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While the global spotlight often focuses on the US and China’s race for AI supremacy in chips and foundational models, India is emerging as an essential third force. Its strength lies not in building the models from scratch, but in deploying them at scale. At the heart of this shift is India’s Global Capability Centres (GCCs), which have evolved from support hubs into the engines driving AI adoption for the world’s largest enterprises.

India’s service sector has long been its economic powerhouse, and the rise of over 1,700 GCCs represents its evolution. Projected to become a US$110 billion sector by 2030, these centres are creating a massive ripple effect, generating a fivefold impact on job creation. 

Today, they are at the forefront of the generative AI revolution, managing everything from fine-tuning foundational models and multilingual prompt engineering to building robust governance protocols and integrating AI into core enterprise workflows. According to an EY report released last year, the use of AI in GCCs in India is growing rapidly. Nearly 70% of GCCs are investing in generative AI, and 78% are upskilling their teams for it. While 51% of GCCs are prioritising technology over headcount growth, with a strong focus on reskilling in areas like AI, the survey revealed.

This strategic shift is fueling a transformation in India’s talent landscape. Between March 2024 and March 2025, the hiring demand for AI and data professionals surged by up to 45% as per a Quess Corp report. This growth is highly specialised. GenAI-specific roles like prompt engineers and LLM ops specialists, which were negligible in 2023, now constitute over 10% of new AI job postings and demand a 15-20% pay premium. GCCs, along with system integrators and product firms, are responsible for over 70% of this hiring, seeking deep specialisation in areas like vector databases, MLOps, and AI governance.

However, a significant maturity divide exists. While leading GCCs are leveraging AI to drive enterprise-wide innovation, a recent BCG report found that the majority focused on delivery execution, underutilising their potential. Only 8% have advanced significantly in using AI for innovation and competitive differentiation. The critical enablers for top performers include AI-first thinking, dedicated innovation budgets, and embedded leadership.

For India’s GCCs, the message is clear. They are already the indispensable backbone of global AI deployment. The next frontier is to move beyond experimentation and execution to co-own enterprise outcomes. By aligning with an enterprise vision and embedding AI deeply into their core strategy, India’s global capability centres  are not just participating in the AI revolution, they are positioned to lead the next wave of global business transformation.