How Gen Z and Co-pilots are transforming GCC Enterprise IT

In a sunlit corner of Bengaluru’s ever-busy IT corridor, an early-in-career engineer named Gaurav leans over his workstation, headphones on, and fully immersed in the twin screens before him. On one, dense lines of code stream endlessly; on the other, an AI co-pilot interface sits ready, waiting to jump in at the click of a button. He doesn’t wait for a mentor or the next scheduled training to overcome roadblocks.

Instead, he picks up new frameworks on the fly, sees quick code snippets, and taps his AI co-pilot for real time intelligence and overseeing. Thanks to curiosity and AI co-pilots, what was once a 9-to-5 routine for Gaurav, and hundreds of others like him, has become a fast-paced, hands-on learning experience.

There is a silent shift taking place across India’s Global Capability Centers (GCCs). Digital natives (Gen Z engineers born between 1997 and 2012) are deftly using AI-powered workflows in their daily jobs. They’re changing not just how work gets done, but also how learning, experimentation, and innovation take root.

AI is a partner, not just a tool

Tools like Cursor, Claude Code, Windsurf, and Replitare are not only extravagant add-ons anymore, but they’ve also become everyday teammates for engineers. They help fix bugs, turn messy documentation into clear key understandings, clean up code, and break down new frameworks in simple terms. With this extra support, many engineers finish tasks nearly twice as fast and feel more confident doing it.

Today, when a Gen Z engineer faces a tricky bug or runs into a tool they’ve never used before, they don’t have to wait around for help or someone to guide them. They can get instant, actionable guidance from AI right when they need it, picking up new skills bit by bit as they work. It’s exactly what this generation wants.

A 2023 Deloitte survey found 75% of Gen Z professionals view constant learning as critical to career growth. When AI handles the routine stuff, engineers finally get the breathing room to take on bigger, more interesting challenges, like making systems work better behind the scenes.

Changing how teams work and learn

This new way of working with AI is breaking down rigid hierarchies and giving rise to small, flexible project squads inside GCCs. With AI helping generate code and run automated tests, engineers who lean into these tools are stepping up as workflow tinkerers, constantly find better, faster ways to get things done. The result? Features that used to take months now ship in just a few weeks. Instead of old-school learning systems, engineers now have smart AI assistants and chatbots to show them the right direction, whether it’s picking up architecture best practices or learning how to craft better prompts. And it’s not all theory: hackathons and AI challenge weeks are making hands-on experimentation the norm.

Issues to address

But the flip side of these easy-to-use AI tools is the temptation to accept their output at face value without fully checking if it holds up. Sometimes, AI-generated code can create new stumbling blocks instead of fixing the existing ones, which is why regular reviews, and a healthy dose of human judgment remain.

To address this challenge, more companies are rolling out AI literacy programmes that help engineers learn to write better prompts, spot mistakes, and use AI responsibly with a clear understanding of what these tools can and cannot do. There’s also a growing focus on the ethical side of things, since bias and copyright issues can easily slip in.

GCCs are stepping up too, putting frameworks in place that nudge engineers to question, test, and double-check AI-generated work while staying mindful of intellectual property risks along the way.

A fresh take on finding and growing talent

Talent strategies in GCCs are being evolved to ensure that adaptability, interest, and comfort with AI experimentation are prioritised over just years of coding experience. Retention tactics are shifting to provide growth opportunities, purpose-aligned projects, and the flexibility that young talent requires.

Globally, a similar trend is being seen, with digital-native engineers expecting seamless tech-enabled workflows and never-ending learning opportunities. India's GCCs, as innovation engines, are well positioned to lead, demonstrating how AI and human creativity can work together to create nimble, future-ready businesses.

What comes next?

The conjunction of Gen Z engineers and AI co-pilots signals more than a technology upgrade; it epitomises a cultural shift. AI is automating tasks while engineers bring creativity, critical thinking, and focus on the impact. The GCCs are changing into dynamic places where innovation is a daily occurrence rather than an isolated incident.

In the coming years, we will see:

·      AI-powered learning ecosystems incorporated into daily workflows

·      Engineering and AI teams work in partnership to address enterprise concerns

·      Microlearning replaces traditional upskilling strategies

·      Make moral AI strategies a top priority to advance accountability, transparency, and equity

After years of driving data science adoption, growing teams from one to hundreds, and receiving acclaim for AI leadership, I am confident about one thing: AI is not here to replace, but to amplify human intelligence.

The rise of Gen Z engineers and AI co-pilots is accelerating this change and strengthening workplaces by putting innovation within reach for new engineers like Gaurav, or simply anyone willing to roll up their sleeves to make a difference. For organisations building the future of enterprise IT, the opportunity lies in recognising what’s working today and scaling it thoughtfully for tomorrow.

(Anirban Nandi, Vice President, AI and Data, Rakuten India)