Despite global supply chain disruptions in the technology sector, India plays a key role by offering a steady and reliable talent pipeline, said Peter Altabef, CEO of Unisys, a multinational technology solutions company.
“When you think of India as part of the supply chain, its potential and its consistency are enormous,” Altabef said. “If you’re like us, a technology company, our inventory is really the talent of our people.”
Altabef, during his visit to India in September, emphasized that the country offers a rare mix of scale, quality, and energy. He also mentioned that around 40% of Unisys’ work is done in India.
Blue Bell, a Pennsylvania-based company, provides cloud, data, AI, digital workplace, logistics, and enterprise computing solutions. The company has been operating in India for nearly 25 years, with a quarter of its global workforce based here.
The company plans to open a new office in Gurugram by next year, expanding its presence alongside its five existing offices in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Gurugram.
“India is very important to Unisys. Our goal was to do everything we do as a company in India, and I think we’re there now,” he said, adding that many of its leading research and products are coming out of India.
“I would expect that as far as the company continues to grow, the footprint in India will grow at least as fast as that – probably faster.”
In the financial year 2023, Unisys reported around $2 billion in revenue, achieving 1.8% year-on-year growth. Like many companies, it is heavily investing in AI.
Unisys currently has 125 AI projects in progress, integrating AI into its offerings, resulting in a 50% productivity increase in application development.
Altabef emphasized that true advancement lies in combining AI with quantum computing. Unisys is exploring quantum annealing for post-quantum cryptography to protect assets better. It has also used quantum computing to optimize air traffic logistics, which traditional computing struggled to handle efficiently. By early next year, this optimization will extend to trains and trucks.
Unisys leverages India’s AI and quantum computing expertise to develop these solutions. Altabef pointed out that a higher percentage of Indian employees have completed advanced AI courses than in other regions globally.
On challenges, Altabef noted the fierce competition for top talent and the significant energy demands of running AI programs, a challenge faced worldwide.
Altabef also highlighted challenges related to long commute times and internet bandwidth for employees working in hybrid modes.
He mentioned that Unisys is dedicated to recruiting talent from about 200 universities it has built relationships with over the years. The company’s annual ten-month Unisys Innovation Programme, which bridges industry and academia, has created numerous internship and job opportunities for students.
Last year, Altabef noted that around 50% of submissions from participating universities were focused on AI.
