Kyndryl and Google: Building the Agentic Enterprise
With Anshu Kak, Global Vice President Google Cloud, Kyndryl and Rajiv Batra, Director, Head of GSI Partnerships, Google
Anshu Kak, Global Vice President, Google Cloud at Kyndryl, and Rajiv Batra, Director Head of GSI Partnerships at Google, discuss the shift towards what they describe as the agentic enterprise.
Rajiv explains that organisations are moving beyond experimentation with AI towards environments where multiple agents can reason, scale and operate together. In this model, data becomes a living memory that powers these agents rather than a siloed asset.
Anshu outlines Kyndryl’s approach through three pillars: innovate, modernise and secure. This includes infrastructure and application modernisation, alongside a strong focus on security and resilience. The partnership with Google also extends across hybrid and private cloud environments, particularly as sovereignty concerns increase.
A real-world example highlights the transformation of a large insurance company. By modernising infrastructure, migrating data platforms and leveraging Google Cloud, the organisation improved agility and reduced operating costs by 25%. The use of multimodal AI, including image and voice inputs, has also enhanced claims processing.
Looking ahead, both leaders emphasise the importance of combining legacy expertise with new AI capabilities to accelerate time to value and drive enterprise transformation at scale.
Ocado Retail: Personalisation at Scale and the Human Factor
with Kieren Johnson, Head of IT, Ocado Retail
Kieren Johnson, Head of IT at Ocado Retail, shares practical insights from deploying AI driven customer experiences.
A key theme is the complexity of scaling personalisation. While the technology enables automation, human factors remain critical. An example involving a voice bot for delivery drivers revealed that employees valued human interaction more than expected, highlighting the importance of change management.
Ocado has taken a business led approach by embedding ownership within the customer service team rather than treating AI as a purely technical initiative. This has supported adoption and improved outcomes.
The organisation is already seeing measurable impact, with chatbot containment rates increasing from 40% to 60%. Future plans include expanding capabilities such as automated refunds and combining customer service with shopping assistants into a single interface.
Johnson notes that one of the biggest barriers to scale is building internal capability and awareness. Ocado is addressing this by embedding AI into everyday conversations and ensuring employees have access to tools such as Gemini Enterprise.
KeyBank: Balancing Automation and Human Experience
with Kimberly Agin, Head of Business Performance and Enablement, KeyBank
Kimberly Agin, Head of Business Performance and Enablement at KeyBank, discusses how AI is transforming the contact centre.
Her focus is on orchestrating human and non-human agents to improve both efficiency and customer experience. AI is used to handle repetitive tasks, while human agents are positioned to manage more complex, empathy driven interactions.
KeyBank has achieved strong results through a data led approach. Its digital assistant delivers a 70% containment rate and high repeat usage, while improvements in intelligent routing have reduced costs and improved customer journeys.
Operating in a regulated environment introduces additional challenges. The organisation has developed a new operating model that embeds AI expertise into delivery teams, ensuring compliance while maintaining innovation speed.
Agin identifies three core objectives: enhancing customer experiences, increasing self service and simplifying employee workflows. Over time, she expects AI to elevate the role of contact centre staff, enabling them to focus on higher value interactions.
Virgin Media O2: Scaling Data and AI Across the Business
with Mauro Flores, EVP of Data Democratisation, Virgin Media O2
Mauro Flores, EVP of Data Democratisation at Virgin Media O2, highlights the importance of strong data foundations in enabling AI.
He emphasises that successful AI adoption depends on early investment in architecture and clear alignment with business outcomes. Many organisations struggle because they focus on pilots without defining the end state.
Virgin Media O2 is using Gemini Enterprise and data agents to accelerate decision making and improve customer experience. Development cycles have shortened significantly, with agents now deployed in months rather than longer timelines.
The primary business objective is speed at scale. Over the next year, the organisation aims to have 5,000 employees actively using data agents to drive value across the business.
Randstad: Driving Adoption Through Education
with Ryan Henry, Director, Infrastructure and Support, Randstad US
Ryan Henry, Director of Infrastructure and Support at Randstad, focuses on the human side of AI transformation.
He notes that while interest in AI has increased significantly, many organisations are still at an early stage of maturity. The biggest challenge is not technology, but adoption and understanding.
Randstad is prioritising education and gradual rollout of AI capabilities to ensure employees can effectively use new tools. Henry stresses that organisations cannot assume a consistent level of technical knowledge across their workforce.
AI is already improving productivity, reducing time spent on tasks such as data search and enabling more efficient workflows. Future plans include deploying AI agents to support recruiters and building an AI powered global service desk.
He also highlights the importance of responsible AI, particularly in regulated environments, ensuring that solutions do not introduce bias or risk to customers.
Final Thoughts
Across all interviews, a consistent message emerges. The shift from pilot to scale is not just about technology, but about people, processes and clear business alignment.
Organisations that succeed are those investing in data foundations, embedding AI into everyday workflows, and balancing automation with human expertise. As AI continues to evolve, the focus is moving firmly towards practical outcomes, measurable value and sustainable transformation.
