Where AI Goes from Here
Episode Overview
Sean and Ari are back with another customer episode! This week, they sit down with Prasad Watve, Head of NextGen Services at Vivicta (formerly Tietoevry), to gaze into the crystal ball that is the future of AI and figure out where this technology is taking IT. Listen in and decide for yourself whether they’re seeing into the future!
Key Takeaways
- Automation has shifted from “nice-to-have” to table stakes. Prasad describes the evolution from pocketed test automation to automation-first and AI-first delivery models where speed (sprints/features in weeks) is the expectation.
- 2015–onward was a major inflection point. Prasad points to the rise of RPA as a practical catalyst that normalized automation as part of delivery... and helped expand automation thinking from IT and infrastructure into business processes.
- “Digital FTE” is emerging as a new way to communicate automation capacity. Prasad frames virtual agents as equivalent to headcount in terms of throughput and coverage (24/7 execution), and notes customers increasingly want this reported as a KPI.
- IT value is moving up the stack. MTTR and first-contact resolution still matter, but more leaders are tying success to outcomes like employee experience, CSAT, and customer-perceived service quality (e.g., password resets in minutes, not hours).
- The near-term future is “agentic + automation” driving toward fewer tickets and more self-service. Prasad expects improved model accuracy and more agent-driven resolution, plus growing emphasis on “agent of agent” AI.
FAQ
Q: When did organizations shift from experimenting with automation to expecting “automation-first” delivery?
A: Prasad places the tipping point around 2015, when RPA gained momentum and demonstrated that routine work could be reliably automated at scale. That proof in business processes created pressure to apply similar thinking to IT operations and infrastructure, making automation an assumed part of delivery rather than a special initiative.
Timestamp: 8:17–9:42
Q: What does “digital FTE” mean, and why are customers starting to track it?
A: “Digital FTE” is a way to translate automation output into a metric leaders understand. Prasad describes virtual agents as functionally similar to employees because they can execute work continuously (24/7), improve consistency, and accelerate common requests (like access tasks). Customers increasingly ask service providers to report digital FTE as a KPI.
Timestamp: 12:02–13:07, 18:39–19:14
Q: What should early-career IT professionals focus on as AI tools make coding easier?
A: Prasad’s view is that AI tools can accelerate development, but they don’t replace foundational competence. He recommends building real, hands-on proficiency in at least one language, understanding what AI-generated code is doing, and staying thoughtful about process. Otherwise, you risk shipping automation you can’t maintain.
Timestamp: 25:52–29:32, 34:06–36:15
