Cognizant Bets Big on Freshers and AI to Shape the Future of IT Services

In a bold move that sets it apart from its cautious peers, IT services giant Cognizant has announced plans to onboard 20,000 freshers in 2025. The decision marks a strategic shift aimed at rebalancing its workforce pyramid and preparing for a surge in AI-driven and managed services projects.

Now that organic growth is back, it’s a good time to re-baseline the pyramid the brass said, following the company’s strong Q1CY25 performance, bolstered by deals in healthcare and finance.

Fresh recruits will be trained on FlowSource, Cognizant’s proprietary platform that merges human expertise with machine-generated code. This AI-first approach is expected to enhance productivity from day one. While competitors remain vague about hiring goals due to market uncertainty, Cognizant is taking the lead, anticipating a redefined delivery structure shaped by artificial intelligence.

The firm is also expanding its specialised hiring from IITs and NITs while exploring unconventional roles under its “Vector 3 of agentification,” welcoming talent beyond traditional engineering backgrounds.

Meanwhile, the company is doubling down on Global Capability Centres (GCCs), with six active deals and over 20 in the pipeline. These centres—like the flagship one in Hyderabad - are designed to deliver long-term, high-value services in AI and productivity tooling.

As the lines between tech and domain expertise blur, Cognizant is not just hiring—it’s reshaping the DNA of its future workforce.