AT&amp;T’s Bold Bet on Workforce Upskilling in India
Given that AI skills are no longer optional, there remains a pertinent challenge for corporates as most workforces are not yet fully equipped to meet this skyrocketing demand. For global capability centres (GCCs) like AT&T, it’s a double-edged sword, presenting both opportunities and challenges in talent management and hiring. In an exclusive interview with AIM, Santosh Bijur, CEO of AT&T Communication Services India, recounted the MNC’s journey in India, which began nearly 40 years ago, making history as the first foreign telecom carrier to secure International Long Distance (ILD) and National Long Distance (NLD) licenses. Over the past 10-15 years, the company has expanded its footprint, establishing the IDC, a key pillar of AT&T’s global innovation strategy. “The team here in India has almost 3,300 employees. Out of that, our GCC, which we call the India Development Center, has over 2,000 people,” Bijur said. Building an AI-Ready Workforce Having a strong presence in Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai, AT&T has successfully tapped into a rich telecom talent pool. However, as AI and automation reshape the industry, upskilling has become a priority. Bijur explained that one of AT&T’s key enablers in this transformation has been its partnerships with leading Indian educational institutions. Many of the institutions the company collaborates with—such as Chennai Institute of Technology and KL University in Hyderabad—have proactively introduced AI electives into their curriculum. “The colleges have already incorporated AI into their programs by providing electives to the students, so they come almost AI-ready when they join us,” Bijur stated. This, in turn, reduces the learning curve for the employees, allowing them to contribute effectively from day one. For experienced professionals, Bijur explained, AT&T has introduced continuous learning programs that help them adapt to AI-driven workflows. Through its Personalised Learning Environment (PLE) platform, employees can access a wide range of upskilling courses, making learning both accessible and self-driven. AT&T doesn’t see this as a Herculean task. It believes learning is a shared responsibility, where employees are encouraged to take ownership of their AI journey. AI at the Core of AT&T’s Transformation Bijur said the company’s AI transformation began in early 2024 with the launch of ‘Ask AT&T’. “We created a private tenant for the OpenAI chat app and wrapped it around Ask AT&T, which basically created a secure area for us. We didn’t necessarily want to use the public domain, so that was the beginning of it,” Bijur said. Another key area where AI is making an impact is software development. Bijur explained that AT&T has adopted GitHub Copilot, an AI-powered coding assistant that helps developers write code more efficiently, automate testing, and reduce defects. While industry reports suggest 30-40% efficiency gains from GitHub Copilot, AT&T’s real-world experience places this improvement at a more realistic 15-20%. Beyond development, Bijur explained that AI plays a crucial role in fraud detection at AT&T. With the rise of online phone orders and returns, fraud risks have increased significantly. To combat this, AT&T’s AI-powered fraud-detection system continuously monitors transactions, identifying and flagging suspicious activities in real time. Transactions that appear fraudulent are escalated for manual review. AT&T is also transforming customer experience with AI-driven chatbots. Its chatbot, powered by generative AI, has transformed how customers interact with My AT&T app, enhancing both mobile and web-based services. AT&T’s Balanced Growth Strategy Across India Unlike many GCCs that establish a single command centre, AT&T has adopted a balanced, multi-location strategy. “I wouldn’t necessarily say Hyderabad is the headquarters. It’s one of our larger locations, but Bengaluru and Hyderabad are fairly head-to-head in terms of the team size,” Bijur added. Chennai plays a vital role in supporting AT&T’s India operations. This decentralised approach ensures that decision-making is distributed, allowing for greater agility and access to top-tier talent across cities. Talent availability—not location—dictates AT&T’s expansion strategy. Beyond Growth in India “When a GCC is established, the focus is on volumes—how many employees we’re hiring, how fast is the expansion happening, etc. But now, we’re entering a new phase. It’s no longer just about the numbers; it’s about the value each employee brings to AT&T,” Bijur explained. The company’s focus has shifted from simply building a workforce to deeply integrating employees into AT&T’s culture and global operations. Since AT&T’s core business—5G, fibre, and residential services—is US-centric, it is essential that India-based employees understand the challenges faced by American customers. “For many employees, especially those coming from IT service providers, the mindset is often service-oriented,” Bijur explained, “But we want them to think like they’re part of AT&T—not just working for AT&T. That cultural shift takes time, but it’s crucial for long-term success.” In order to attain that, AT&T has implemented a multi-pronged approach that includes senior leaders frequently travelling between India and the US, fostering cross-border collaboration and alignment. Furthermore, digital telemetry allows employees to use real-time analytics to track customer interactions, app usage, and web behaviour, enabling them to understand US customer experiences without being physically present. AT&T also introduces employees to its ‘How We Connect’ framework, adapting it to the Indian work environment to create a sense of belonging and purpose.
To combat fraud, AT&T’s AI-powered fraud-detection system continuously monitors transactions, identifying and flagging suspicious activities in real time.
To combat fraud, AT&T’s AI-powered fraud-detection system continuously monitors transactions, identifying and flagging suspicious activities in real time.
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["AI", "analytics", "generative AI", "OpenAI", "Aim", "RAG", "chatbots", "fraud detection", "R", "Go"]
Shalini is a senior tech journalist, exploring the latest advancements in AI. When she's not reporting on the latest innovations, you can find her immersed in her next literary adventure.