Infosys Plans to Shift One-Third Workforce Into Specialist Roles

Infosys plans to move around 25% to one-third of its workforce into specialist roles and build a team of about 6,000 frontier engineers as AI changes the skills required in the IT services industry, according to people who attended a recent company event.

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The Bengaluru-based IT services company has more than 320,000 employees globally. The workforce plans were discussed at Infosys’ three-day Americas Confluence in Washington, DC, according to reports by The Economic Times and Times of India.

Infosys Expands Specialist Career Paths

According to the reports, Infosys is developing specialist roles in areas including AI, data and industry domains. The company is also working on a skills framework and assessments to support movement into these roles.

Infosys’ FY26 ESG report independently confirms that the company is introducing a Y-shaped career model. Under this model, employees can progress through two broad paths: AI-enabled generalist and leadership roles, or specialist roles focused on deep engineering and domain expertise.

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The company says the model is intended to provide career progression without requiring employees to move into people-management positions. Infosys is also developing specialist and expert-led roles, including advanced engineering and senior technical positions.

Key elements of the approach include:

• Specialist career paths based on deep engineering and domain expertise.
• Bridge programmes and assessments to help employees move into specialised streams.
• An internal digital marketplace and job platform to support employee mobility.
• Regular workforce rotations to align employee skills with business demand.

6,000 Frontier Engineers Planned

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Infosys is also planning to build a team of around 6,000 frontier engineers. The company is hiring specialised technology talent from leading Indian institutes and US campuses, according to the reports.

The company’s FY26 ESG report says its skills-based talent model includes more than 3,000 skills in its taxonomy and more than 110,000 employees allocated to defined work profiles.

Around 60% of open positions were filled through internal job postings, indicating a significant focus on internal movement of talent.

For HR leaders, the development points to a greater focus on skills-based workforce planning, internal mobility and specialist career progression.

It also shows how large IT employers are adapting career structures as AI changes technology roles and the skills required for client delivery.