Cognizant is putting 18,000 engineers behind Google Gemini: What they will build and why
Cognizant is dedicating more than 18,000 employees to building artificial intelligence (AI) agents for clients using Google’s Gemini, as the IT services company seeks to help businesses move AI projects from pilot stages into everyday operations.
The new Gemini Frontier Capability Group, formed with Google Cloud, will focus on four areas: modernising legacy software, improving developer tools, automating business processes and strengthening cyber defence, according to a report by The Next Web published on 19 October.
The two companies described the initiative as a “substantial joint investment” but did not disclose its financial terms. The group builds on a Gemini practice Cognizant established in April.
“Establishing our dedicated Gemini Frontier Capability Group lets our best frontier engineering talent focus entirely on getting frontier AI into production for clients,” Cognizant chief executive Ravi Kumar S said.
The initiative comes as companies look to deploy AI agents beyond experimental projects and integrate them into business operations. Cognizant and Google Cloud intend to help clients apply the technology to software development, routine business processes and cybersecurity.
Cognizant has also been expanding its employees’ familiarity with Google’s AI tools. More than 55,000 employees have completed a Gemini training workshop with Google Cloud, which the company described as the largest of its kind so far.
The company is rolling out Gemini to 100,000 of its own employees in 2026 and plans to extend access to 200,000 employees. Cognizant had approximately 357,000 employees at the end of June.
The company has cited early productivity gains from the technology. It said it helped an unnamed retail client increase developer productivity by 40% and reduce costs by 35% using Gemini. These figures have not been independently verified.
The partnership also shows Google’s efforts to expand the adoption of its AI technology through consulting and technology services companies.
In April, Google established a $750 million partner fund to help consulting firms build AI agents on Google Cloud. In September, Google and Accenture formed a unit of up to 1,000 engineers to deploy Gemini inside client companies.
Cognizant is also pursuing partnerships beyond Google. It was among the first companies to join OpenAI’s Codex partner programme in April.
Rival Tata Consultancy Services is making a similar push, planning to retrain up to 8,900 employees as AI deployment engineers.
Sanchari Ghosh is an Assistant Editor at Mint with over 12 years of experience in journalism, specialising in personal finance, DLT & DeFi, geopolitics and foreign policy, with a particular emphasis on how these areas intersect. <br> She writes extensively about how money works in everyday life—helping readers navigate personal finance decisions. <br> As AI reshapes investing behaviour, capital is increasingly flowing into decentralized ecosystems, redefining how assets are managed, traded, and valued. She focuses on explaining how money flows within frameworks like Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT), DeFi protocols, and crypto markets—while also exploring what the future of money could look like in a trustless, programmable financial world. <br> She also focuses on immigration-related issues, simplifying complex topics around visas, passports, overseas financial planning, and the many practical challenges Indians face while moving or living abroad. <br> Alongside personal finance, Sanchari has a strong understanding of international politics, contemporary and historical conflicts, and global state decisions. She closely tracks how geopolitical developments influence economies, markets, and individual financial choices, bringing together finance and global affairs in her reporting. <br> She began her career as a desk editor, which gave her a strong foundation in news writing. Over time, her interest naturally shifted toward personal finance. Before joining Mint in 2020, she worked DNA, The Times of India, Outlook Money, BloombergQuint, and ETMoney. At Mint, she got an opportunity to expand her coverage to include immigration and geopolitical developments while continuing to closely follow personal finance trends and market movements.As a journalist, she is committed to accuracy, intellectual rigour, and fairness. <br> She is an English Major and her work took her across cities including Delhi, Mumbai, and Pune. Living independently from an early age gave her firsthand experience in managing life and money on her own. This practical exposure sparked her strong interest in personal finance. <br> Outside the newsroom, Sanchari is a sports enthusiast who regularly plays lawn tennis and squash. In her younger years, she was also a national-level badminton player.
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