Redefining the digital engineering landscape: AI, sustainability, and the path forward

Driving transformation through AI-Driven solutions, sustainable practices and breakthrough engineering innovations

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Published: Feb 28, 2025 04:07:44 PM IST

Updated: Feb 28, 2025 04:52:12 PM IST

In a rapidly changing world, digital engineering has emerged as a unifying force that drives innovation, shapes consumer experiences, and steers industries toward more sustainable practices. The Digital Engineering Awards 2024, co-hosted by ISG, L&T Technology Services and CNBC-TV18, provided a vivid snapshot of how businesses worldwide are navigating global uncertainties while doubling down on AI-led transformation and sustainability.

Gathering on a star-studded panel at the event were Amit Chadha (CEO & MD, LTTS), Rajeev Gupta (CFO, LTTS), Steve Hall (President, EMEA & Chief AI Officer, ISG), Vanessa Eriksson (Founder, Girls in Tech Nordics), and Asha Poulose Johnson (Chief Digital Officer, IT, GE Healthcare). Their insights offer a roadmap for organizations aiming to remain relevant, resilient, and responsible in the face of unprecedented change.

Stability Amid Shifting Sands

Kicking off the discussion, Steve Hall pointed to how the recent U.S. elections have brought a measure of stability to the markets, despite ongoing challenges such as immigration policies and fluctuating interest rates. He noted that a more decisive mandate tends to reduce uncertainty and fosters confidence for businesses to invest in innovation. While global headwinds persist, particularly in Europe and India, Hall believes 2025 holds significant promise for growth and capital inflows.

Amit Chadha echoed this optimism, sharing that CEOs across various sectors envision better prospects in the coming years. According to him, conversations among top executives reveal an enhanced appetite for transformation, particularly across four focus areas: Artificial Intelligence (AI), software-defined products, industrial automation, and collaboration with external partners to speed up large-scale programs. These investments not only accelerate time-to-market but also position companies to thrive in a landscape reshaped by emerging technologies.

AI: The Core of the Next Growth Phase

Finance takes centre stage when it comes to AI’s tangible benefits. Rajeev Gupta, CFO at LTTS, underlined AI’s capacity to streamline financial operations—whether it’s real-time forecasting, predictive analytics, or automating payables and receivables. By analysing complex data patterns at speed, companies can make more agile decisions, reduce costs, and minimize compliance risks.

From a healthcare standpoint, Asha Poulose Johnson observed that AI plays a critical role in unifying clinical, operational, and functional data within MedTech. At GE Healthcare, the aim is to harness AI to optimize fleet management, bolster patient outcomes, and craft new medical solutions—an effort accelerated by the industry’s increasing need for efficiency and personalized services. Johnson also raised the importance of responsible AI, highlighting the ethical considerations and regulatory frameworks required when patient well-being is at stake.

Sustainability on the Rise

Climate change and the need for responsible resource management have vaulted sustainability to the forefront of corporate agendas. Rajeev Gupta emphasized that as consumption patterns escalate worldwide, businesses must adopt climate-friendly strategies to mitigate risks like rising global temperatures and more frequent extreme weather events. LTTS, for instance, is on a path to achieve carbon and water neutrality by 2030, embedding sustainability goals into every facet of decision-making.

Beyond internal targets, sustainability is now an essential criterion for securing partnerships and capital. Investors and regulators are scrutinizing supply chains for responsible sourcing, waste management, and ethical labour practices. From developing energy-efficient products to championing renewable energy projects, companies that make sustainability a core tenet are better placed to win consumer trust and market share.

Collaboration, Inclusion, and Culture

Even the best technologies rely on the people who build and manage them. Vanessa Eriksson, reflecting on her experiences as Founder of Girls in Tech Nordics, underscored the crucial role of open communication and psychological safety in engineering environments. She pointed out that siloed workplaces can stifle innovation and breed inefficiencies. By fostering transparent dialogue, organizations encourage accountability, trust, and a culture that welcomes diverse perspectives.

Diversity, Eriksson argued, is not a mere quota or checkbox but a powerful driver of innovation. When underrepresented groups, including women, are now given equal opportunities, the entire organization benefits from fresh insights. Hiring processes that emphasize inclusivity and fair advancement help create dynamic teams eager to tackle challenging projects, while also reflecting the diversity of the customer base.

Reimagining Products and Services

Looking to the future, Amit Chadha noted that a younger, tech-savvy workforce arrives with robust digital fluency. They demand intuitive products, ecosystem compatibility, and rapid upgrades. This shift in consumer behaviour is prompting companies to compress product lifecycles, move beyond traditional hardware, and offer software-driven features or services. Innovation becomes constant, ushering in new collaborations between hardware engineers, software developers, and data scientists.

Steve Hall sees a potent synergy forming among businesses worldwide as they leverage AI for reimagining supply chains, product lines, and even entire business models. Agentic systems capable of learning and adapting in real time could become the next big disrupter, though the practical integration of such technologies demands robust governance and ethical guardrails.

The Road Ahead

With R&D investments on the rise, fuelled by the search for differentiation, companies are expected to pivot faster in the coming years. As Rajeev Gupta suggests, capital naturally follows transformative ideas. Recent moves by LTTS, including strategic acquisitions, underscore how critical software product engineering has become in sectors ranging from retail to BFSI to healthcare.

While AI, sustainability, and digital transformation continue to expand market possibilities, true success hinges on collaboration and culture. Organizations that balance speed with responsibility, foster diverse talent, and meaningfully address sustainability will likely outpace those that cling to outdated methods. The conversations at the Digital Engineering Awards 2024 illustrate that the future belongs to enterprises willing to embrace both technological breakthroughs and societal commitments—and to do so with purpose, agility, and integrity.

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