Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is preparing to introduce generative artificial intelligence (AI) solutions in the South African market.
The Indian multinational IT services firm says over the last few years, it has seen 7% to 10% year-on-year growth in the Middle East and Africa region.
It will further invest in expanding its AI solutions and services amid increased demand.
TCS is an IT services, consulting and business solutions firm, operating globally for more than 50 years. In SA, the company was launched in 2007, offering digital transformation, IT consulting and integration services, as well as managed services operations.
It has been offering AI and AI-modelled solutions for many years, having created AI technologies for various sectors, including a digital twin offering for the telecoms sector and Conversa, an AI solution targeted at the insurance industry.
Langa Dube, country head and executive director for Tata Consultancy Services SA, tells ITWeb the company has grown to over 40 customers locally, after seeing demand for its services as firms accelerate their digital migration strategies.
“There are different plans of action for development and implementation of generative AI services in SA. TCS is planning to build our own generative AI, which is a ChatGPT equivalent.
“This is at the very initial stages right now, and the solution will harness the vast internal code, data and resources that we have. The unique differentiator of this chatbot is the ability to help generate code for enterprises,” explains Dube.
The ChatGPT-like solution will be built through in-house algorithms that use large language modelling functions for enterprise code generation, and will use generative AI to create an array of services for enterprises as per custom requirements, he adds.
“Another plan of action we have launched is through our partnership with Google Cloud’s generative AI, to design and deploy custom-tailored business solutions. We have deep contextual knowledge of our customers’ businesses and this makes us well-positioned to build innovative enterprise-level solutions using generative AI.”
The company is driving cloud migration in SA, by helping customers in their cloud-transformation journeys, though long-standing partnerships with hyperscalers, such as Microsoft, Google and Amazon Web Services, to ensure customers meet their digital transformation objectives, notes Dube.
Increased investment in innovation is another priority area for TCS globally and in SA, he continues.
It will further invest in the TCS CoIN (Co-innovation Network), an ecosystem enabler that brings together a network of experts from the start-up, research, academic and corporate industries to work on collaborative innovations for TCS.
“Our innovation plan includes setting up a unique TCS Innovation Lab in South Africa, aimed at solving societal issues using technology.
“We recently devised a new solution to improve safety in SA’s mining industry that leverages technology to eliminate fall of ground fatalities. We are always on the lookout for more such unique challenges in society which can be solved through technology.”
As part of its capacity-building and expansion plans in SA, TCS will invest in its ICT training initiatives, which entail several internship and recruitment programmes.
“We’ve taken a long-term view in developing local talent, recruiting and training young people from South African universities, and investing in growing science, technology, engineering and mathematics education at school level,” Dube concludes.
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