AI speeding up tech development, but identifying problems is key: SAP Labs India MD

Artificial intelligence (AI) is speeding up technology development, but companies need to focus on identifying the right problems to solve, said Sindhu Gangadharan, managing director, SAP Labs India.

During a fireside discussion on Leadership in the AI Era, Gangadharan said companies should start with the business outcome they want to achieve rather than look for problems after adopting a technology.

“AI is actually a leadership transformation that we need to look at,” she said, according to a press release about the event.


While AI allows companies to develop solutions faster, understanding the business problem, the people affected by it, and the industry remains important. “You can build a lot of things much faster these days. But if you don’t know what to build, that’s where the problem comes in,” she said.

Gangadharan added that companies also need to move AI projects beyond pilots to actual deployment. She mentioned an AI-powered billing agent developed for a global firm which handles processes related to workforce deployment, regulatory requirements, and pricing. The tool has reduced the staff required for work that was earlier handled by more than 1,000 executives, she said.

Companies looking to scale AI applications need business and domain expertise and strong data systems, she said. “AI is only successful if you have the right data.”

On the impact of the technology on jobs, she said companies should focus on helping employees acquire new skills and use AI to improve their existing capabilities. “If you just talk about efficiency in board meetings but not talk about upliftment of people, then you’ve missed out big time,” she remarked.