Anand Sahay is the CEO & Government Director at Xebia, previous to becoming a member of Xebia, Sahay was a vp at Interglobe and a basic supervisor at HCL Applied sciences. He started his profession as a software program programmer at Tata Consultancy Providers.

Xebia is a pioneering and confirmed authority within the digital transformation area, partnering with most of the world’s main firms to assist them change into digital leaders and construct resilient organizations at any scale.

Whether or not it is harnessing the potential of knowledge and AI, leveraging the flexibleness of cloud computing, trendy software program improvement, or embracing the effectivity of low code, Xebia offers complete providers that deal with each facet of the digital panorama.

Since its founding in 2001, Xebia has grown to greater than 5,000 folks throughout Europe, North America, the Center East, Africa, and Asia Pacific – together with over 3,000 staff in 5 supply facilities in India.

Xebia began within the Netherlands in 2001, and has since expanded internationally, and most just lately has opened its headquarters in Atlanta, GA. May you talk about a number of the challenges of increasing to the USA, and why Atlanta was chosen?

As an IT consultancy and software program engineering firm with a longtime presence in EMEA and APAC, we’re navigating challenges that include scaling operations within the U.S. – from constructing and managing a fast-growing world crew to honing our worth proposition in a hyper-competitive market. Nonetheless, there’s vital upside for our enlargement and we’ve plans to develop income 4x and create 1,000+ jobs within the Americas over the following a number of years.

Choosing Atlanta was a choice that minimize throughout a number of strategic areas. It places us near a handful of our present clients, in addition to a big roster of prospects. The Atlanta metro space is a thriving hub for digital innovation and residential to startups, in addition to Fortune 500 manufacturers which are remodeling their companies and reshaping their industries with AI and clever automation.

Atlanta additionally permits us to proceed our legacy of business partnerships with a regional presence of Microsoft, Google, AWS, and Salesforce. Because the world is in a brand new part of digital transformation, fixing enterprise issues requires leveraging a accomplice ecosystem and a set of capabilities that allow the absolute best options and outcomes for purchasers.

Lastly, Atlanta is a good place for us to scale up our crew. Town has a strong expertise pool primarily based on the proximity to top-tier universities like Georgia Tech, The College of Georgia, Moorhouse College, and Emory College.

How does Xebia entice and retain high expertise within the extremely aggressive area of AI?

Demand for AI expertise, particularly software program engineers and knowledge scientists is simply rising. Continued layoffs in sure tech sectors solely inform a partial story. The fact is that firms throughout banking, insurance coverage, retail, journey, pharma and different industries are all turning into digital-first and wish tech expertise that makes a speciality of knowledge and AI.

There’s a long-standing delusion of the lone wolf software program engineer or knowledge scientist however that couldn’t be farther from the reality. Whereas it’s true that everybody has their very own working fashion and preferences, at Xebia, we imagine that the best way to draw and retain high tech expertise is to create an organization tradition that prioritizes group and steady studying.

We take excessive satisfaction in all 5,500+ Xebians. In a world the place AI is quickly turning into a commodity, it’s straightforward to additionally take into consideration the folks constructing AI options as a commodity. Our strategy is folks first and our high precedence is to assist the eagerness of exceptionally good folks from the recruiting course of all over to ongoing skilled improvement.

How does Xebia measure the success and effectiveness of its AI initiatives, each internally and for its purchasers?

At Xebia, we firmly imagine that for AI, and particularly GenAI, to transcend the hype, there must be a real system and technique in place to operationalize the AI to make it scalable throughout the enterprise and have these initiatives be aimed toward reaching some type of tangible enterprise goals.

For purchasers, Xebia measures the success of its AI initiatives by means of a multifaceted strategy that aligns intently with our purchasers’ strategic targets and operational benchmarks. KPIs embrace the acceleration of digital transformation, enhancement of buyer experiences, enchancment in operational effectivity, and the achievement of aggressive benefits available in the market. Finally, effectiveness is gauged by tangible outcomes resembling income development, price reductions, and enhanced decision-making processes, supported by data-driven insights​​.

Internally, we assess the influence of our AI initiatives on enhancing our methodologies, innovation charges, and worker talent developments.

With rising issues about moral AI and knowledge governance, how does Xebia make sure the accountable use of AI in its tasks and options?

AI has been an integral a part of Xebia’s choices for years, so Accountable AI (RAI) is deeply ingrained in our tradition and requirements. Our dedication to utilizing AI and GenAI responsibly manifests by means of our ideas of equity, consistency, explainability, knowledge privateness, robustness, and accountability of our coaching knowledge and algorithms.

Now we have discovered success in upskilling our groups by means of organizational initiatives on the potential influence that AI can have each positively and negatively. Coupled with an information governance mannequin that emphasizes knowledge privateness, safety, and integrity, we’ve discovered that on a person stage, our crew takes a conscientious strategy to follow Xebia’s dedication to moral AI adoption.

Xebia is understood for its concentrate on Cloud Providers, AI, and Machine Studying. Are you able to elaborate on how Xebia is integrating these applied sciences into its consulting providers and the influence that is having in your purchasers?

This can be a nice query. A lot of what was thought of “digital transformation” two or three years in the past is now desk stakes. At present we’re at an inflection level of Trade Digitalization, which is a end result of the digital transformation journey. Organizations right now have to harness the collective energy of cloud providers, AI/ML (in addition to low code, agile and devops) to essentially reshape their firms and industries.

Integrating these core applied sciences into our consulting providers will not be one-size-fits-all. We glance to construct a customizable basis with various tasks and buyer wants. By specializing in 4 areas of digital convergence – clever automation, utilized and GenAI, cloud & knowledge modernization, and digital merchandise/platforms, we assist organizations chart a course for long-term success. By advising and supporting our clients on technique, we’ve helped clients throughout industries drive vital effectivity features and aggressive benefit.

Xebia locations a robust emphasis on information sharing and innovation. How does this focus contribute to Xebia’s success and its capability to remain on the forefront of technological development?

Our concentrate on information sharing is a key pillar of Xebia’s success. Initiatives like information exchanges, Innovation Days, and tech rallies be sure that our present and potential crew members have the sources and setting to discover and obtain their full potential and drive innovation and experience in AI and different applied sciences. We additionally assist ongoing studying with our Xebia Academy which offers our crew members with coaching programs and upskilling alternatives to make sure they continue to be as aggressive as doable.

Given Xebia’s experience in AI, how do you envision AI remodeling enterprise operations and shopper providers within the subsequent 5 years?

For the reason that early 2000s, Xebia has been on the forefront of knowledge and AI and this has supplied us with an ongoing aggressive edge. We’ve watched the assorted AI traits emerge and have constantly stayed forward of the curve. Whereas utilized AI (utilizing ML and different AI strategies to unravel particular enterprise issues) will proceed to remodel companies and shopper providers, GenAI will quickly speed up the creation of solely new options. Over the following 5 years, the convergence of AI capabilities will empower firms to garner new insights, innovate at scale globally and ship clients unprecedented customized experiences.

Generative AI is taking the world by storm, what are your views on it and the way is Xebia staying on the forefront of this groundbreaking expertise?

The alternatives and benefits introduced by GenAI are multifaceted and completely actual. On the similar time, so are the challenges. We see three particularly: companies have to seize the worth of AI, handle AI responsibly and in a cost-efficient method, and grasp the abilities essential to thrive within the new Hybrid Workforce.

Schooling will stay a key a part of how Xebia stays on the forefront of GenAI. We’re dedicated to serving to information and help clients by means of their journey with a full vary of AI Workshops and Coaching Applications, together with GenAI Use Case Discovery, GenAI “How To”, and AI-Assisted Software program Growth Enablement. As well as, Xebia offers Licensed Pods/Consultants for implementation, and we might help arrange an AI Middle of Excellence for companies to drive the adoption of AI throughout the group.

Thanks for the good interview, readers who want to study extra ought to go to Xebia.