Insider Brief
- Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is opening a delivery center in Toulouse, France, to focus on AI and quantum computing for addressing challenges in the aerospace industry, Computer Weekly reports.
- The center will start with 50 employees, potentially expanding to 500, and aims to enhance supply chain resilience, optimize manufacturing, and support sustainability through advanced technologies.
- TCS is exploring quantum computing to design more fuel-efficient aircraft and optimize flight routes while leveraging AI to mitigate supply chain disruptions and bridge skill gaps in the aerospace sector.
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is betting on artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing to tackle challenges in the aerospace industry, with a new delivery center in Toulouse, France, Computer Weekly reports. It’s just one move that TCS is making to leverage advanced technologies to optimize manufacturing, supply chain and sustainability in a sector grappling with high demand and mounting logistical hurdles.
The center, TCS’s fourth in France, will initially employ 50 people but could expand to 500, tapping into the aerospace hub that houses Airbus, the French space agency, and hundreds of related companies.
Anupam Singhal, president of manufacturing at TCS, told Computer Weekly that the investment has the potential to drive broader growth in the company’s French operations, which currently employ 1,700 people — a fraction compared to its 23,000-strong workforce in the UK.
Addressing Industry Challenges
The aerospace sector is experiencing record-high aircraft orders, but manufacturers face persistent delays due to supply chain vulnerabilities. Singhal highlighted recent disruptions, including the Suez Canal blockage, which stalled global deliveries.
“Supply chain resilience has been a big issue, and that’s the reason major suppliers have not been able to deliver the backlog of the demand they have,” he said, as reported by Computer Weekly.
TCS is deploying AI to monitor global events that could impact supply chains, analyzing data from sources like news reports and enterprise systems. The technology can predict disruptions and recommend actions, such as sourcing from alternative suppliers or increasing inventory.
“The technology can process information and analyse what the possible impact could be. It can then advise the company, for example, to stock up with more items. The whole idea is that resiliency can be built in,” Singhal told Computer Weekly.
While AI supports human decision-making, it does not aim to replace it.
“We are not saying it will replace humans, because they are in the loop, but today, all leaders and managers take decisions based on data,” said Singhal. “By using technology, we can provide a lot more data so that enterprises can make more intelligent decisions. In fact, AI technology can offer two or three possible options and let the customer decide what is the right thing for them.”
Quantum Computing for Sustainability
Sustainability remains a pressing issue for the aerospace industry, heavily reliant on fossil fuels. TCS is exploring quantum computing to aid in designing lighter, more fuel-efficient aircraft, a critical step toward reducing carbon emissions.
Singhal told the magazine: “This is being done now with newer aircraft, which are 20% more efficient than older versions. The lighter the plane, the lower the amount of fuel it will burn. So we built a quantum computing-based solution where the analysis of material can be done.”
In addition to aircraft design, quantum computing could optimize flight routes by factoring in distance, congestion, and weather conditions. Singhal noted that minimizing flight time not only reduces carbon emissions but also saves money.
“The fact is, every minute a plane is in the air, it’s producing huge amounts of carbon dioxide and airlines are burning money,” said Singhal. “We can use quantum to devise the optimal flight path so it doesn’t have to be in the air longer than necessary.”
Bridging Skill Gaps with AI
The aerospace sector’s need for highly skilled workers poses another challenge. According to Singhal, AI can augment human capabilities, enabling less experienced employees to perform complex tasks. For example, generative AI tools can guide workers through assembly processes with step-by-step instructions or videos.
The Toulouse center will also play a role in recruiting local talent and forming academic partnerships to build a skilled workforce. TCS plans to leverage existing capabilities in France to strengthen its position in the aerospace and defense industries.
With a global workforce of 600,000, TCS aims to integrate expertise from across its operations to solve localized challenges. Singhal described the Toulouse center as a gateway for aerospace companies to access cutting-edge technologies and a global talent pool.
