After Infosys’ Topaz, Wipro launches AI platform ai360; plans $1 bn investment

After TCS and Infosys, IT services major Wipro Ltd has also jumped the AI bandwagon, with the launch of a new innovation system. The company today launched Wipro ai360, an AI-first innovation ecosystem that builds on Wipro’s investments in artificial intelligence (AI), and committed a $1 billion investment over the next three years.

Wipro says all of its 250,000 employees will be trained on AI fundamentals and its responsible use over the next 12 months, and with ai360, Wipro aims to integrate AI into "every platform, every tool, and every solution used internally and offered to clients".

The development comes after its rival company Infosys launched Topaz — an AI-first set of services, solutions, and platforms using generative AI technologies in May this year. India’s biggest IT services provider Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is also significantly investing in building AI capabilities, which include AI-powered products and platforms.

According to Thierry Delaporte, chief executive officer, and managing director, Wipro Ltd, said artificial intelligence is a fast-moving field, and that in generative AI, the company expects a "fundamental shift up ahead, for all industries".

He says new business models, new ways of working, and new challenges will emerge as the world makes a shift toward AI. "This is exactly why Wipro’s ai360 ecosystem places responsible AI operations at the heart of all our AI work. It’s meant to empower our talent pool and be ubiquitous across all our operations and processes, as well as our solutions for clients. We are ready for the AI-driven future!”

Wipro ai360 will bring together the 30,000 Wipro experts in data analytics and AI with Wipro’s technology and advisory ecosystem from four global business lines. "Capabilities across cloud and partnerships; data, analytics, and AI; design and consulting; cybersecurity; as well as engineering will be leveraged to develop new solutions and embed AI into all processes and practices," Wipro says.

The company says a $1 billion investment will help further advance Wipro’s AI, data, and analytics capabilities and foundation, R&D, and platforms, enhance FullStride Cloud, and build new consulting capabilities to help clients adapt to change and unlock new value through AI.

Additionally, to accelerate investments in cutting-edge startups via Wipro Ventures, the company will launch a GenAI Seed Accelerator program, which will provide select GenAI-focused startups with the training needed to become enterprise-ready, the company says.

As AI grabs the world’s attention, tech companies across the board are trying to leverage using the latest technology. TCS chairman N Chandrasekaran last month said leveraging generative AI would further require technology innovation and investments.

“Over the last few years, TCS has leveraged partnerships to design and orchestrate a completely indigenous software-defined 4G/5G network stack. 5G technologies along with IoT, edge, and AI will enable new digital transformation opportunities across industries, both industrial and consumer,” he says.

Infosys' Topaz will converge the power of Infosys Cobalt cloud, and data analytics to AI-power business, deliver solutions and intuitive experiences that drive growth. The platform leverages Infosys’ applied AI framework to build an AI-first core that has over 12,000 AI use cases, more than 150 pre-trained AI models, and over 10 AI platforms.