Infosys To Hire 20,000 Freshers As TCS Cuts 12,000 Jobs In AI Shift: Full Story In 5 Points

At a time when the IT industry is bracing for layoffs and “workforce restructuring”, Infosys has announced a rather different plan. According to the CEO, Salil Parekh, the company intends to hire 20,000 new graduates in 2025. The recruitment drive comes in stark contrast to the recent strategy of rivals such as Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), which is cutting around 2 per cent of its global workforce, a move that affects roughly 12,000 employees, and HCLTech, which has also hinted at similar reductions.

Infosys, on the other hand, is talking expansion, not contraction. The company is pinning this round of hiring squarely on its growing focus on artificial intelligence and the skills that go with it.

Infosys to hire freshers amid industry layoffs: Story in 5 points

— Infosys is hiring new graduates

Infosys CEO Salil Parekh said that the new intake is part of a deliberate investment in preparing the company for the next phase of AIdriven services. He pointed out that Infosys had already been ahead of the curve when it came to adopting AI. “Our utilisation is running at a good level. All of the people that are joining us, are getting trained and deployed on projects. And the people across the whole company are at that high utilisation,” he said in an interview with CNBCTV18.

— Infosys’ training

Parekh also revealed that about 2.75 lakh employees have been trained in AI and related disciplines, part of an effort to ensure that the firm has the necessary skills to adapt to clients’ changing needs.

The contrast with TCS could hardly be sharper. While TCS trims its workforce to stay agile, Infosys is doubling down on talent, with no immediate plans for restructuring or layoffs.

— Decision comes in contrast to industry trend

This decision comes at a time when the IT services sector is in a state of flux. Microsoft, TCS, IBM, Intel are just a few names on the list of tech companies that are cutting jobs on a higher scale. While they say it is a part of company restructuring, it is clear that AI automation is now taking over.

But Infosys appears to see an opportunity where others see risk. By expanding, the company is betting that AI will not just change how software is built, but also improve efficiency across its portfolio. The company’s internal data suggests these bets could pay off.

— Company’s approach

In an environment where “being futureready” is often shorthand for reducing headcount, Infosys’s approach is refreshingly contrarian. Rather than relying on job cuts, the firm hopes to futureproof itself by investing in new skills and by training its employees to be AIliterate.

Infosys expects AI to bring a 5 per cent to 15 per cent boost to productivity in software development, and as much as a 20 per cent lift in efficiency within its Finacle core banking platform, according to the reports.

— Tech lay-offs

The broader industry, however, remains under pressure. TCS has already confirmed plans to shed staff, while HCLTech has been frank about its intention to streamline for operational efficiency. Layoffs and reorganisations are expected to continue across many firms as they adapt to the twin pressures of client demands and fastmoving technologies.

Infosys’s announcement, therefore, lands as something of a positive surprise. It suggests a belief that AI is more of a productivity engine than a threat to jobs – at least for now.