Infosys AI-First GCC Model: Powering Global Innovation Hubs

The fluorescent hum of a Global Capability Center (GCC) office, typically a beehive of operational efficiency, once felt predictable.

Teams worked diligently, executing global mandates, but the spark of genuine innovation often seemed to reside elsewhere, perhaps in headquarters or agile startups.

I recall a conversation with a seasoned GCC manager, Sunita, whose eyes held the weariness of constant pressure to do more with less.

Her team was brilliant, but felt like cogs in a well-oiled machine, not architects of its future.

She spoke of the struggle to attract top-tier talent who yearned for impactful, creative work, and the frustration of legacy systems that resisted true transformation.

It was a common refrain: GCCs, while indispensable, often felt like cost centers rather than true strategic partners.

This scenario, common across many enterprises, highlights a critical challenge: how do you transform these engines of execution into dynamic hubs of innovation, especially in an era defined by the exponential power of AI?

In short: Infosys has launched its AI-First GCC Model to transform Global Capability Centers into AI-powered innovation hubs.

This specialized offering embeds production-grade agentic AI across GCC operations, providing comprehensive support from setup to scale, enhancing enterprise agility and competitive advantage.

Why This Matters Now:

The traditional perception of Global Capability Centers (GCCs) as mere cost-arbitrage centers is rapidly becoming obsolete.

In todays digital landscape, exacerbated by the relentless pace of technological change and heightened global competition, enterprises demand more.

They need their GCCs to be strategic assets, driving genuine innovation and competitive advantage.

This is where AI, particularly the sophisticated capabilities of agentic AI, steps in as a game-changer.

Infosys, a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, recognizes this imperative.

Their new AI-First GCC Model, unveiled on November 17, 2025, represents a pivotal shift, aiming to accelerate the transformation of GCCs into AI-powered innovation hubs (Infosys, 2025).

This move is crucial because it addresses the core challenge businesses face: how to scale and transform their GCCs to not just execute, but to invent and lead in an AI-first world.

The Strategic Evolution of Global Capability Centers

For decades, GCCs have served as vital operational extensions for multinational corporations.

They handle critical functions from IT support to finance processing, delivering efficiency and cost savings.

However, the demands of the modern enterprise have surpassed this foundational role.

Today, a GCC must be more than an efficient back-office; it must be a front-line innovator.

This strategic evolution means GCCs need to be agile, responsive, and equipped with cutting-edge capabilities to contribute directly to business growth and digital transformation.

They are no longer just about execution; they are about co-creation and foresight.

Unlocking AI Transformation: Infosys Integrated Offering

Infosys AI-First GCC Model is designed to bridge this gap, transforming traditional GCCs into vibrant AI innovation hubs.

The model is comprehensive, providing an end-to-end path from initial setup support to scalable talent strategies and operational readiness, all while enabling AI-led transformation with production-grade agents and a unified platform (Infosys, 2025).

This holistic approach is crucial, as true transformation requires more than just bolting on new technology; it demands a fundamental rethinking of people, processes, and platforms.

Core AI Platforms: Agentic Foundry, EdgeVerve AI Next, and Infosys Topaz

At the heart of the Infosys AI-First GCC Model lies a powerful trifecta of proprietary AI platforms.

This integrated suite is engineered to embed production-grade agentic AI across all GCC operations.

Firstly, the Infosys Agentic Foundry is dedicated to building and scaling reliable production-grade AI agents.

These agents are intelligent, autonomous entities designed to perform complex tasks, learn from interactions, and operate with minimal human intervention.

This enables the automation of intricate processes that go beyond simple task repetition.

Secondly, EdgeVerve AI Next serves as the unified platform for running both applied and agentic AI at an enterprise scale.

It provides the robust infrastructure and tools necessary to deploy, manage, and monitor AI solutions across diverse business domains, ensuring seamless integration and high performance.

Lastly, Infosys Topaz is utilized to infuse AI-first services and solutions throughout the entire GCC lifecycle.

Topaz focuses on leveraging generative AI capabilities to enhance various aspects, from strategy development and site selection to recruitment and operational launch.

This ensures that AI thinking is baked into every stage of a GCCs existence, making processes smarter, faster, and more intuitive (Infosys, 2025).

The combination of these platforms is what truly sets the Infosys offering apart, creating a cohesive and powerful AI ecosystem.

Client Success: Lufthansa Systems and Danske Bank Embrace AI-First GCCs

The effectiveness of Infosys AI-First GCC Model is best illustrated through its client engagements.

Infosys has a proven track-record of over 100 engagements with local GCC entities globally (Infosys, 2025), and the adoption of this new AI-first approach is already yielding significant results.

Stefanie Neumann, CEO of Lufthansa Systems, attested to the partnerships impact.

She stated,

Our collaboration with Infosys to establish a dedicated Global Capability Center has been a pivotal step in digital transformation journey of Lufthansa Systems.

By leveraging their strong GCC and AI capabilities, we are building a future-ready innovation hub that enables our customers to enhance aviation safety, drive operational efficiency, and improve customer experience.

This partnership empowers us to accelerate our vision for sustainable and intelligent aviation (Neumann, Lufthansa Systems, 2025).

This demonstrates how AI-first GCCs can drive sector-specific innovation, moving beyond general IT services to specialized, data-driven solutions.

Similarly, Frans Woelders, COO of Danske Bank, highlighted the strategic importance of their collaboration with Infosys.

Two years into our collaboration with Infosys, our Global Capability Center has become core to the execution of our strategy and to our AI-first vision, Woelders said.

He detailed how Infosys expertise helped integrate AI into their software delivery lifecycle using tools like GitHub Copilot, develop reusable GenAI platforms, and deploy multiple GenAI use cases across customer service, compliance, risk, and operations.

This journey reflects their commitment to creating differentiated experiences by building a truly AI-first bank (Woelders, Danske Bank, 2025).

These examples underscore the models ability to drive both innovation and scalability across diverse industries.

Building Future-Ready Talent and Agile Operating Models

Central to the success of any GCC transformation is the human element.

The Infosys AI-First GCC Model places significant emphasis on future-ready talent, recognizing that technology is only as powerful as the people wielding it.

Infosys leverages its Springboard digital learning platform and its corporate university infrastructure – one of the largest in the world – to ensure a sustainable pipeline of skilled talent tailored to meet evolving enterprise needs (Infosys, 2025).

This continuous learning ecosystem is vital for upskilling existing employees and attracting new ones who are fluent in AI-first methodologies.

Furthermore, Infosys offers a range of right-fit operating models to suit diverse client requirements.

These include Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT), assisted GCC builds, joint ventures, and partner-hosted models (Infosys, 2025).

This flexibility ensures that enterprises can choose the structure that best aligns with their strategic objectives, risk appetite, and desired level of involvement, allowing for a seamless transition to an AI-powered innovation hub.

The Strategic Imperative: Why an AI-First GCC Matters Now

The transformation of GCCs into AI-first innovation hubs is no longer an option but a strategic imperative for enterprises seeking to maintain competitive advantage.

Hrishi Raj Agarwalla, Vice President – GCC research at Everest Group, articulated this clearly:

Infosys has outlined a GCC approach that brings together its technology partnerships, investments in AI and innovation labs, plug-and-play infrastructure, and broad talent model, to support enterprises across the GCC lifecycle, from setting up new centers to transforming existing ones (Agarwalla, Everest Group, 2025).

This holistic approach signals a mature understanding of the complex ecosystem required for successful AI integration.

Satish H.C, EVP and Chief Delivery Officer at Infosys, further reinforced this vision:

As enterprises transform GCCs into strategic hubs, Infosys is ready to accelerate their journey.

Our AI-first approach, comprehensive GCC lifecycle capabilities, and global delivery excellence, uniquely position us to help clients unlock new value.

Our dedicated GCC practice will offer speed, scale, and strategic depth essential for the next wave of enterprise transformation (Satish H.C, Infosys, 2025).

The blend of speed, scale, and strategic depth is precisely what enterprises need to navigate the complexities of an AI-first world, ensuring their global operations are not just efficient, but truly innovative.

Conclusion: Accelerating Next-Gen Enterprise Transformation with AI

Sunita, the GCC manager, once dreamt of a future where her team wasnt just maintaining systems, but actively shaping them, driving new value for the business.

With the Infosys AI-First GCC Model, that future is now a tangible reality for many enterprises.

This is more than a technological upgrade; its a fundamental reimagining of how global capabilities contribute to innovation and growth.

By unifying cutting-edge technology platforms like Infosys Agentic Foundry, EdgeVerve AI Next, and Infosys Topaz, with robust talent development and flexible operating models, Infosys is enabling organizations to unlock the full potential of their GCCs.

The success stories from Lufthansa Systems and Danske Bank serve as compelling evidence that AI-first GCCs are not just a concept, but a powerful engine for next-gen enterprise transformation.

It is about moving from execution to pure innovation, turning every global capability center into a vibrant hub where AI amplifies human potential, creating the next opportunity for businesses and communities alike.

References:

• Infosys, Infosys Unveils AI-first GCC Model to Transform Global Capability Centers into Innovation Hubs, 2025.