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India’s IT sector rebounds as clients boost spending on AI and automation projects

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India’s leading IT firms — Infosys, Wipro, and LTIMindtree — beat quarterly revenue forecasts on Thursday, signaling a turnaround in demand as global clients begin investing again, especially in artificial intelligence (AI) and automation projects.

The upbeat results follow a strong performance by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) last week, raising optimism for India’s $283 billion IT industry, which had been struggling with weak discretionary spending and tariff-related uncertainty.

“We are benefiting from consolidation plays on automation and on using AI for efficiency,” said Infosys CEO Salil Parekh, highlighting “huge opportunities in enterprise AI.” Infosys now expects full-year revenue growth of 2–3%, narrowing its earlier forecast of 1–3%, supported by strong deal bookings.

Wipro CEO Srini Pallia noted a similar trend: “New demand that’s picking up is AI. Clients want to move away from proofs of concept to implementing AI across business processes and workflows.”

Analysts say the results mark a stabilization in the IT sector, with demand returning from industries such as banking and financial services. StoxBox analyst Sagar Shetty said the numbers show “a sector gradually regaining traction amid shifting client priorities toward AI and digital acceleration.”

Smaller rival LTIMindtree also exceeded revenue estimates, driven by strength in its banking portfolio, while analysts at Anand Rathi said “most Indian IT firms are showing green shoots,” indicating that the worst of the slowdown may have passed.

AI chatbots reshape India’s $283 billion IT industry, threatening call-center jobs

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In bustling offices across India, artificial intelligence chatbots are taking over the headsets once worn by millions of call-center workers. Startups like LimeChat are leading the charge, building generative AI systems that can handle customer inquiries with human-like fluency — and at a fraction of the cost.

LimeChat claims its chatbots can reduce the number of human agents needed to manage 10,000 monthly customer queries by up to 80%. “Once you hire a LimeChat agent, you never have to hire again,” said co-founder Nikhil Gupta, whose company has already automated thousands of jobs and now handles 70% of customer complaints for clients.

This rapid shift marks a turning point for India’s $283 billion IT and business process outsourcing sector, which employs 1.65 million people in call centers, data management, and payroll. While India became the world’s “back office” thanks to cheap labor and English proficiency, automation now threatens that foundation.

Despite concerns over job losses, the government is embracing AI’s potential. Prime Minister Narendra Modi insists that “work does not disappear due to technology — it changes,” even as hiring growth in the sector slows sharply. Analysts warn that AI could cut call-center revenues by 50% in the next five years.

Yet, not everyone is losing. Startups like Haptik, acquired by Reliance, and LimeChat are thriving. Haptik says its AI agents cost as little as $120 per month and can cut support costs by 30%. Meanwhile, training centers in Hyderabad’s Ameerpet district have pivoted from teaching Java to AI and prompt engineering to prepare students for a new era of work.

The outcome of India’s AI gamble could shape how developing economies balance automation and employment — a test of whether embracing disruption will create prosperity or deepen inequality.

Chinese humanoid robot maker AgiBot plans $6.4 billion Hong Kong IPO

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Chinese robotics firm AgiBot is preparing for a Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO) next year that could value the company between HK$40 billion and HK$50 billion ($5.14–$6.4 billion), according to multiple sources familiar with the matter. The move positions AgiBot as one of China’s most prominent humanoid robot startups entering public markets amid the country’s rapid push into automation and AI-driven robotics.

Backed by major investors including Tencent, HongShan Capital Group (HSG), LG Electronics, and BYD, AgiBot has hired CICC, CITIC Securities, and Morgan Stanley to manage the listing. The firm reportedly plans to issue 15–25% of its shares and aims to file a preliminary prospectus in early 2026, targeting a Q3 listing.

Founded in 2023 by former Huawei engineers Deng Taihua and Peng Zhihui, Shanghai-based AgiBot develops the Yuanzheng and Lingxi humanoid robot series, which perform complex manual tasks such as folding clothes, making coffee, and cleaning. The robots are designed for industrial and service applications in manufacturing and logistics, and the company also provides data collection tools for AI model training.

AgiBot’s rise has been accelerated by Chinese President Xi Jinping’s public endorsement, following his visit to its Shanghai facility earlier this year. The company recently partnered with Fulin Precision Engineering to deploy nearly 100 Yuanzheng robots in automotive part factories.

The IPO would follow that of Ubtech Robotics, the first humanoid robot firm to list in Hong Kong, whose shares have surged 150% this year. Rival Unitree Robotics is also seeking a $7 billion listing on Shanghai’s STAR Market.

Hong Kong has emerged as the world’s top IPO destination in 2025, with more than 270 listings raising $24 billion, largely from mainland Chinese companies. AgiBot’s debut would further solidify the city’s growing role as the hub for AI and robotics capital markets.