New Delhi [India], September 22 (ANI): India's 130 nano retail Global Capability Centres (GCCs) are adopting artificial intelligence at more than three times the rate of the country's top 50 retail GCCs, with AI penetration at 10.2 per cent compared with 3 per cent, according to a release by TeamLease Digital.
The findings point to a technology-first model among smaller GCCs, with these centres often being built around engineering, data and AI from the outset rather than adding such capabilities later, the release said.
The 130 nano retail GCCs employ 32,380 professionals, with an average headcount of 253 per centre. Around 64 per cent are technology-led, while 22 per cent were built specifically around data and AI. Of the 130 centres, 45 began operations after 2020.
Technology and engineering account for 35.8 per cent of the workforce at nano GCCs, compared with 30 per cent at the top 50 retail GCCs. Data and analytics accounted for 10.8 per cent and 10.2 per cent, respectively.
“Instead of scaling into full-service operating models on day one, these 130 centres are choosing to go deep before they go wide, leading with technology and engineering, and in nearly a quarter of cases, with AI and data as the founding mandate itself,” Neeti Sharma, CEO of TeamLease Digital, said.
The analysis said 28 of the 130 nano GCCs are Data & AI-first by design, making them the most differentiated model within the group.
However, the smaller centres lag the top 50 GCCs in senior female representation. Women account for around 29 per cent of leadership positions at Director level and above in nano GCCs, compared with around 35 per cent at the top 50.
TeamLease said nano GCCs currently function more as engineering-focused capability centres than full operating models, with their leadership and operations structures expected to evolve as they take on deeper mandates from parent organisations.
“The 10.2% AI penetration we see here, against just 3.0% at the Top 50, tells us this isn't incremental adoption; it's a different starting architecture altogether,” Sharma said.
Sharma further said the ability of these centres to build stronger leadership teams and operational and compliance capabilities would determine their transition from capability hubs to enterprise-critical centres.
The study analysed 180 retail and consumer sector GCCs across seven industry segments and locations including Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai and Tier-2 cities. (ANI)
Nano retail GCCs show 3x higher AI penetration than top 50 centres: Report
