HCLTech inks 7-year AI deal with US insurer Guardian, to absorb 2,000 employees

HCLTech has signed a new seven-year agreement with US-based Guardian Life Insurance Company of America to expand their partnership for AI-led technology and operations modernisation.

As part of the agreement, HCLTech will acquire Guardian India, the insurer's global capability centre (GCC), which has nearly 2,000 employees supporting technology, operations and shared services.

The employees will join HCLTech under a dedicated Strategic Business Unit that will work exclusively with Guardian on technology innovation, engineering, operational transformation and product development.

HCLTech said Karunakaran Azhisur, Country Head of Guardian India, will join the company to lead the new Strategic Business Unit.

The company said it will expand the use of its AI Service Transformation Platform, AI Force, to develop and deploy agentic AI capabilities for Guardian and accelerate AI adoption across the organisation.

"HCLTech will accelerate technology and talent transformation across data, applications and engineering while also driving operational excellence across group benefits, individual protection, retirement and wealth management," the company said.

HCLTech said the collaboration is expected to help Guardian reduce costs, shorten time-to-market and improve customer, advisor and distribution partner experience.

“This partnership is an important step in advancing our operating model and scaling AI across our enterprise,” said Steve Rullo, chief digital and technology officer at Guardian.

HCLTech Chief Growth Officer and Global Head of Financial Services Srinivasan Seshadri said the expanded partnership reflects the companies' shared focus on scaling AI and modernising operations.

“Together, we have a unique opportunity for usto partner to co-create products and intellectual property that will deepen HCLTech’s domain expertise, further strengthen our AIintrinsic platforms and help clients achieve sustained business growth,” he added.