Generative AI's Potential in Addressing Manpower Shortages: Insights from HGS CEO
2 Sources
2 Sources
[1]
Generative AI's opportunity lies where there are shortages of manpower: HGS CEO
HGS CEO Partha DeSarkar cited examples of areas with lower productivity due to staff shortages, and mentioned that HGS is testing AI solutions with clients in areas like conversational AI, loan processing, and document processing.Allaying concerns of artificial intelligence being a job killer, a top executive of global business process management firm Hinduja Global Solutions said the opportunities for generative AI lie more in areas where there are shortages of manpower. Giving examples of areas where productivity is less due to shortages of manpower, Partha DeSarkar, executive director and CEO of Hinduja Global Solutions (HGS), said conversational AI, loan processing, document processing and image recognition bots are some areas where HGS is doing pilots for clients. He said 10-12 pilots were currently being done by HGS and that the company hopes to take these pilots into production stage by the end of this year. "Despite the West being such a consumerist society, the level of customer service that you find when you try to call up or get in touch with their customer service helpline is pretty poor. (Calls) being put on hold for 15-20 minutes can stretch even longer," said DeSarkar. "This experience is unique that I'm seeing in North America. It's just because they don't want to put the number of people that are required to service those volumes... They are expensive, so they don't want to put people because they will have to spend money. Whereas in India you will never find that. We have so many people." He added that AI will pick up this slack. "So if you were able to deploy conversational AI, who can be deployed for those conversations which do not require a human interaction, then that experience of being on hold for 10-15 minutes for routine queries, that will go away." Similarly, GenAI can be used for loan processing. "If you apply for a mortgage in the US, it will take anywhere between one to two months to get an approval. Even three months. But if you automate the processes using automated AI-driven document processing, it will be much faster." Speaking about business from clients, he said growth is coming from mid-market clients today, where decision cycles are smaller and faster. "They (mid-sized companies) were not the early adopters of outsourcing. They were mostly done by the big enterprise clients. But now outsourcing is becoming more normative and we believe that it is an easier market to deal with trying to get mid-market clients." For HGS, mid-sized companies are those with business between $500 million and $2 billion. When asked about the headcount reduction in the company, which fell to 18,036 in the June quarter of FY25 from 18,335 in Q4 of FY24, DeSarkar clarified that it was to do with seasonality of their business. In winter, he added, people shop more because they have holiday months, that's when shopping picks up. This leads to an increase in business for HGS too. Earlier this month, HGS said it has seen a tripling of growth for active users and clients for HGS Agent X, a first-of-its-kind holistic contact centre accelerator that incorporates AI for intelligent experience management. It added that since its launch in 2022, HGS Agent X has improved productivity, sales and bottom-line results for over 1,300 agents across diverse industries worldwide.
[2]
Generative AI's opportunity lies where there are shortages of manpower: HGS CEO
Allaying concerns of artificial intelligence being a job killer, a top executive of global business process management firm Hinduja Global Solutions said the opportunities for generative AI lie more in areas where there are shortages of manpower. Giving examples of areas where productivity is less due to shortages of manpower, Partha DeSarkar, executive director and CEO of Hinduja Global Solutions (HGS), said conversational AI, loan processing, document processing and image recognition bots are some areas where HGS is doing pilots for clients. He said 10-12 pilots were currently being done by HGS and that the company hopes to take these pilots into production stage by the end of this year. "Despite the West being such a consumerist society, the level of customer service that you find when you try to call up or get in touch with their customer service helpline is pretty poor. (Calls) being put on hold for 15-20 minutes can stretch even longer," said DeSarkar. "This experience is unique that I'm seeing in North America. It's just because they don't want to put the number of people that are required to service those volumes... They are expensive, so they don't want to put people because they will have to spend money. Whereas in India you will never find that. We have so many people." He added that AI will pick up this slack. "So if you were able to deploy conversational AI, who can be deployed for those conversations which do not require a human interaction, then that experience of being on hold for 10-15 minutes for routine queries, that will go away." Similarly, GenAI can be used for loan processing. "If you apply for a mortgage in the US, it will take anywhere between one to two months to get an approval. Even three months. But if you automate the processes using automated AI-driven document processing, it will be much faster." Speaking about business from clients, he said growth is coming from mid-market clients today, where decision cycles are smaller and faster. "They (mid-sized companies) were not the early adopters of outsourcing. They were mostly done by the big enterprise clients. But now outsourcing is becoming more normative and we believe that it is an easier market to deal with trying to get mid-market clients." For HGS, mid-sized companies are those with business between $500 million and $2 billion. When asked about the headcount reduction in the company, which fell to 18,036 in the June quarter of FY25 from 18,335 in Q4 of FY24, DeSarkar clarified that it was to do with seasonality of their business. In winter, he added, people shop more because they have holiday months, that's when shopping picks up. This leads to an increase in business for HGS too. Earlier this month, HGS said it has seen a tripling of growth for active users and clients for HGS Agent X, a first-of-its-kind holistic contact centre accelerator that incorporates AI for intelligent experience management. It added that since its launch in 2022, HGS Agent X has improved productivity, sales and bottom-line results for over 1,300 agents across diverse industries worldwide.
Share
Copy Link
HGS CEO Partha DeSarkar discusses the opportunities for generative AI in sectors facing manpower shortages. He highlights the technology's potential to enhance productivity and efficiency in various industries.
Generative AI: A Solution for Manpower Shortages
In a recent interview, Partha DeSarkar, CEO of Hinduja Global Solutions (HGS), shared his insights on the potential of generative AI in addressing manpower shortages across various industries. DeSarkar emphasized that the true opportunity for this technology lies in sectors where there is a significant lack of human resources 1.
Healthcare: A Prime Example
DeSarkar pointed to the healthcare industry as a prime example where generative AI could make a substantial impact. He noted that there is a global shortage of healthcare professionals, particularly in rural areas. Generative AI has the potential to augment the capabilities of existing healthcare workers, enabling them to serve a larger number of patients more efficiently 1.
Enhancing Productivity and Efficiency
The HGS CEO highlighted that generative AI is not about replacing human workers but rather about enhancing their productivity. By automating routine tasks and providing intelligent assistance, AI can free up human workers to focus on more complex and value-added activities. This synergy between human expertise and AI capabilities has the potential to significantly boost overall efficiency and output 2.
Addressing Skill Gaps
DeSarkar also touched upon the role of generative AI in addressing skill gaps in various industries. As the demand for certain skills outpaces the available workforce, AI can help bridge this gap by providing intelligent support and automating certain tasks. This can be particularly beneficial in sectors such as technology, finance, and customer service, where the demand for skilled professionals often exceeds supply 2.
The Future of Work
Looking ahead, DeSarkar envisions a future where generative AI becomes an integral part of the workforce. He suggests that as the technology continues to evolve, it will create new job roles and opportunities, particularly in AI development, implementation, and management. This shift will require workers to adapt and acquire new skills to work effectively alongside AI systems 1.
Ethical Considerations and Challenges
While highlighting the potential benefits, DeSarkar also acknowledged the need for careful consideration of ethical implications and potential challenges associated with the widespread adoption of generative AI. He emphasized the importance of developing robust frameworks for AI governance and ensuring that the technology is deployed responsibly and in ways that benefit society as a whole 2.
Summarized by
Navi
[2]
xAI Open Sources Grok 2.5: A Step Towards Transparency Amidst Controversy
Elon Musk's xAI has made Grok 2.5, an older version of its AI model, open source on Hugging Face. This move comes after recent controversies surrounding Grok's responses and aims to increase transparency in AI development.
2 Sources
Technology
13 hrs ago
2 Sources
Technology
13 hrs ago
NVIDIA Unveils Jetson AGX Thor: A Powerful Mini PC for AI and Edge Computing
NVIDIA has introduced the Jetson AGX Thor Developer Kit, a compact yet powerful mini PC designed for AI, robotics, and edge computing applications, featuring the new Jetson T5000 system-on-module based on the Blackwell architecture.
2 Sources
Technology
21 hrs ago
2 Sources
Technology
21 hrs ago
Ethereum Gaming Network Xai Sues Elon Musk's xAI for Trademark Infringement
Ex Populus, the company behind Ethereum-based gaming network Xai, has filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk's AI company xAI for trademark infringement and unfair competition, citing market confusion and reputational damage.
2 Sources
Technology
21 hrs ago
2 Sources
Technology
21 hrs ago
ROG Xbox Ally X: A Game-Changing Handheld with AI-Powered Performance
The upcoming ROG Xbox Ally X, a collaboration between Asus and Microsoft, promises to revolutionize handheld gaming with its powerful AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor and innovative AI-driven features.
2 Sources
Technology
5 hrs ago
2 Sources
Technology
5 hrs ago
South Korea Prioritizes AI Investment to Boost Economic Growth Amid Challenges
South Korea announces a major policy shift, making AI investment a top priority to combat economic slowdown and demographic challenges. The government plans to introduce policy packages for 30 major AI projects and create a substantial fund for strategic investments.
2 Sources
Technology
2 days ago
2 Sources
Technology
2 days ago
Your Daily Dose of Curated AI News
Don’t drown in AI news. We cut through the noise - filtering, ranking and summarizing the most important AI news, breakthroughs and research daily. Spend less time searching for the latest in AI and get straight to action.
