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AI Automation Startup UnifyApps Raises $50 Million, Names Sprinklr Founder as Co-CEO

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UnifyApps, an AI automation startup that integrates enterprise systems to streamline routine business processes, has raised $50 million in a Series B funding round led by WestBridge Capital and appointed Sprinklr founder Ragy Thomas as its new chairman and co-CEO.

The fresh funding values the company at around $250 million, according to a source familiar with the matter. Investors including ICONIQ Capital also joined the round, bringing UnifyApps’ total funding to about $81 million since its launch in 2023.

Positioning itself as an “enterprise operating system for AI,” UnifyApps connects corporate software platforms such as Salesforce and Workday to large language models, helping businesses automate repetitive tasks like HR workflows, claims processing, and supply chain management.

Clients include Lowe’s, HDFC Bank, and Deutsche Telekom, which use UnifyApps’ technology to boost efficiency across departments. The company reported a sevenfold increase in annual revenue, though it did not disclose figures.

Thomas, who built Sprinklr into a billion-dollar customer experience firm, said UnifyApps’ edge lies in being purpose-built for AI—unlike older automation players such as UiPath and Automation Anywhere, which are retrofitting legacy platforms to include AI features. “We’re not layering AI on top of old systems—we’re rethinking the operating model around it,” he told Reuters.

Co-founder Pavitar Singh will continue to serve as co-CEO. The company plans to use the new funds to expand its 400-person workforce by over 100 employees, enhance its AI platform, and strengthen its presence in Europe.

The surge of investment reflects growing demand for enterprise AI integration tools, even as research from MIT shows that 95% of corporate AI projects have yet to deliver meaningful returns—underscoring the difficulty of translating hype into productivity.

Microsoft enhances Windows 11 with new AI-powered Copilot upgrades

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Microsoft has unveiled a wave of artificial intelligence upgrades for Windows 11, aiming to make its Copilot assistant smarter, faster, and more integrated across users’ daily workflows. The update, announced on Thursday, introduces new capabilities that allow users to automate real-world tasks and connect seamlessly with apps and services.

A standout addition is the “Hey Copilot” voice activation feature, which lets users wake the AI assistant hands-free to perform commands or answer questions. The feature is opt-in and will be available across all Windows 11 PCs.

Microsoft is also expanding Copilot Vision — a tool that can analyze what’s on a user’s screen and provide context-aware assistance — to all markets where Copilot is offered. A new text-based version of Vision will also launch for Windows Insiders, enabling users to interact through typing instead of voice alone.

An experimental “Copilot Actions” mode will allow the assistant to take actions directly from the desktop, such as booking restaurant reservations or ordering groceries, with user-granted permissions. The company emphasized that Copilot agents will only access data explicitly approved by users.

In addition, Microsoft debuted “Gaming Copilot”, now built into Xbox Ally consoles, offering players real-time tips and gameplay support through AI integration.

“We’re on the cusp of the next evolution — where AI is not just in chatbots but naturally embedded into hundreds of millions of daily experiences,” said Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft’s chief marketing officer for consumer products.

TCS Layoffs Signal AI-Driven Transformation and Job Cuts in India’s $283 Billion IT Outsourcing Sector

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Indian IT giant Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) recently announced layoffs of over 12,000 employees, marking the largest workforce reduction in its history and signaling a broader AI-fueled shakeup expected to affect up to half a million jobs in India’s $283 billion outsourcing industry over the next two to three years.

Though TCS attributes the layoffs—about 2% of its workforce—to skill mismatches rather than direct AI impacts, experts see this move as the beginning of significant structural changes in a sector that employs 5.67 million people and contributes more than 7% to India’s GDP. AI technologies are increasingly automating roles across coding, manual testing, and customer support, reducing the need for labor-intensive processes.

Industry veterans and analysts warn that the most vulnerable employees include mid-career managers with limited technical skills, software testers, bug finders, and infrastructure support staff. Gaurav Vasu, founder of tech market intelligence firm UnearthInsight, estimates that 400,000 to 500,000 professionals could be laid off in the next few years due to skill gaps, with around 70% of the layoffs impacting workers with 4-12 years of experience.

The layoffs may also have broader economic repercussions, potentially dampening consumer spending in sectors like tourism, luxury retail, and real estate investments due to reduced disposable incomes among affected workers.

TCS and other major Indian IT firms such as Infosys, HCLTech, Tech Mahindra, Wipro, LTIMindtree, and Cognizant collectively employ hundreds of thousands of mid- to senior-level professionals who may face increased risk as AI adoption intensifies. Cost optimization demands from clients, alongside AI-driven productivity improvements, are pressuring IT companies to deliver more with fewer employees.

TCS, which had over 613,000 employees before the layoffs, said it is “future-ready” by investing in new technologies, AI adoption, new markets, and realigning its workforce. However, it has not clarified the extent to which AI automation directly influenced the layoffs or how displaced employees will be redeployed.

The layoffs and other internal policies have negatively impacted employee morale, with some mid-career staff citing difficulties in finding new jobs and dissatisfaction over bonuses, bench time policies, and project assignments.

The Indian outsourcing sector, a key driver of economic mobility since the 1990s, now faces a pivotal moment as AI and automation reshape how work is done. Industry body Nasscom described the sector as being “at an inflection point,” while former Tech Mahindra CEO CP Gurnani emphasized that unlike past technological shifts, AI demands individuals to reinvent and reskill themselves to stay relevant.