“AI is Now Table Stakes for Enterprises”

Wipro CTO SANDHYA ARUN outlines why the IT giant is betting on agentic Al, embodied Al, blockchain, quantum computing and cyber resilience, and why outcome-based pricing will increasingly shape client engagements in Al, in an interaction with BW Businessworld's Rohit Chintapali. Excerpts

- Rohit Chintapali

Wipro launched the Innovation Network earlier this year. Can you share the thought process behind the areas Wipro is focusing on in terms of frontier tech, and why the timing now, especially with the AI disruption?

We publish tech trends every January, assessing which one’s matter most for our clients in the near, mid, and long term. After validating with clients, partners and analysts, we identified five focus areas: agentic AI, embodied AI and robotics, digital ledger and blockchain, quantum computing, and cyber resilience for AI- and quantum-safe solutions.

These aren't time-bound in the traditional sense because technology evolves rapidly. For example, agentic AI is already advancing toward multi-agent systems, while embodied AI opens opportunities in areas like software-defined medical devices or managing autonomous fleets. Not just humanoid robots but machines across vehicles, drones and industrial systems.

Quantum computing, though early, represents a paradigm shift. We've built a 50-member team experimenting with algorithms and partnered with hyperscalers to stay ahead. Equally important is preparing for “Y2Q”—when traditional encryption could break under quantum power. That's why we're already consulting clients on quantum-safe solutions and post-quantum cryptography.

This quantum technology is, of course, not built by Wipro?