AI should focus on solving real problems of enterprises: Experts

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the new buzzword in the world of technology with solutions being churned out literally every day with the goal of automating several processes. However, experts reiterate that the focus of AI should always be on solving real problems faced by enterprises.

The panel discussion on 'GCC Innovation in 2026: AI, Frontier Tech and the Big Opportunity for Tech Talent', at DevSparks Hyderabad, YourStory's flagship event for the developer community, saw panellists being unanimous in the view that AI is bringing far-reaching changes.

Sri Lakshmi Tadepalli, VP - IT, Global Clearance, FedEx, said, AI is helping enterprises move up the value chain by automating repetitive tasks but the focus should always remain on how it is going to solve the important problems.

Although AI is sometimes seen as that one technology that solves all issues that enterprises face, experts at the panel were of the view that it depends on each industry. In the case of FedEx, which is a logistics company, the focus is always on achieving higher levels of efficiency while keeping a sharp focus on costs.

In the case of the mines and steel industry, the priority is safety. Neeraj Chauhan - Head of Technology GCC - India, ArcelorMittal Global Business & Technologies, said given the tough conditions employees operate in, the primary focus of technology is on their health and safety.

Chauhan also said the firm has three clear priorities on the technology front: being cloud first, being data-centric, and integrating AI in all aspects of its business. He noted that all these are done bearing in mind the safety of employees.

Enterprises focused on providing technology for the capital markets also have different priorities. Ludwig Heinzelmann, Head of Global IT Delivery Network, Deutsche Borse group, said the firm's constant challenge is building highly reliable systems that do not have any outages.

Despite the differing priorities, the common theme that binds all enterprises is how they are leveraging AI to achieve their key goals: driving efficiency, lowering costs, or delivering superior service.

According to Heinzelmann, AI is delivering on the cost and efficiency perspective but its real goal will be to deliver a business value where customers are willing to pay a premium for such services.

The experts were of the view that both enterprises and employees need to have an open mind about AI and continuously sharpen their skill-sets in line with this transformation.