Cognizant CEO Ravi Kumar S announced that the company will hire more graduates in 2025 than ever before. Emphasizing the rise of AI as a job creator, not a destroyer, he highlighted the growing demand for interdisciplinary skills and the inclusion of liberal arts graduates alongside traditional STEM talent.
Rewriting the Talent Playbook: Cognizant’s Graduate Hiring Boom in the Age of AI
In a bold move that challenges conventional tech hiring norms, Cognizant CEO Ravi Kumar S has declared that the company will hire more graduates in 2025 than any previous year. Speaking to Fortune and other media outlets, Kumar emphasized that AI is not replacing jobs but reshaping them, creating new opportunities for entry-level talent.
Key Highlights from the CEO’s Hiring Vision:
Record Graduate Hiring in 2025
Cognizant is set to onboard more school and college graduates than ever before, reflecting a strategic pivot toward early-career talent development.
AI as an Opportunity Multiplier
Contrary to fears of job loss, Kumar views AI as an amplifier of human potential, especially at the entry level.
He believes AI will automate routine tasks, allowing humans to focus on creative and strategic thinking.
Focus on Interdisciplinary Skills
Kumar urged students to combine liberal arts with computational thinking, citing the value of history, philosophy, and design in shaping AI ethics and user experience.
“Applying intelligence is more valuable than specialization,” he noted.
Non-STEM Talent in Demand
Cognizant is actively recruiting from liberal arts colleges and community institutions, expanding beyond its traditional STEM hiring pool.
This approach aims to diversify perspectives in AI development and client engagement.
Changing the Hiring Pyramid
The CEO envisions a restructured talent pyramid, where entry-level roles are enriched and mid-level functions are AI-augmented, with humans validating and refining AI outputs.
Message to Students
Kumar’s advice: “Rethink your assumptions in a fast-moving world. Be curious, adaptable, and interdisciplinary.”
This hiring strategy not only reflects Cognizant’s confidence in the next generation of workers, but also signals a paradigm shift in how tech companies view talent in the AI era.
Sources: Times of India