and AI-driven automation.
• The importance of domain expertise in industrial transformation.
• Why cultural and mindset shifts—not technology—are the real barriers.
• The shift from traditional service models to solution-led engagements.

A must-watch for tech leaders, digital strategists, and anyone curious about how AI, IoT, and business transformation are shaping the future of enterprise operations.

Ted Shelton, Chief Operations Officer at Palo Alto-based Inflection AI, sits down with HFS Executive Research Leader David Cushman to discuss how Agentic is changing the pace of enterprise AI adoption.

Key themes explored:

• The waves of agentic AI adoption—and how they’ll reshape the enterprise
• Why observability and reversibility are non-negotiable in agentic deployments
• How leaders can harness AI’s cognitive surplus to unlock new business value

Agentic AI is here—and it’s moving fast. Enterprise leaders must take control, demand visibility, and build systems they can trust and refine.

Dive deeper into our Market Vision Paper titled “Unlock enterprise AI value with persona-led solutions to meet the urgent needs of C-suite execs” here: https://www.hfsresearch.com/research/unlock-enterprise-ai-value-with-persona-led-solutions-to-meet-the-urgent-needs-of-c-suite-execs/

How are enterprises navigating the AI-driven era? In this videocast, HFS Research and Infosys BPM explore the challenges and opportunities of Generative AI, enterprise transformation, and the shift to Generative Business Services (GBS). Featuring insights from industry leaders, we discuss the culture shift, data readiness, AI adoption hurdles, and the move from pilot paralysis to real-world impact.

The key points discussed include:

• Generative AI and its role in enterprise strategy
• One-Office Mindset: Overcoming organizational silos
• Data readiness and AI adoption challenges
• The evolution from Global Business Services (GBS) to Generative Business Services
• AI talent and skill gaps in the digital transformation journey

Read the report: Transforming GBS to generative business services: Tech-led challenges and aspirations, here: https://www.hfsresearch.com/research/infosys-bpm-transforming-gbs/

Explore the key insights from the HFS Horizons AADA Quadfecta study with WNS, a Horizon 3 leader. In this videocast, industry experts discuss how AI, Automation, Data Platforms, and Analytics are transforming enterprises and driving smarter, more agile operations. Discover how WNS is leveraging AI-powered innovations, hyper-automation, and data-driven strategies to stay ahead in this rapidly evolving space. Tune in to learn about emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the future of digital transformation.

The key takeaway from the discussion includes:

• WNS's Recognition as a Leader in AADA Quadfecta WNS emerged as a Horizon 3 leader in the HFS AADA Quadfecta study, which assessed 27 providers across AI, Automation, Data Platforms, and Analytics.
• This recognition underscores WNS's strong capabilities in delivering transformative solutions for enterprises.
• The Rising Importance of AI in Enterprise Investments AI spending is rapidly increasing, projected to grow from less than 20% to nearly one-third of total AADA investments in the next two years.
• WNS is strategically responding with initiatives such as its AI Utilities Hub and AI Labs, which focus on integrating AI across automation, analytics, and data platforms. Building a Strong Data Foundation for AI Success A robust "data spine" is critical for leveraging AI and automation effectively.
• WNS helps clients build unified data architectures and real-time data fabrics to improve governance, quality, and orchestration, delivering significant cost savings and operational efficiency.
• Convergence of AI, Automation, and Human Intelligence Automation has evolved from RPA to intelligent automation, driven by AI capabilities such as NLP and machine learning. WNS’s AI + HI (Human Intelligence) model ensures AI handles routine tasks while humans focus on strategic decision-making, optimizing both cost and effectiveness.
• The Future of Digital Transformation with Agentic AI Agentic AI is redefining process automation by enabling self-learning AI agents to break down complex workflows and enhance decision-making.
• WNS is leveraging this approach in industries like logistics to drive business transformation and align with HFS’s Services Vision 2030 for outcome-driven, productized service delivery.

Want to dive deeper into the transformative potential of AI, Automation, Data Platforms, and Analytics? Watch the full discussion to explore key insights from the HFS AADA Quadfecta study and discover how WNS is approaching this exciting space.

Read HFS Horizons: AADA Quadfecta Services for the Generative Enterprise, 2024 report - https://www.hfsresearch.com/research/hfs-horizons-aada-quadfecta-services-for-the-generative-enterprise-2024/