IT services major Cognizant has announced plans to significantly expand its AI-focused talent pool by creating 5,000 Frontier Certified Engineers and 10,000 Frontier Business Operators, as it seeks to help enterprises convert artificial intelligence investments into measurable business outcomes. The Nasdaq-listed company said its first deployment-ready cohort will be available by the fourth quarter of 2026, supported by direct hiring of AI-native talent from universities in the US and other global markets.
The company said the initiative is aimed at addressing what it describes as a $4.5 trillion gap between AI’s potential and the value enterprises are currently able to realise. Cognizant CEO Ravi Kumar S. said organisations require professionals who combine industry expertise with accountability for business outcomes, rather than focusing solely on technology deployment. Chief People Officer Kathy Diaz said the company has redesigned its workforce architecture to meet the demands of an AI-driven economy, while Chief Learning Officer ThiruArohi highlighted investments in training academies, certification pathways and talent development.
Cognizant said its cloud-agnostic Frontier workforce will support clients across platforms including OpenAI, Microsoft, Google, AWS, Anthropic, NVIDIA, Salesforce and ServiceNow, with teams responsible for building, deploying and continuously improving AI-powered enterprise operations.
In Kolkata, the announcement reinforces the growing demand for advanced AI and digital engineering talent in eastern India. With Kolkata emerging as an important IT and technology services hub, Cognizant’s expanded AI skilling programme is expected to create opportunities for professionals from the region while encouraging enterprises to accelerate AI adoption and workforce transformation to remain globally competitive.