Synopsis: In this Techstrong AI video interview, Kaylan Kumar, chief product officer for HCLSoftware, delves into the data management challenges organizations are encountering as they move to operationalize artificial intelligence (AI).
In this Techstrong AI video interview, Mike Vizard talks with Kalyan Kumar (KK), chief product officer at HCLSoftware, about the current state of AI adoption. KK compares AI’s evolution to that of electricity, explaining that while AI technology has been around for decades, today’s explosion of use cases is fueled by cheap compute power and massive amounts of data. He emphasizes that much of the excitement is happening on the consumer side, with rapid advances like Apple Intelligence and Google Gemini, while enterprise adoption is slower and faces unique challenges around integrating AI into structured, deterministic business processes.
KK outlines the key hurdles enterprises face, notably the need to organize and manage their data more effectively before AI can be successfully implemented. He stresses that enterprise data must be properly cataloged, tagged, and governed through strong metadata management. Companies also need to rethink how their various business systems interact, moving toward enterprise-wide orchestration strategies that can manage the growing number of AI agents alongside traditional IT systems. Importantly, he says human experiences must remain central, integrating AI thoughtfully into workflows rather than fully replacing human roles.
Looking ahead, KK advises organizations to take a pragmatic approach: prioritize building a solid data strategy, develop universal orchestration across systems, and create better user experiences. He warns against rushing into adopting scattered AI solutions without first laying this groundwork. Drawing parallels to the early cloud adoption journey, KK predicts that enterprises will need to rethink app modernization strategies, focusing less on rebuilding apps and more on extracting value from their data. Ultimately, success with AI will hinge on disciplined data management, strategic orchestration, and delivering seamless, human-centric experiences.
