Cognizant to Hire 20,000 Freshers in 2025 to Strengthen AI

In a major talent ramp-up, US-based IT giant Cognizant has announced plans to hire 20,000 freshers in 2025, more than double the number it recruited last year. The move is part of a broader strategy to reshape the company’s talent pyramid and support its growing focus on managed services and AI-led software development.

Cognizant CEO Ravi Kumar S shared the hiring update during a recent investor briefing, highlighting how the initiative will bolster the company’s ability to deliver at scale in an increasingly AI-driven market. “We are hiring 20,000 freshers as part of our strategy, which is more than double what we did last year,” said Kumar.

The company’s headcount currently stands at 336,300, holding steady compared to the previous quarter. However, Kumar emphasized that the hiring of fresh talent is just one of three pillars the company is focusing on — the other two being increased productivity through artificial intelligence and better utilization of human capital to control operational costs.

Focus on AI and Cost-Effective Delivery

Kumar noted that the influx of fresh graduates will help manage growing demand in offshore and managed services projects. “It also comes equally with an overhead of carrying a higher bench at a lower cost and actually offshore,” he said, referring to the company’s effort to balance workforce scalability and cost-efficiency.

Cognizant is not just hiring new talent but also welcoming back experienced professionals. So far, 14,000 former employees have rejoined the company, with another 10,000 expected to return soon. This re-engagement is part of the firm’s “talent amplification” strategy aimed at preparing the organization for the demands of the AI era.

Upskilling for the AI Era

According to Kumar, the company is also upskilling its current workforce to meet emerging demands. “We are upskilling our workforce at scale, leveraging AI to meet demand faster and identifying talent pools to address new areas unlocked by AI,” he said.

Cognizant’s renewed emphasis on artificial intelligence aligns with a larger industry shift as enterprises race to integrate AI capabilities into their operations. The firm aims to harness both freshers and experienced professionals to drive innovation and productivity through AI-powered solutions.

Strong Financial Performance

Cognizant also reported a healthy 7.45% year-on-year growth in revenue for the January–March quarter of 2025, with earnings reaching $5.1 billion. The financial performance underscores the company’s strong positioning as it enters a new phase of technology-driven transformation.

As the global IT services sector continues to pivot toward AI and automation, Cognizant’s aggressive hiring and reskilling strategy signals its intent to remain a front-runner in the digital services race.

Sources By Agencies

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