IT majors chart divergent AI paths: Infra-led or asset-light

HCLTECH'S ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE strategy, as demonstrated in its latest quarterly earnings commentary, underscores a growing divergence in how India’s top IT firms are approaching the AI transition, experts observed.

- URVI MALVANIA

While Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is taking an infrastructure-first route, committing billions to build domestic AI capacity, HCLTech is opting for an “asset-light” model that leans on proprietary software, differentiated IP and client-side transformation. “While TCS is making bold, capital-intensive moves to secure a leadership position in AI infrastructure, HCLTech’s approach reflects a more measured, service-led strategy,” analysts from ICICI Securities noted.

TCS’ AI ambitions are anchored in a five-pillar plan designed to make it the “world’s largest AI-led technology services company.’ As CEO K Krithivasan outlined during the latest earnings call, this includes internal transformation through the ‘TCS to the Power of AI’ programme, the