At Cypher 25, the largest AI conference in India, Saurabh Jha, the Senior Vice President and Global Head of Data and Analytics at Tech Mahindra, sent an eye-opener to corporate executives to cease babying AI. CEOs have to shift the incremental automation to AI as a pillar of the company, which can transform whole industries. Jha is critiquing a common trend among businesses of considering AI a marginal instrument, instead of the strategic driver it can be.

Innovational gap and AI-first thinking

The alarming statistics support Jha. According to the MIT GenAI Divide report, only 95% of projects involving generative AI are unable to achieve meaningful results. IBM surveyed 2,000 global CEOs and discovered that out of 4 AI projects conducted, only a quarter delivered their anticipated ROI, and only 16% scaled to enterprise levels. These numbers highlight a serious mismatch between the potential of AI and its implementation.

Jha suggests AI-first thinking, a strategic approach in which AI is not layered on top of business design, but rather at the center, to transition from tinkering to transformation. This demands to reinvent customer experiences, supply chains, product innovation, and decision-making using the prism of intelligent automation and data-inspired outcomes.

This would practically imply the replacement of siloed pilots with integrated platforms, the investment in scalable infrastructure, and the creation of an experimental culture. It also requires cross-functional cooperation, in which the data scientists, engineers, and business leaders will develop solutions that are both technically sound and commercially feasible. Jha reckons that enterprises can only unlock the exponential value of AI through such systemic reinvention.

Efficiency and the role of leadership

The role of leadership is a central concept in the thesis of Jha. He urges CEOs not to be merely sponsors of one-off projects, but leaders of AI change. This includes establishing ambitious goals, distributing resources wisely, and creating a culture of lifelong learning. It also implies approaching the task of unlearning old ways of doing things and coming to terms with ambiguity, which is rather scarce in conventional business settings.

The message by Jha would be especially true in the area of IT services in India, where legacy systems and the cost-driven model have been prevalent. In the case of companies such as Tech Mahindra, making an AI-first mindset is not only their competitive edge but also a survival tactic in a world where agility and innovative thinking are no longer a luxury.

There is also an implication of such a shift on talent strategy. Organizations have to invest in upskilling, the development of interdisciplinary teams, and the establishment of environments where experimentation is encouraged. Jha views this as a key to creating strong enterprises that are future-ready and can withstand an AI-dominated world.

Conclusion

The message of Saurabh Jha at Cypher 25 is not only a critique but a road map. He re-agenda-setting the discussion on leadership, strategy, and innovation by calling upon the CEOs to quit babying AI and reinvent their businesses. The data will not be reduced by incrementalism. Enterprises need to think big, transform, and take risks when it comes to realizing the real ROI of AI. Every organization in a world where startups are redefining the rules and the world of technology is changing faster than ever before, the decision presented to CEOs is either innovate or face irrelevance. The message delivered by Jha is a timely wakeup call that the future is in the hands of the transformers, not the tinkers.