APAC & GCC companies ramp AI upskilling and transformation in Global Capability Centres

As global firms accelerate their AI journeys, the ecosystem of Global Capability Centres (GCCs) in India and Asia-Pacific is undergoing a structural transformation — a fact that is being mirrored in the Gulf region’s talent and tech agenda. Recent reports show a steep uptick in redeployment of staff into AI/ML roles at GCCs, rising from about 15 % last year to 30-45 % this year. Asia House

In parallel, GCC (Gulf) business leaders are increasingly treating AI not merely as a pilot or “nice-to-have” but as a core operational lever. Wikipedia

What is changing in capability centres

Traditionally, many GCCs (Global Capability Centres — large captive/shared-services centres for multinational companies) were focused on cost arbitrage, back-office processing, regional support. Today, the role is evolving into strategic innovation hubs: embedding AI/analytics, product development, engineering-R&D, advanced automation. India remains the largest magnet for such centres: more than 1,600 such operations, accounting for over 1 % of India’s GDP in 2023. Zawya+1

Key changes include:

Implications for the GCC (Gulf) region

Although much of the commentary refers to India/APAC-based GCCs, the Gulf region (GCC states) is also actively pursuing AI strategy: Governments and large enterprises are repositioning their transformation offices (xMOs) into AI-enabled orchestration hubs. Wikipedia

For the region, this signals:

Why it matters

For companies evaluating where to locate their innovation and digital centres, the nexus between APAC talent + Gulf investment + global firms’ need for AI-scale is increasingly attractive. The interplay between cost, talent availability, government incentives and AI capability is shifting the value proposition.

From an investment/business strategy perspective:

Outlook

Over the next 2-3 years, we should expect to see more programmes that convert GCCs into “innovation pods” rather than just service centres. Metrics will shift from head-count and cost reduction to value-creation: time to market for digital products, incremental revenue from AI initiatives, and deployment of advanced analytics in core business. For the Gulf region, the transition may be faster than expected due to government impetus and capital availability — but success will depend on talent, execution and how well legacy modes are disrupted.