HCL Technologies launches AWS AI centers for global capability centers

Expanding the AI ecosystem

HCL Technologies has officially launched new AI-driven centers on Amazon Web Services (AWS). This initiative is designed to help specific types of organizations, namely Global Capability Centers (GCCs) and mid-market enterprises, expand their use of artificial intelligence. By integrating these centers into its GCC 360 suite, the company aims to streamline how these businesses implement AI technologies.

The launch represents a significant expansion of HCLTech's existing cloud and artificial intelligence service capabilities. The company is focusing on building out ecosystem offerings around major cloud hyperscalers like AWS. This strategy is intended to capture high-margin budgets from enterprises that are currently undergoing large-scale technology transformations.

As Sahi reported, these specialized centers provide a structured way for companies to move beyond experimentation. By offering a dedicated framework, HCLTech helps clients navigate the complexities of cloud-native AI. This move positions the company to secure higher-value consulting and managed services contracts in the global market.

Financial performance and growth

The announcement comes on the heels of a strong financial performance for HCLTech in Q2 FY27. During this period, the company reported a revenue of ₹35,620 crore, which reflects an 11.5% increase compared to the same time last year. Additionally, the company saw its net income rise by 21.2% year-over-year to reach ₹5,132 crore.

Operational execution also showed significant improvements in profit margins. The EBIT margin, which measures a company's operating profit, expanded by 131 bps quarter-over-quarter to reach 18.2%. This growth suggests that the company is becoming more efficient at managing its costs while scaling its service offerings.

New deal bookings were another highlight of the quarter, totaling $3.3 billion. This figure represents a 27% increase over the previous year's results. These metrics provide a backdrop of stability and growth for HCLTech as it pushes into more specialized AI services for its clients.

Targeting the GCC market

A primary focus of this new initiative is the Global Capability Center (GCC) market. These are offshore centers where global enterprises shift complex technology development and operations. As more companies move these functions to internal offshore centers, they require specialized vendor support to manage the transition.

HCLTech is positioning its GCC 360 solution suite to meet this specific demand. By providing AI-driven centers on AWS, they are offering a way for these centers to adopt cloud-native frameworks more effectively. This allows the centers to handle more complex tasks while maintaining the infrastructure provided by a major hyperscaler.

The move is particularly relevant for mid-market enterprises that may lack the internal resources to build their own AI infrastructure. By using HCLTech's managed services, these smaller firms can access the same high-level capabilities as larger corporations. This creates a pathway for broader AI adoption across different sizes of business.

Strategic shift in IT services

The broader industry is currently seeing a transition where Indian IT service providers are moving away from legacy infrastructure support. Instead, they are pivoting toward high-value AI and cloud integration projects. HCLTech's partnership with AWS is a key part of this shift, providing a lever to improve client retention and contract values.

By embedding deeper into the core technology functions of their clients, IT vendors can create stickier relationships. When a company relies on a specific vendor to manage its AI centers on a major cloud platform, it becomes harder for that client to switch providers. This helps HCLTech capture more consistent, long-term revenue from enterprise accounts.

Looking ahead, the company faces some risks, such as a potential macroeconomic slowdown in the US and Europe. Such a slowdown could lead to delayed discretionary spending on new IT projects. However, the current momentum in cloud and AI spending suggests a continued demand for the services HCLTech is now expanding.