Bengaluru: IBM has opened an Agentic AI Innovation Center at its Bengaluru office, aimed at enabling the development and testing of autonomous AI systems. The move is part of the company’s larger push to strengthen its presence in India’s growing AI ecosystem and promote the adoption of AI technologies in real-world enterprise settings.
The center will focus on the development of “agentic AI” — a concept in which AI systems can operate independently to perform complex, multi-step tasks. Unlike traditional AI models that require direct human inputs, agentic AI systems are designed to act and adapt autonomously across workflows. The initiative also includes training developers in building and fine-tuning small language models (SLMs) and auditing their use in practical scenarios.
According to IBM, clients, startups, and partners will have access to hands-on learning opportunities at the center, along with the ability to collaborate with IBM’s AI experts. Central to this effort is IBM watsonx Orchestrate — a platform that facilitates the building, deployment, and management of AI agents and assistants for business use.
The Bengaluru launch follows the opening of IBM’s GenAI Innovation Center in Kochi in July 2024, which was set up to assist enterprises and startups in working with generative AI. That center, part of the IBM India Software Lab, offers access to generative AI technologies, large language models (LLMs), and applied use cases in sectors such as public infrastructure, healthcare, sustainability, and education.
IBM’s expansion of its AI innovation footprint in India reflects the company’s strategy to align with India’s digital transformation initiatives and create localized AI capabilities that can be scaled globally. By setting up regional centers, IBM appears to be banking on decentralizing AI R&D while fostering co-innovation with local players.
