AiThority Interview with Balakrishna D.R. (Bali) – Global Head for AI and Automation, Infosys

Balakrishna D.R. (Bali) – Global Head for AI and Automation, Infosys in this chat shares about AI and automation reshaping traditional industries, the skills gap in AI and automation, and the projected impact of AI in the near future:

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Hi Balakrishna, please tell us about your background and what brought you to your role as head of AI and automation at Infosys.

• I’ve always been fascinated by the potential of technology to revolutionize industries and improve lives. AI, in particular has always captivated me. Its ability to learn, reason, and make decisions has the potential to solve some of the world’s most complex problems. I’m excited to be at the forefront of this technological revolution, leading Infosys’ AI initiatives.
• In my current role as global head of AI and Automation, my focus is on fostering the adoption of AI across our service offerings and internal functions, driving efficiency, and creating innovative solutions for our clients.
• I’m committed to collaborating with our clients, partners, and academic institutions to shape the future of AI and unlock the full potential of AI to create a better future for all.

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How do you see AI and automation reshaping traditional industries in the next 3-5 years?

• AI advancement has been anything but linear. First, we were focused on predictive. Then came the mission learning revolution. Then, we saw the rising of deep learning. Gen AI is a paradigm shift in mission learning and deep learning. We can now use gen AI to synthesize, akin to the iPhone moment. Over the next 3-5 years, companies across manufacturing, quality inspection, stock and inventory management, supply chain management, healthcare, financial services, telecom, energy, and more will continue to utilize a combination of AI, deep learning and machine learning to vastly enhance business operations. Companies will invest significantly in AI for data organization, talent management, and instituting AI responsibly.
• Many companies will evolve into an AI-first operating model, being able to integrate AI strategically, make organizations more data driven, look at innovation proactively, and critically consider human + AI.
• I believe that AI is poised to radically reshape traditional industries.
• As organizations adopt AI-first operating models, there will be a significant shift in workforce dynamics. Companies will prioritize upskilling and reskilling employees to work alongside AI, fostering a culture of continuous learning and adaptability. This human-AI collaboration will redefine roles and responsibilities across various sectors.
• Industries such as retail and healthcare will increasingly use AI to tailor services and products to individual customer preferences. This shift towards personalization will enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty, creating a competitive advantage for companies that effectively harness AI technologies.
• Overall, AI and automation will drive innovation, increase competitiveness, and reshape the landscape of traditional industries, leading to more agile and responsive business environments.
• We are on our journey to become AI-first live enterprise, it is a strategic vision for Infosys, where AI is embedded into every aspect of our business, from operations to client interactions. It’s about leveraging AI to create a more agile, intelligent, and customer-centric organization. We’re already making significant strides towards this goal. For instance, we’ve implemented AI-powered tools to automate routine tasks, improve decision-making, and enhance customer experiences. By embracing AI-first principles, we’re not only transforming our own business but also helping our clients to achieve their digital transformation goals.

Infosys’s collaboration with Meta emphasizes democratizing AI through open-source technology. How do you envision this partnership will make AI more accessible and beneficial for businesses across different industries?

• Infosys’s collaboration with Meta is a significant step towards democratizing AI through open-source technology. By leveraging Meta’s Llama stack, we are developing cutting-edge AI solutions that empower businesses across various industries to transform their operations.
• We have recently inaugurated the Meta Center of Excellence, which is pivotal in accelerating enterprise AI integration, promoting internal adoption, and fostering contributions to open-source communities. As a key partner in the Llama ecosystem, Infosys is integrating these models with our Infosys Topaz platform to create innovative solutions. A notable example is our Llama-powered document assistant, which streamlines contract review processes and enhances efficiency.
• To demonstrate the transformative power of our enterprise AI solutions, we’ve launched a dedicated AI Experience Zone at our Bengaluru campus. This state-of-the-art facility allows customers to engage directly with our advancements, the joint solution co-developed with Meta is making AI more accessible and beneficial for businesses across different industries. Together, we are paving the way for a more inclusive AI landscape that drives innovation and efficiency for all.
• Furthermore, by contributing to the open-source community, we’re fostering a collaborative ecosystem where developers can share knowledge and build upon each other’s work. This collective effort will drive the rapid advancement of AI and benefit the entire industry.

Which industry verticals are currently experiencing the most significant transformation due to AI?

• Our recent survey, Infosys Generative AI Radar – North America, found highly regulated, risk-averse financial services business are among the leading adopters of generative AI. They are utilizing AI for generating financial advice, assessing creditworthiness and risk, product pricing and exploration, improving financial behaviours, among others.

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• For instance, AI-powered chatbots can now provide personalized financial advice, helping individuals make informed decisions about investments, retirement planning, and more. Moreover, AI can analyse vast amounts of financial data to identify trends, predict market movements, and assess risk, enabling financial institutions to make more accurate and timely decisions.
• While the financial sector has experienced significant transformation, industries like healthcare and retail are quickly catching up. All sectors have the potential to leverage their knowledge repositories and implement process automation, leading to widespread industry transformation. As these advancements unfold, we can expect to see enhanced efficiency, improved customer experiences, and more data-driven decision-making across the board.
• The top industries for AI adoption that we’ve observed in Infosys engagements include Banking, Insurance, Financial Services, Utilities, and Communications, Media, and Technology (CMT).
• Infosys has developed a range of industry-specific AI solutions that address unique challenges and opportunities in sectors such as telecom, finance, retail, manufacturing, healthcare and more. These solutions leverage Infosys’ deep domain expertise and are designed to deliver targeted value and competitive advantage to clients in each industry.

How is Infosys addressing the skills gap in AI and automation for its workforce and clients?

• Infosys recently released a report on the future of technology skills, which found that the areas with the largest need for training are advanced statistical analysis (8% gap), machine/deep learning (6%) and cloud computing (6%). We’ve found success with tech boot camps and online certification programs, as alternatives to traditional academic degrees, as successful tactics for upskilling. There has been a major shift in organizational recruiting and training strategies as businesses advocate for a more dynamic and continuous learning model to bridge the widening skills gap.
• At Infosys, over 270,000 employees have been enabled in traditional and Generative AI skills.

What emerging technologies do you believe will have the most significant impact on AI in the coming years?

• While all these technologies hold immense potential, I believe that Agentic Framework, Small Language Models (SLMs), Generative AI, Deep Reinforcement Learning (RL) and Responsible AI, will have the most significant impact on AI in the coming years.
  • Agentic Framework: Infosys’ Agentic Framework is revolutionizing business operations by automating end-to-end processes. This framework empowers organizations to streamline tasks, reduce errors, and improve decision-making. By combining AI-powered automation with human oversight, the Agentic Framework ensures efficiency, accuracy, and scalability. A prime example is its application in end-to-end audit processes. By automating data collection, analysis, and report generation, auditors can focus on strategic tasks, enhancing the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the audit process.
  • Small Language Models (SLMs): Infosys and NVIDIA have collaborated to develop Small Language Models (SLMs) that require less computational power and training data. These SLMs are designed to provide focused solutions for specific tasks, making AI more accessible and efficient for businesses. By leveraging this innovative approach, Infosys aims to help organizations harness the power of AI to drive growth and innovation.
  • Generative AI: Generative AI is already revolutionizing various industries, from creative arts to drug discovery. Neural style transfer, a subset of generative AI, is particularly exciting as it enables the creation of stunningly artistic images. However, the broader potential of generative AI, especially in areas like synthetic data generation and content creation, is immense. Infosys is leveraging generative AI to create innovative solutions, such as AI-powered content generation tools and synthetic data for training AI models.
  • Deep Reinforcement Learning (RL): Deep Reinforcement Learning (RL) is a powerful technique that allows AI agents to learn optimal behavior through trial and error. This has significant implications for robotics, autonomous vehicles, and game AI. As RL algorithms continue to advance, we can expect to see increasingly sophisticated AI systems that can adapt to complex environments. Infosys is exploring the application of RL in various domains, including supply chain optimization, network optimization, and autonomous systems.
  • Responsible AI: At Infosys, we’re committed to building AI solutions that are ethical, transparent, and unbiased. Our dedicated Responsible AI Office, coupled with our AI3S framework, ensures that we prioritize responsible AI practices throughout the entire AI lifecycle. AI3S, which stands for Scan, Shield, and Steer, helps us identify potential risks, mitigate biases, and safeguard privacy. By leveraging advanced techniques like adversarial testing and fairness metrics, we strive to create AI models that are not only accurate but also trustworthy and reliable. Our goal is to build AI solutions that empower businesses and society while upholding the highest ethical standards.
• These technologies, when combined, can lead to the creation of more intelligent, reliable, and ethical AI systems. At Infosys, we’re actively exploring these areas to develop innovative solutions that benefit our clients and society as a whole. As these technologies advance, they will collectively drive innovation in AI, making systems more adaptable, efficient, and applicable across diverse industries.

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