Unleashing the power of cloud computing: Intersection of data and AI for value creation

The rise of cloud computing has transformed the way businesses operate in the digital age. The ability to access customers through portals and mobile devices, sell to them, and provide better customer service has become essential for companies seeking to remain competitive. However, the real value creation today is happening at the intersection of data and artificial intelligence. To process vast amounts of data and gain insights that help reach and understand customers, cloud computing power is essential. Building application-rich platforms is also crucial. With investments in digital transformation continuing, the growth of Cloud as a market is set to accelerate. Cloud computing has become ubiquitous, and it is now critical for businesses seeking to drive growth, optimize operations, and achieve success in the digital age. Sanjeev Prasad, Global leader - Cloud and Digital, Coforge, recently spoke to Dataquest to throw more light on this development that is transforming the industry on the whole.

DQ: How has the cloud market evolved in the past few years, and what do you see as the most significant trends shaping the market in the near future?

Sanjeev Prasad: I believe that when the pandemic hit, the first thing that happened was a shift towards digitalization. Companies had to find ways to reach their customers without physical contact, and this drove the need for cloud computing. Cloud computing has become ubiquitous, as it enables businesses to access their customers through portals and mobile devices, sell to them, and provide better customer service. Investments in digital transformation have continued, and this will further drive the growth of the cloud.

Moreover, the real value creation today is happening at the intersection of data and AI. To process vast amounts of data, you need cloud computing power. This is why the cloud is essential for businesses today. Building application-rich platforms is also crucial.

I have been in this scenario for over 30 years, and I can tell you that the compute power we have today is far greater than what we had 25 years ago. Insights from data are critical to reach and understand customers, and to achieve this, you need to process massive amounts of data using cloud computing.

In summary, the big question today is how to reach customers, sell to them, and provide better service. Cloud computing is the answer, as it allows businesses to process vast amounts of data and build application-rich platforms.

DQ: How is India as a market different from the global market from a service delivery point of view?

Sanjeev Prasad: Looking back, in the early stages, the focus was on custom bespoke application development. However, it was realized that managed services and smaller tasks such as service desk, server and database management can also be provided. These are all service lines that can be further developed.

Now, in India, companies such as ours have honed their managed services, making it a science. We know the processes, how to set customer expectations, and how to improve efficiency to create value for our clients. As a long-term partner to our clients, we constantly think of ways to differentiate ourselves and bring value to them. If we do not bring value to them daily and think about making their CIO successful, they will not want us as a partner long-term.

Our long-term relationships with clients are due to our continuous focus on adding value, such as during the pandemic when we supported several clients in the travel industry, some of whom went bankrupt. We supported them throughout their journey and made investments from our side to help them rebound. As a result, they saw us as true partners, and some have even consolidated business with us.

One thing that truly differentiates us is the way we think about our customers. While every company talks about domain technology, we go above and beyond to support our clients when they are in real need. We prioritize creating value for them in everything we do.

DQ: What role do you see new age technologies playing in the future of the cloud market?

Sanjeev Prasad: Cloud technology is now a given and everything operates in the cloud. In the past, I had a cloud-first strategy since 2010, because the cloud provides necessary computing power, scalability, and agility. If you were to set up on-premise infrastructure, it would take a long time to procure and build. The agility of the cloud is huge, making it easy to get things up and running quickly. To do anything related to ChatGPT or OpenAI, you need huge computing power. This used to require a separate server, but with advancements in technology and faster networks like 4G and 5G, computing power is now available anywhere. It's amazing to see how far we've come and how technology has advanced to enable us to do things we could only dream of in the past.

DQ: Are you planning to come out with an offering related to ChatGPT?

Sanjeev Prasad: What we are doing is embedding an IDP platform into the Quasar story, and we are training people on how to use these tools to provide value to our customers. While ChatGPT is an open platform, I wouldn't put my data inside it. Instead, I would rather work on OpenAI and GitHub with Microsoft to reinvent the application. I could take an existing code, convert it into some kind of textual representation, and then convert it into a Java full-stack application. We will not put company data into ChatGPT, as we will do it in our local environment. Using the public domain for this is not ideal due to data privacy concerns. Internally, we will use generative AI to drive value for our customers. We will be aggressive about adopting generative AI, not necessarily ChatGPT, because our goal is to create value for our customers.

DQ: What strategies are you using to expand your global footprint?

Sanjeev Prasad: Let’s put it this way – in today’s business environment, value creation for clients is paramount. 16% of our workforce is in the front-end and on-site. They are people who engage directly with clients to identify their problems and find ways to transform their businesses. This requires a team of architects, SMEs, domain experts, consultants, and process experts working together to identify and solve the problems clients face. These investments are critical to continue making, because if we want to capture our clients’ mindshare, we must create value by thinking about how to solve their problems. This cannot be done by simply sitting in the office; we need a combination of on-site and offshore resources to truly understand the customer’s needs, domain expertise, and technological challenges. These conversations are essential for driving finances, and we will continue to invest in them.

DQ: How do you see the cloud market evolving over the next 5-10 years, and what role do you see your company playing in this future landscape?

Sanjeev Prasad: As I mentioned earlier, I have been on the cloud journey since 2010. Back then, it was a big question of whether we should migrate to the cloud, with concerns around data privacy and risks involved. However, now it seems that cloud computing is becoming omnipresent. Everyone is using it, and it will continue to be adopted by all. While some may opt for hybrid models and set up their own data centers. Scalability and agility are still essential to business growth. Setting up a data center can take months or even a year, which is a long time in the fast-paced business world. Therefore, cloud computing is the easy way to scale up quickly and respond to market demands. Cloud adoption will continue to grow, with occasional slowdowns or dips. However, overall, the growth trajectory will always be upward.

DQ: Final thoughts.

Sanjeev Prasad: I believe that our main objective is to always consider the customer's needs and create value for them. As a CIO, I seek partnerships and aim to be a trusted partner for our clients. Cloud computing has become a mission-critical aspect for everyone, not just a good-to-have. It is essential to ensure 100% availability and to respond promptly to any issues. As an organization, we must understand that client business problems are not just IT issues, but overall business issues. This should be instilled in our company's culture. I am passionate about this and hope that we continue to provide excellent service to our clients.