Why Cost Arbitrage Alone Fails in AI | ANSR x HFS Research

Cost got GCCs started. It won’t keep them ahead. In Part 4 of ANSR x HFS Research, the panel takes live audience questions on AI value at scale, global leadership trust and the future of cost arbitrage. Vikram Ahuja (ANSR, 1Wrk) and Saurabh Gupta (HFS Research) explain why India is no longer a back office, why every role should generate value, and why context is the next big differentiator. They also explain why “one human equals one human” no longer holds, and why building a business case on cost alone is a reason pilots never reach production. Smitha Hemmigae (ANSR) closes with the key takeaways from the series. What you’ll learn Which GCCs are achieving AI value at enterprise scale? Can GCC leaders in India generate revenue, not just deliver work? How can GCCs build trust with global leadership? Why is context the next big differentiator for GCCs? Does cost arbitrage still exist in the age of AI? 📌 In Part 4 we cover - 0:00 - Opening the floor to audience questions 0:40 - Who is achieving enterprise-grade AI value at scale 1:47 - One company, not onshore vs. offshore: can India-based leaders drive revenue? 3:05 - Agentic commerce and the blurring of geographies 3:57 - Why every role should generate value 4:27 - How GCCs build trust with global leadership 5:30 - From capability centers to orchestrators 6:53 - Context as the next big differentiator 7:16 - Upcoming HFS research on AI-native GCCs 8:04 - Does cost arbitrage still exist? 10:00 - Non-linear talent models: value beyond labor arbitrage 10:45 - The myth that AI is cheaper than offshore 11:18 - Series wrap-up: mission critical vs. empowered, and one organization . Panelists Vikram Ahuja - Co-Founder, ANSR & CEO, 1Wrk Saurabh Gupta - President, HFS Research Hosts Smitha Hemmigae - Chief Market Officer, ANSR Achyuta Ghosh - Executive Research Leader, HFS 🔔 Subscribe to the ANSR channel to master your global talent strategy:    / @ansrinc   Read more of ANSR’s expert insights and thought leadership: https://ansr.com/insights-overview/ To learn more about how ANSR’s Global Consulting practice can help you build, manage, and scale your GCC, visit us at: https://ansr.com/ #GCC #GlobalCapabilityCenters #HFSResearch #ANSR #CostArbitrage #AIValue #AgenticAI #GCCLeadership #FutureOfWork #GCCIndia