UK&I firms: Seize your GenAI moment! Cognizant customers show how

Enterprise leaders across the UK and Ireland (UK&I) must move past the hype cycle of generative AI (GenAI) and into scaled production, where real business impact is delivered. Cognizant UK&I customers are already finding GenAI can revolutionize operations, reduce inefficiencies, and unlock new opportunities.

In October 2024, HFS published an evidence-based call to arms with Cognizant UK&I: We must seize our GenAI moment and reinvent ourselves. The report provided guidance from and for UK&I-based C-suite leaders. It emphasized the importance of being bold and action-oriented in GenAI adoption, particularly in a local market steeped in AI tradition and soaked in rising investment.

Exhibit 1: GenAI budgets are broadly on the rise, with more significant increases planned by UK&I leaders than the average global competitor

Source: HFS Pulse, H1, 2024. N = UK&I 66/Global 409; percentages total up to the percentage of enterprises working with GenAI among UK&I or global samples

Leaders have paid heed. Intent to invest in GenAI is broadly higher in UK&I compared to global averages (see Exhibit 1). That has translated into Cognizant UK&I customers who can now offer a glimpse into how organizations across industries—healthcare, retail, insurance, and finance—are leveraging GenAI to reimagine workflows, improve decision-making, and drive cost savings.

Pharmaceuticals: Transforming vaccine discovery and operational efficiency

A leading pharmaceutical company faced inefficiencies in managing contractual obligations and vaccine discovery. Cognizant deployed a GenAI-powered chatbot to streamline access to standard operating procedures (SOP), saving 361,000 hours annually. Meanwhile, predictive AI models accelerated antigen candidate identification by 80% and reduced costs by 30%, while AI-driven contamination assessments cut response time from seven days to a few hours. The result? Faster time to market and millions in cost savings.

Retail: Elevating the customer experience with AI-powered search

A major UK supermarket chain sought to improve in-store product discovery. Cognizant introduced a GenAI-powered app that uses natural language processing (NLP) and vector embedding to match customer queries to product data. Now live in 15+ stores, the app has increased employee productivity by 20–25% and streamlined operations by 20%, driving customer satisfaction and revenue growth.

Insurance: AI-driven compliance and content efficiency

Faced with FCA Consumer Duty regulatory requirements, a UK insurance giant used GenAI to automate and streamline content approval. The AI model, built using Microsoft’s OpenAI LLM, assumed various personas involved in content creation and approval. The impact? A 300% increase in first-time approvals and £11 million in cost savings over three years.

These case studies demonstrate that UK&I enterprises are already moving beyond pilots and proof-of-concept initiatives. The challenge now is scaling with confidence.

Moving to scale: What UK&I leaders must do next

1. Start small, but think big
    
   Successful enterprises begin with low-risk, high-impact use cases. GenAI is a business transformation tool, not just another IT project—leaders must ensure their pilot projects align with broader strategic goals.

2. Ensure leadership buy-in
    
   Executives must actively participate in GenAI adoption. Without C-suite sponsorship, projects will stall at the pilot phase. Clear leadership alignment ensures resources and strategic focus.

3. Prioritize data governance and security
    
   AI models are only as good as the data they train on. Enterprises must invest in strong data governance frameworks to ensure compliance and mitigate risks, particularly in highly regulated industries such as finance and healthcare.

4. Integrate AI with cloud and infrastructure deals
    
   To scale effectively, GenAI must be embedded into broader cloud and infrastructure strategies. Enterprises should work closely with hyperscalers such as Microsoft and AWS while also considering niche AI providers to maximize flexibility and control.

5. Measure impact and optimize continuously
    
   Establishing clear KPIs ensures that GenAI initiatives deliver sustained value beyond the initial proof-of-concept. Enterprises must focus on long-term value creation rather than short-term cost savings to drive continuous innovation.

The Bottom Line: The UK&I’s GenAI moment has come—now is the time to invest in practical frameworks and a robust roadmap to your future.

The UK&I has a rich AI heritage, strong government support, and early GenAI adoption advantages. Even so, with global competition intensifying and the rising threat of global recession, UK&I enterprises cannot move cautiously.

Leaders must move beyond pilots, embed AI into their core operations, and proactively scale GenAI. It’s time to drive meaningful and value-generating transformation by investing in practical frameworks, risk-mitigating strategies, and robust implementation roadmaps.

This is your foundation for the next era of enterprise reinvention. Lead the charge.