AI success is 30% tech, 70% change management and alignment

AI success is 30% tech, 70% change management and alignment

- Jatinder Singh & Sachin Mhashilkar

AS INDIA’S largest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki has long been synonymous with accessible mobility and engineering excellence. But in today’s hyperconnected, software-defined era, the company is aggressively reinventing itself—not just as an automaker, but as a leader in mobility and technology innovation. At the heart of this transformation lies a bold digital enterprise vision powered by AI, open innovation, and customer-centric design.

In an exclusive interaction with Jatinder Singh, Executive Editor at CIO&Leader, and Sachin Mhashilkar, COO and Associate Publisher — B2B Tech at 9.9 Group, Dr. Tapan Sahoo, Executive Officer — Digital Enterprise at Maruti Suzuki, discusses how the New Delhi headquartered company is reimagining business and customer experiences through deep tech and ecosystem collaboration.

With over three decades of experience spanning vehicle engineering, product development, and program management, Dr. Sahoo now leads the automaker’s Digital Enterprise Vertical—anchored in AI/ML, AR/VR, Industry X.0, and open Innovation Programs under the umbrella of Maruti Suzuki Innovation such as Nurture, Incubation, Accelerator and Mobility Challenge. In this wide-ranging conversation, he shares insights on building innovation at scale, navigating AI’s pilot-to-production challenges, preparing for agentic AI, strengthening cybersecurity in connected vehicles, and what it takes for CIOs in traditional industries to lead with impact.

Excerpts from the interview:

CIO&Leader: Maruti Suzuki Innovation has emerged as a flagship initiative in your open innovation journey. What inspired its creation, and how is it enabling Maruti Suzuki to tap into external ecosystems and drive scalable digital transformation?