Team Siliconindia

•  Infosys to onboard 20,000 fresh graduates in 2025, per CEO Salil Parekh
• Over 2.75 lakh employees already trained in AI and related technologies
• Strategy contrasts with TCS, which recently laid off 12,000 employees 

During industry uncertainty and mass firings, Infosys is doubling down on its long-term technology vision by pledging to hire 20,000 college graduates by 2025, said CEO Salil Parekh in a statement carried by The Times of India. It is part of the IT giant's broader push into artificial intelligence (AI) and upskilling.

Infosys has already onboarded more than 17,000 employees in Q1 FY25, with the focus of Parekh being on the early investments made by the company in AI. Till now, 2.75 lakh employees have been trained in AI and adjacent areas, indicating a strategic shift towards deep automation and insight-driven delivery models.

Also Read- Infosys Sees Fourth Round of Trainee Terminations as 195 Fail Assessment

"AI makes for greater productivity but demands greater skills and greater effort," Parekh stated. Referencing Infosys Finacle the bank's core banking platform as an illustration, he mentioned a 20% increase in productivity with a hybrid model of automation with expert oversight.

This aggressive recruitment position is diametrically opposite to the general industry trend, when companies such as TCS have announced more than 12,000 dismissals, amounting to one of the biggest cut-backs in Indian IT history. Nasscom says the industry is presently experiencing "workforce rationalisation" from a shift towards product-based models and increasing worldwide demand for flexibility.

In spite of the changing scenario, Infosys is focusing on both hiring new talent and reskilling existing employees to future-proof its skillset. "Just software development alone has increased productivity by 5%–15% with AI," Parekh added, noting that the advantages reach across customer service and knowledge-based jobs as well.

By investing in skills and adopting AI-driven change, Infosys seems to be setting itself up for long-term, technology-fostered growth, not one-off cost cutting. As peers rein in, Infosys is opting to gear up in betting that the skills will make the leaders in the next digital wave.