From AI Pilots to Profits: Wipro CEO Sees Bigger, Broader Deal Pipeline

Wipro CEO Srini Pallia said that AI is now at the heart of technology deals that Indian IT services companies are chasing, as clients move beyond pilot projects to large-scale deployments.

Speaking to Reuters on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, Pallia said Wipro is bidding for a mix of small, large and mega AI-driven contracts as companies across sectors adopt the technology at different speeds.

“We’ll go after both because different clients, different industries and different markets are at different maturity stages,” Pallia told Reuters.

India’s $283-billion IT services industry had faced several weak quarters as global companies cut technology spending amid geopolitical and economic uncertainty. Pallia said that phase is now giving way to a sharper focus on returns.

“2025 was more about deploying AI and proof-of-concept projects,” he said. “In 2026, boards and CEOs are asking where the return on investment is.”

While Pillai does not expect a sharp rise in overall tech budgets, he reportedly said companies are optimising spending and turning to AI-led efficiencies. AI-assisted software development can reduce costs by about 25%, mainly through productivity gains in coding and testing, he said, adding that this could lead to more projects over time even if budgets stay tight.

Pallia acknowledged pricing pressure in the industry as AI shortens delivery timelines and reduces team sizes. However, he said the technology is also likely to lead to a higher number of smaller deals as clients experiment with targeted use cases, according to Reuters.

Wipro is positioning itself to support clients through this shift by offering both AI consulting and traditional IT services, he added.

Notably, Wipro also lowered its fresher hiring target for the ongoing financial year (FY26). The company now expects to recruit 7,500-8,000 fresh graduates, down from its earlier guidance of 10,000-12,000.

During the company’s Q3 earnings press conference, CHRO Saurabh Govil said campus hiring was muted in the October-December quarter, with only about 400 freshers joining during the period.

“This quarter, recruitment from campuses was muted,” Govil said, adding that the revised hiring estimate reflects current demand conditions.

The update follows a subdued third quarter, during which Wipro added around 400 entry-level employees, according to PTI.

Despite the quarterly slowdown, Wipro’s year-to-date fresher intake remains above 5,000. The company added 6,529 employees in the December quarter, taking its total workforce to 2,42,021. The increase was largely driven by the consolidation of the Harman DTS acquisition and staff redeployment under a large contract known as the Phoenix deal.

Govil said Wipro is sharpening its focus on building an AI-ready workforce. The company has set up 50 Centres of Excellence across universities, working with academic institutions to design specialised curricula in areas such as AI, cybersecurity and data.

“We work with universities to build skills and then hire from there,” he said, adding that Wipro also pays skill premiums to employees with relevant project experience and is investing heavily in upskilling its existing workforce through certifications.