Gautam Singh Of WNS On The Future Of Artificial Intelligence
An Interview With David Leichner
Third, the barriers of access to AI have been lowered. This enables individuals to move from ideation to execution more easily. The democratization of AI is leading to a surge in experimentation and the exploration of new use cases across industries.
As a part of our series about the future of Artificial Intelligence, I had the pleasure of interviewing Gautam Singh, WNS.
With over a decade of rich experience at top-tier management consulting firms in the US and UK, Gautam founded The Smart Cube in 2003. The company provides analytics solutions and services to some of the world’s largest organizations. After 20 years of stellar growth, The Smart Cube was acquired by WNS, a NYSE-listed business transformation and services leader. Today, Gautam heads their combined Global Data, Analytics and AI business.
In addition, Gautam serves on the board of Quant Insight, a FinTech company offering a quantitative framework for understanding financial market drivers and determining fair valuations of securities.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series!Can you share with us the ‘backstory” of how you decided to pursue this career path in AI?
Machines, data and analytical concepts have always fascinated me, so it was natural that I gravitated toward engineering. Also, while data, technology and analytics have become increasingly advanced, they have always been the foundation of business. That is what led me into business consulting — to solve real-world business challenges.
With a restless mind constantly seeking the next big thing, starting my own firm was inevitable. That’s how ‘The Smart Cube’ came to life. After 20 exciting years of growth, I have joined forces with WNS to explore a new chapter in business.
In short, I love what I do. I am energized by the tremendous opportunities that keep unfolding from data, analytics and AI, transforming every aspect of the ‘why’, ‘what’ and ‘how’ of all that we do.
What lessons can others learn from your story?
Looking back on my journey, there are three simple lessons I always carry with me. First, fearlessly follow your passion. Once you’ve made that decision, the second lesson is to truly enjoy what you do. And the third, if it’s your passion and you love it, don’t ever think of it as ‘work.’
When it comes to AI, I see it as an opportunity to harness, not a threat to fear. My guiding principle with this technology is simple: I do embrace this new technology, but I don’t get swept up in the hype. Not everything needs AI — sometimes, a good Excel sheet is the better solution.
What excites me most is that advances like Generative AI and natural language interfaces make powerful AI tools accessible to everyone — benefiting people in both their work and personal lives.
Can you tell our readers about the most interesting projects you are working on now?
Honestly, every part of my work is fascinating! But if I had to highlight one area, it would be our AI labs. This is where my team and I push boundaries, exploring how the latest technology and analytics can solve real-world problems.
For example, we’ve built a multi-agent system where multiple intelligent agents interact to enable flexible, scalable, real-time operations. Another project we’re working on is a video analytics solution that uses AI and deep learning to analyze driver behavior for logistics companies, promoting safer driving practices.
We’ve also developed TrustBridge, a home-grown tool that embeds responsible AI into our productized services. It helps interpret and govern AI models, reviews them for bias and fairness, tracks custom Key Performance Indicators and monitors model drift to ensure ongoing reliability.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
I wouldn’t be where I am today without the help, guidance and support of many people along the way. I’m incredibly grateful and I’d like to share one particular story here.
During our 20th reunion, my co-founder and I revisited our graduate business school and met our Strategy professor. We were seeking his advice on how to achieve an exit at the highest valuation.
His advice was simple yet profound: “Don’t focus on the exit,” he told us. “Focus on building a successful business that will last. And the exit will happen naturally, in the best possible way.”
I will always be thankful for that wisdom. We took his words to heart — and here I am now, shaping a future filled with even greater opportunities!
What are the 5 things that most excite you about the AI industry? Why?
First, of course, there is data explosion: the sheer volume and variety of data, and the accelerated pace at which it’s being created. Data now comes from multiple new avenues and levels, such as from consumer interactions (across various touch points), organizations, sensors and more. With AI, we now have incredible opportunities to skillfully process and analyze this data, turning it into valuable insights and outcomes. The data can also be used to train AI to deliver better outcomes!
Second is the exponential growth in computing power. Recent advances have delivered faster processing, which has proved a boon for the AI industry, enabling breakthroughs that were previously impossible.
Third, the barriers of access to AI have been lowered. This enables individuals to move from ideation to execution more easily. The democratization of AI is leading to a surge in experimentation and the exploration of new use cases across industries.
The fourth — and this is very important — is enhanced collaboration. AI is fostering collaboration within organizations by augmenting Human Intelligence (HI). Teams can now work together toward shared goals more effectively, with AI driving better decision-making processes.
At five is unprecedented innovation. The speed and extent of innovation in AI is astonishing. Its ability to personalize and hyper-personalize experiences for consumers is transforming industries and creating opportunities that we couldn’t have imagined just a few years ago.
What are the 5 things that concern you about the AI industry? Why?
Yes, of course — there are no pros without cons, right?
I worry that, like any powerful tool, AI can be misused, especially when democratized access meets malicious intent. We have to acknowledge it and work tirelessly to minimize potentially disastrous outcomes.
Second, we need to handle AI with the right blend of boldness and caution. We need smart regulations to prevent misuse, but at the same time, we don’t want them to hold back innovation and progress.
A major concern in this context is how easily AI can blur the line between fact and fiction. In extreme cases, this may lead to misinformation at a speed and scale that can seriously impact our social fabric.
Another concern relates to sustainability goals. AI can be energy-hungry, especially for large-scale projects. We have to be mindful of its environmental impact, especially as we push toward net-zero emissions.
And the fifth is that AI is seen as a black box. AI decisions, especially when directly related to human activity — such as in hiring or healthcare — must be handled by organizations with fairness and transparency. While designing AI systems, we should weave in responsible AI principles to help users empathize with the generated output.
As you know, there is an ongoing debate between prominent scientists, (personified as a debate between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg,) about whether advanced AI poses an existential danger to humanity. What is your position about this?
I wouldn’t call it a danger at all. In fact, I look at it as a boon that we must put to good use. Just look at the many disruptive innovations of the past — nuclear power, the internet, cloning — the list is long.
Have we not, so far, managed to have the good outweigh the bad? I am confident that we will do the same with AI. The key is a balanced approach — investing in AI for societal good while enforcing responsible governance and addressing issues around bias, transparency and privacy. By fostering ethical AI development, we can harness its benefits while effectively mitigating the risks.
What can be done to prevent such concerns from materializing? And what can be done to assure the public that there is nothing to be concerned about?
Between the carrot and the stick, I am all for the carrot. I believe that when we focus on positive use cases, we will find effective ways to prevent the negative or disadvantageous aspects from taking over.
That said, we all know hope alone isn’t enough. So I believe that some sensible regulations are needed to mitigate the risks. Ultimately, ethical AI is not just a checkbox; it is about genuinely respecting data privacy, reducing bias and understanding the broader implications of technology for society.
We make this a priority at WNS Analytics, embedding responsible and ethical AI frameworks into our clients’ solutions. This means building systems that are fair, transparent, explainable and, most importantly, fully accountable.
As organizations, we also need to engage with the public, educating them on AI’s positive impact, such as in healthcare or environmental protection. Doing so will help foster trust in AI’s potential for good while steering clear of its pitfalls.
As you know, there are not that many women in your industry. Can you advise what is needed to engage more women into the AI industry?
I am proud that WNS has a strong presence of women professionals. While there are women in the AI industry too, I completely agree that we can and should have many more.
To achieve this, we must amplify their contributions and provide the support to motivate them to contribute in larger measures. This means offering expanded opportunities and addressing their specific needs as they navigate their professional journeys.
What is your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share a story of how that had relevance to your own life?
This quote is timeless and never fails to inspire me — “Success is driven by 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration”.
How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world? Can you share a story?
The Smart Cube Foundation has been my passion and the primary vehicle for my contributions to the world. From the start, supporting our communities was woven into our culture. While our footprint was small in the beginning, I have always believed that individuals united by shared purpose can make a tremendous difference. Through our foundation, we have supported children — mainly girls — from underprivileged backgrounds, helping them through primary, secondary and college education.
I am very happy that we have now integrated with the WNS Cares Foundation, which has allowed us to significantly expand our activities.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
I don’t believe we need a massive movement to make a positive impact. If everyone simply takes accountability and makes a difference in their own way, it can add up to something truly meaningful and transformative.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
You can follow me on LinkedIn, where I share regular insights and updates.
I also invite you to follow WNS Analytics, where we are driving innovation and making a real impact. Stay connected with us as we continue to lead the way in data, analytics and AI.
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!
