Why Cognizant Is Betting Big on AI in 2026

With the world economy going through accelerated technological changes, Cognizant is setting up to enter the following expansion cycle by making strategic bets on artificial intelligence and platform-based services. In the reign of its CEO, Ravi Kumar S, the IT giant has outgrown its stabilisation and is currently undergoing scaling innovation, outcome-based pricing, and AI-enabled solutions. This approach is indicative of an industry-wide shift in which value creation is more important than the number of employees, and automation takes center stage in enterprise transformation. The fundamental part of this change is Cognizant AI and digital transformation, which the company considers a path to future-ready and high-margin services.

How AI Is Reshaping Cognizant’s 2026 Playbook

Cognizant is embracing AI to transform from an old systems integrator into an agentic solution builder. Through re-writing the legacy software, in addition to the machines, and the implementation of outcomes-based pricing models, the firm plans to own the risk and the outcomes. The collaboration with the best AI companies globally, as well as the potential involvement in the Indian listing, is another indication of confidence in its long-term outlook. As businesses are pursuing efficiency in the face of economic uncertainty, Cognizant AI and digital transformation are two of the major growth drivers. With the year 2026 in sight, Cognizant AI and digital transformation may transform the IT services to provide quantifiable business value.

Cognizant’s latest report, New Work, New World 2026, reveals AI is advancing faster than expected—capable of handling $4.5 trillion in U.S. labor productivity and impacting 93% of jobs today. Yet, human expertise, adaptable operations and rapid-response skilling remain essential… pic.twitter.com/5j4txmwEzL
— Cognizant (@Cognizant) January 15, 2026