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How artificial intelligence can drive real sustainability

Capgemini
Capgemini
Jun 27, 2025

The question of sustainability is a question of digitalization. Artificial intelligence (AI) is a powerful tool that can make digital operations more efficient, furthering any goal a company may have – including increased sustainability.

This blog is part of a three-part series co-developed by Capgemini and Microsoft, exploring how AI-driven digitalization can accelerate operational excellence and sustainability. From enterprise-wide deployment to the evolving human-AI dynamic, the series highlights key enablers for unlocking value responsibly at scale.

Sustainability is one of the defining challenges of our time – and it’s an opportunity for innovation as much as a call to action. Like any powerful technology, AI has an environmental footprint that must be acknowledged and addressed. At the same time, AI offers a unique opportunity to reach our sustainability goals. One third (33%) of executives say they have already started using AI for sustainability initiatives. Organizations worldwide are using AI to make their digitization more efficient – and therefore more sustainable.

Versatile technology for every need

The field of AI is evolving rapidly and offers immense potential. The technology has advanced beyond Generative AI, which simply reacts to prompts written by humans. Now, AI agents can act more autonomously and more accurately, collaborating with each other to perform complex tasks. AI is a powerful technology built for flexibility in model and scale, with applications across every industry.

High-powered digitalization with AI

Harnessing AI’s capabilities to boost existing digital solutions could completely change the game when it comes to addressing sustainability issues.

Consider its capability to monitor and manage complex systems. For example, in the U.S. and the U.K., AI-powered sensors and software can measure and predict the real-time capacity of transmission lines in the energy grid. The optimization of this complex system has unlocked significant unused capacity on long-distance transmission lines. This directly enables the adoption of renewable energy sources, which are often located far from where their power is needed. The U.K.’s National Grid used this technology to increase capacity by 60% and add an additional 600 megawatts (MW) of offshore wind capacity.

When coupled with high-performance cloud computing, AI can significantly accelerate the development of innovative sustainability solutions. R&D teams are already deploying AI solutions in materials science. Using digital twins to simulate and predict the properties of materials that could be used in new kinds of batteries, they’re cutting development time down from years to weeks.

What’s more, AI and digitalization are empowering the human workforce, especially when it comes to sustainability initiatives. Some companies are already using AI to collect Scope 3 emissions data from suppliers, streamlining the process and reducing the administrative burden on employees. This leaves humans more time for strategizing, decision-making, and implementation.

Effective use of AI

So how can organizations leverage AI to drive their sustainability agenda?

Precision is key. Carefully optimized AI consumes fewer resources – and gets the job done more efficiently. Recent research shows that organizations are achieving measurable efficiencies, leading to cost reductions ranging from 26% to 31%. To find the best solution, companies first need to identify their needs. Guided by an expert partner like Capgemini, they can then choose the proper algorithm, model, and agents for each use case. Capgemini can then streamline deployment by seamlessly and securely integrating agentic capabilities into a company’s existing technology infrastructure.

It’s also important for companies not to neglect the fundamentals on either side of AI agents: humans and data. To operate most efficiently, AI agents need access to robust and reliable data sets. They also need to be directed by human employees – who themselves need to be trained in AI management. With precise direction and clear data to process, AI agents can make a significant contribution to any sustainability initiative.

A tool for a more sustainable future

While digitalization increases energy and resource consumption, AI represents a powerful lever for making these digital processes more efficient. Organizations can strategically leverage AI’s analytical and predictive power to not only reduce their environmental footprint but also empower their workforce.

Authors

Régis Lavisse

Sustainability Lead, Microsoft France

Régis began his career as an operational manager of sales and technical teams in the electricity and gas industries. Passionate about the impact of technologies on economy and societies, and in the face of the environmental emergency, he joined ENGIE Digital in 2017 to accelerate the transition to a carbon-neutral economy through digital technology. Having joined Microsoft in 2023, Régis is now leading Sustainability for Microsoft France.

Mark Oost

AI, Analytics, Agents Global Leader, Capgemini

Prior to joining Capgemini, Mark was the CTO of AI and Analytics at Sogeti Global, where he developed the AI portfolio and strategy. Before that, he worked as a Practice Lead for Data Science and AI at Sogeti Netherlands, where he started the Data Science team, and as a Lead Data Scientist at Teradata and Experian. Throughout his career, Mark has worked with clients from various markets around the world and has used AI, deep learning, and machine learning technologies to solve complex problems.

In uncertain times, supply chains need better insights enabled by agentic AI

Dnyanesh-Joshi
Dnyanesh Joshi
June 26, 2025

Intelligent decision-making has never been so important, and agentic AI is a technology that can deliver the actionable insights the chief supply chain officer needs to build resilience and agility.

Intelligent decision-making has never been so important, and agentic AI is a technology that can deliver the actionable insights the chief supply chain officer needs to build resilience and agility.

To call the current business climate volatile is an understatement – and at enterprises across multiple industrial sectors, the people most keenly impacted by the resulting uncertainty are likely those responsible for managing their organization’s supply chains. These vital, logistical links are subject to powerful external forces – from economic and political factors to environmental impacts and changes in consumer behavior. It’s critical that the executives in charge of supply chains, and their teams, take advantage of every tool to make smarter decisions.

New, multi-AI agent systems can deliver the insights that not only make supply chains more resilient, but also help executives identify opportunities to reduce logistics costs. But organizations must be ready to take advantage of these powerful tools. Preparing for success includes creating the right roadmap and engaging the right strategic technology partner.

Common pain points in the chain

In my conversations with chief supply chain officers, I’ve identified several common pain points they’re keen to address. Most are being challenged to improve supply planning, reduce inventory cycle times and costs, better manage logistics investments, and do a better job of assessing risks associated with suppliers and other partners across their ecosystem.

A company’s own data is an important source of the information required to help CSCOs achieve these goals and to enable agentic AI. Unfortunately, legacy business intelligence systems are not up to the task. There are several ways in which they fail to deliver:

  • Analytics systems rarely support strategic foresight and transformative innovation – instead providing business users with yet another dashboard.
  • The results are often, at best, a topic for discussion at the next team meeting – not sufficient for a decision-maker to act upon immediately and with confidence.
  • Systems typically fail to personalize their output to provide insights contextualized for the person viewing them – instead offering a generic result that satisfies nobody.
  • Systems often aggregate data within silos, which means their output still requires additional interpretation to be valuable.

In short, many legacy systems miss the big picture, miss actionable meaning, miss the persona – and miss the point.

Based on my experience, I recommend an organization address this through multi-AI agent systems.

With the introduction of Gen AI Strategic Intelligence System by Capgemini, this could be the very system that bridges the gap between the old way, and a value-driven future. This system converts the vast amounts of data generated by each client, across their enterprise, into actionable insights. It is agentic: it operates continuously and is capable of independent decision-making, planning, and execution without human supervision. This agentic AI solution examines its own work to identify ways to improve it rather than simply responding to prompts. It’s also able to collaborate with multiple AI agents with specialized roles, to engage in more complex problem-solving and deliver better results.

How would organizations potentially go about doing this?

Establish an AI-driven KPI improvement strategy

First, organizations must establish a well-defined roadmap to take full advantage of AI-enabled decision-making – one that aligns technology with business objectives.

For CSCOs, this starts by identifying the end goals – the core business objectives and associated KPIs relevant to supply chain management. These are the basis upon which the supply chain contributes to the organization’s value, and strengthening them is always a smart exercise. The good news is that even small improvements to any of these KPIs can deliver enormous benefits.

The roadmap should take advantage of pre-existing AI models to generate predictive insights. It should also ensure scalability, reliability, and manageability of all AI agents – not just within the realm of supply chain management, but throughout the organization. That also means it should be designed to leverage domain-centric data products from disparate enterprise resource planning and IT systems without having to move them to one central location.

Finally, the roadmap must identify initiatives to ensure the quality and reliability of the organization’s data by pursuing best-in-class data strategies. These include:

  • Deploying the right platform to build secure, reliable, and scalable solutions
  • Implementing an enterprise-wide governance framework
  • Establishing the guardrails that protect data privacy, define how generative AI can be used, and shield brand reputation.

An experienced technology partner

Second, the organization must engage the right strategic partner – one that can provide business transformation expertise, industry-specific knowledge, and innovative generative AI solutions.

Capgemini leverages its technology expertise, its partnerships with all major Gen AI platform providers, and its experience across multiple industrial sectors to design, deliver, and support generative AI strategies and solutions that are secure, reliable, and tailored to the unique needs of its clients.

Capgemini’s solution draws upon the client’s data ecosystem to perform root-cause analysis of KPI changes and then generates prescriptive recommendations and next-best actions – tailored to each persona within the supply chain team. The result is goal-oriented insights aligned with business objectives, ready to empower the organization through actionable roadmaps for sustainable growth and competitive advantage.

Applying agentic AI to the supply chain*

Here’s a use case that demonstrates the potential of an agentic AI solution for supply chain management.

An executive responsible for supply chain management is looking for an executive-level summary and 360-degree visualization dashboard. They want automated insights and recommended next-best actions to identify savings opportunities.

An analytics solution powered by agentic AI can incorporate multiple KPIs into its analysis – including logistics spend, cost per mile, cycle time, on-time delivery rates, cargo damage, and claims. It can also track performance of third-party logistics service providers – including on-time performance, adherence to contractual volumes, freight rates, damages, and tender acceptance.

The solution can then apply AI and machine learning to optimize asset use through better design of loadings and routes. Partner performance can be analyzed – including insights into freight rates, delays, financial compliance, and lead times – and used to negotiate better rates.

The impact of this can include a reduction in logistics spend of approximately 10 percent, an opportunity to save approximately five percent through consolidation of routes and services, and a 15 percent improvement in transit lead time.

Capgemini enables this use case through an AI logistics insights 360 solution offered for the Gen AI Strategic Intelligence System by Capgemini. Just imagine this agent working 24/7 on your behalf; they don’t sleep, they don’t get tired, they don’t take vacation, and they’re completely autonomous.

Real results that relieve supply chain pressures

Capgemini’s modeling suggests that with the right implementation and support, the potential benefits include reducing overall supply chain spending by approximately five percent – including a 10-percent reduction in logistics spend. Other benefits include a three percent improvement in compliance, plus 360-degree order visibility and tracking.

Given that today’s supply chains are being subjected to so many pressures from so many sources, those are meaningful advantages that cannot be ignored.

*Results based on industry benchmarks and observed outcomes from similar initiatives with clients. Individual results will vary.

The Gen AI Strategic Intelligence System by Capgemini works across all industrial sectors, and integrates seamlessly with various corporate domains. Download our PoV here to learn more or contact our below expert if you would like to discuss this further.

Meet the authors

Dnyanesh-Joshi

Dnyanesh Joshi

Large Deals Advisory, AI/Analytics/Gen-AI based IT/Business Delivery oriented Deals Shaping Leader
Dnyanesh is a seasoned Large Deals Advisory, AI/Analytics/Gen-AI based IT/Business Delivery oriented Deals Shaping Leader with 24+ years of experience in Large Deals Wins by Value Creation through Pricing Strategy, Accelerator Frameworks/Products, Gen-AI based Strategic Operating Model/Productivity Gains, Enterprise Data Strategy, Enterprise, Data Governance, Gen-AI/ Supervised, Unsupervised and Machine Learning based Business Metrics Enhancements and Technology Consulting. Other areas of expertise are Pre-sales and Solutions Selling, Product Development, Global Programs Delivery, Transformational Technologies implementation within BFSI, Telecom and Energy-Utility Domains.

    Achieving regulatory excellence with India’s managed services 

    Syed Sanaur Rab
    Jun 26, 2025

    A revolution in trade and transaction reporting 

    With rising regulatory pressures and data challenges, financial institutions increasingly demand efficient trade and transaction reporting. In response, there is a noticeable shift toward managed services solutions, with India emerging as a key destination. 

    India’s rise in this domain can be attributed to several factors, including a robust talent pool, cost advantages, technological innovation, and operational efficiency, organizations like Capgemini are playing a central role in transforming how trade and transaction reporting is managed. In today’s financial landscape, institutions are under mounting pressure to meet increasingly complex and evolving regulatory requirements. From trade and transaction reporting (TTR) to data reconciliation, regulatory submissions, and analytics, the operational burden is growing – and so are the associated costs. Compliance is no longer just a legal necessity; it’s a strategic imperative that demands specialized expertise, scalable infrastructure, and round-the-clock operational support. 

    These challenges are compounded by the need for agility, accuracy, and cost-efficiency. Financial institutions must navigate a web of jurisdictional rules, manage vast volumes of data, and ensure timely reporting – all while keeping operational costs in check. This is where India’s value proposition becomes particularly compelling. 

    India has rapidly emerged as a global hub for managed services, offering a unique blend of deep domain expertise, advanced technological capabilities, and cost-effective delivery models. Its workforce is not only technically proficient but also increasingly specialized in financial services operations, regulatory compliance, and digital transformation. 

    At Capgemini, we are leveraging this strategic advantage through our Post-Trade Transaction Reporting Practice. By expanding the scope of managed services beyond reporting, Capgemini is helping financial institutions transform compliance from a cost centre into a source of strategic value. This blog explores how India is not just supporting this shift – but leading it 

    Leveraging a vast talent pool 

    India has long been recognized for its diverse and highly skilled workforce, and the financial services sector is no exception. With a large pool of professionals possessing a unique blend of expertise in finance, technology, and regulatory compliance, India is increasingly recognized for its ability to manage complex reporting requirements. These professionals bring a strong understanding of global financial markets, regulatory standards, and the technologies required to handle large-scale data processing, making India an ideal base for supporting trade and transaction reporting needs. 

    For financial institutions, this talent pool offers deep expertise in navigating regulatory landscapes such as MiFID II, EMIR, Dodd-Frank, and SFTR. These frameworks demand stringent data reporting and reconciliation processes.  This is an area where India’s workforce excels. 

    Cost-effectiveness and operational efficiency 

    In addition to technical expertise, India offers a significant cost advantage, making it an attractive destination for financial institutions aiming to optimize operational costs. Institutions are under constant pressure to streamline processes and reduce overhead while maintaining compliance and reporting accuracy. Leveraging managed services in India can significantly lower operational costs, as labor expenses are considerably lower than in many Western markets. 

    Moreover, the cost-effectiveness extends beyond just labor. Infrastructure and technology investments in India can be more easily scaled, allowing financial institutions to adopt cutting-edge solutions at a fraction of the cost. This provides access to best-in-class capabilities without the need for substantial capital expenditures. 

    Technological innovation and automation 

    India is increasingly becoming a global leader in IT infrastructure and innovation, with a focus on technologies transforming the trade and transaction reporting landscape. At Capgemini, there is a strong emphasis on integrating advanced technologies such as automation, data analytics, and AI into managed services offerings. 

    AI and machine learning streamline data aggregation, reconciliation, and validation, significantly reducing manual errors and improving speed and accuracy. These technologies enable financial institutions to achieve shorter turnaround times, ensuring that they meet regulatory deadlines and respond quickly to market changes. 

    As adoption of these technologies accelerates, India is becoming a key player. By partnering with Indian service providers, financial institutions can stay ahead of regulatory and technological curves as well as emerging market trends. 

    24/7 operational capabilities

    Financial markets operate continuously, requiring reliable, round-the-clock support for reporting functions. India, with its well-established infrastructure, offers a 24/7 operational model, ensuring financial institutions meet their reporting obligations across time zones. 

    Indian teams offer continuous monitoring and rapid response. This uninterrupted support is critical for global financial institutions with operations in multiple regions, ensuring seamless compliance and reporting activities across different time zones. 

    Post-trade transaction reporting and specialized expertise

    One of the key areas in which India excels is in post-trade transaction reporting. This includes critical processes like data reconciliation, regulatory submissions, and compliance checks that ensure transparency and reduce market risks. By focusing on building specialized talent pools, including subject matter experts, India enables firms to navigate the complexities of global regulations, such as EMIR and the U.S. Dodd-Frank Act. 

    Capgemini, for example, has established a dedicated Post-Trade Transaction Reporting Practice that helps financial institutions optimize operations by streamlining these processes. Using advanced analytics, automation, and regulatory expertise it helps clients reduce risk and ensure compliance. Centralizing these delivers cost-effective, high-quality services vital to managing regulatory obligations. 

    Regulatory change management   

    As financial regulations evolve globally, institutions must be agile and adapt their systems and processes in real time. Regulatory change management is a key area where Indian managed services providers add value. Changes in regulatory frameworks can be complex and costly to implement, particularly when new rules require re-architecting internal systems or updating reporting platforms. 

    Capgemini offers specialized solutions to help financial institutions navigate these changes. Whether it’s adapting existing systems to meet new regulations or developing entirely new platforms for reporting, Capgemini supports its clients through every phase of the change management process. This proactive approach ensures that financial institutions remain compliant with evolving regulations while avoiding costly penalties or operational disruptions. 

    Conclusion

    India’s emergence as a hub for trade and transaction reporting managed services reflects a broader shift toward outsourcing and automation in the financial services industry. With a wealth of talent, cost advantages, and a strong focus on technological innovation, India is transforming the way financial institutions manage regulatory compliance and reporting.  

    Author

    Syed Sanaur Rab

    Syed Sanaur Rab

    Manager

      Unlocking the future of Project Management-as-a-Service through the power of Gen AI

      Przemysław Struzik, Iwona Drążkiewicz, Bernadetta Siemianowska
      Jun 26, 2025

      Several global trends, particularly the rise in digital transformations, the growing importance of connected technologies, and the demographic shifts affecting the global workforce are likely to soon lead to a shortage of professionals in project management (PM), organizational change management (OCM), and Global Business Services (GBS).

      In this context, the integration of connected technologies may provide a solution. One of the most promising developments is the emergence of Project Management as a Service (PMaaS) driven by Generative AI (Gen AI). This future-ready platform is poised to revolutionize reporting, resource management, portfolio and program management, and more, significantly reducing the workload of project managers by the end of 2030.

      The Connected Enterprise and Gen AI

      The concept of a Connected Enterprise revolves around the seamless integration of data, connectivity, and technology to drive business innovation, enhance efficiency, and foster growth. Gen AI, with its ability to generate human-like text, analyze vast amounts of data, and provide actionable insights, is at the forefront of this transformation.

      By leveraging Gen AI, PMaaS platforms offer unprecedented levels of automation and intelligence, higher levels of predictive insights and strategic advice, while providing scalable solutions available 24/7 enabling organizations to streamline their project management processes. This results in better project outcomes, reduced risk, and significant cost savings for Capgemini’s clients.

      Transforming reporting and analytics

      Traditional project reporting is often a time-consuming and labor-intensive task. Gen AI automates the generation of reports by analyzing project data in real-time and presenting it in a clear, concise, and visually appealing format. For example:

      • Gen AI not only collects updates but also generates custom reports based on predefined criteria.
      • It creates tailored reports for different stakeholders (e.g. project managers, clients, or executives) by transforming raw data into insightful summaries, charts, or KPIs.
      • It also creates interactive dashboards that display real-time project data and updates in a visual and intuitive way.
      • Moreover, Gen AI automatically gathers and compiles project updates by integrating with tools such as task management platforms (e.g. Jira, Wrike, Smartsheet) and collaboration tools (e.g. Microsoft Teams). It extracts data on project progress, task completion rates, budget use and milestones without manual input from team members.

      This saves time and ensures that stakeholders have access to up-to-date information, enabling better decision-making.

      Enhancing resource management

      The complexity of resource allocation will be reduced as Gen AI helps match the right skills to the right tasks (profiles matching %), considering availability (globally or regionally), business priorities, skills, and project demands (the scope of work of each project management task can be split between junior and senior resources).

      Gen AI will enable dynamic adjustments to resource plans, further eliminating inefficiencies and ensuring optimal resource utilization across portfolios. Additionally, Gen AI provides insights into resource utilization patterns, helping organizations make informed decisions about hiring and training.

      Streamlining portfolio and program management

      Managing a portfolio of projects and programs requires a holistic view of all ongoing initiatives. Gen AI provides this by aggregating data from multiple projects and presenting it in a unified dashboard. This enables portfolio and project managers to monitor progress, identify risks, and make strategic adjustments in real-time. Furthermore, Gen AI simulates various scenarios to predict the impact of different decisions, enabling proactive management.

      Reducing administrative burden and personalized knowledge management

      One of the most significant benefits of Gen AI in PMaaS is the reduction in administrative tasks it delivers. For example:

      • Onboarding new program team members is simplified through personalized learning paths based on the role, experience, and learning style of the new team member.
      • AI-powered virtual assistants or chatbots can support new team members by answering frequently asked questions, specific tools, and workflows.
      • Analysis of new team members’ tasks and project assignments while proactively delivering relevant knowledge resources or updating to-do lists for any team member.
      • Meeting scheduling through its ability to automatically find suitable times, reminding participants about upcoming meetings and agenda points, while sending follow up emails with action points to help keep everyone on track.

      This enables project managers to focus on more strategic activities, such as stakeholder engagement and risk management.

      Predictive analytics for project outcomes

      Gen AI predicts the likelihood of project success based on various factors such as team performance, project complexity, and external influences. Leveraging historical data, real-time project inputs and machine learning models to forecast project success, this technology can also recommend corrective actions if the project is off-track to achieve predicted outcomes.

      The future of PMaaS

      As we look towards the future, the integration of Gen AI in PMaaS platforms will continue to evolve. Advanced natural language processing capabilities will enable more intuitive interactions with project management tools, making them accessible to a broader range of users.

      Additionally, the continuous learning capabilities of Gen AI will ensure that these platforms become increasingly accurate and efficient over time.

      Conclusion

      While concerns about accuracy and governance remain, advances in AI-driven risk mitigation strategies and tighter oversight will address these issues effectively. As a result, PMaaS platforms powered by Gen AI will drastically reduce the need for manual project management tasks, enabling organizations to scale project execution with unprecedented speed and efficiency. This enhances efficiency and enables project managers to focus on strategic activities that drive business growth. As connected technologies continue to advance, the Connected Enterprise will become a reality, powered by the intelligent capabilities of Gen AI.

      PMaaS, driven by Generative AI, will be the cornerstone in realizing this vision. Leveraging AI’s capabilities, PMaaS seamlessly aligns portfolios, manages resources, and optimizes operations across departments and regions, echoing Capgemini’s approach of delivering continuous, digital, and sustainable business value. This future holds tremendous promise for the PMaaS model, making it indispensable to companies that aim to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving digital economy.

      A Connected Enterprise ensures that every aspect of an organization—from operations to customer experience—operates in sync. Similarly, AI-enabled PMaaS will create more cohesive, transparent, and agile project environments driven by data-driven insight and predictive analysis. In this future state, organizations will no longer see project management as a support function but as an integrated service that drives growth, adaptability, and long-term sustainability. Just as Capgemini’s model emphasizes continuous value delivery, the future of PMaaS promises to be a key driver of the Connected Enterprise—bridging silos, fostering collaboration, and ensuring that business outcomes are consistently achieved.

      At Capgemini, the future of PMaaS lies in harnessing the collective power of our specialized teams to deliver unparalleled value to our clients. This means our clients benefit from a holistic transformation experience—one that enhances data agility, drives sustainability, and ensures that every project not only meets but also exceeds expectations.

      This is the future of PMaaS: a fusion of technological innovation and expert collaboration, creating a trusted partnership that helps clients thrive in an ever-evolving business landscape.

      Meet our experts

      Przemysław Struzik, IFAO Transformation Projects & Consulting, Capgemini’s Business Services

      Przemysław Struzik

      IFAO Transformation Projects & Consulting, Capgemini’s Business Services
      Przemyslaw helps organizations future-proof their delivery models by scaling Project Management-as-a-Service through Gen AI and helps shape and deliver innovative solutions to clients.
      Iwona Drążkiewicz, Business Transformation Manager, Capgemini’s Business Services

      Iwona Drążkiewicz

      Business Transformation Manager, Capgemini’s Business Services
      Iwona drives business transformation through optimizing and automating clients’ process infrastructure by designing and implementing program management that augments deployment effectiveness and efficiency.
      Bernadetta Siemianowska, Business Transformation Manager, Capgemini’s Business Services

      Bernadetta Siemianowska

      Business Transformation Manager, Capgemini’s Business Services
      Bernadetta drives business transformation through optimizing and automating clients’ process infrastructure by designing and implementing program management that augments deployment effectiveness and efficiency.

        Introducing Snowflake Openflow: Revolutionizing data integration 

        Sagar Lahiri
        Jun 25, 2025

        In today’s data-driven world, the ability to seamlessly integrate and manage data from various sources is crucial for businesses. Snowflake, a leader in data cloud solutions, has introduced a groundbreaking service called Snowflake Openflow. This fully managed, global data integration service is designed to connect any data source to any destination, supporting both structured and unstructured data. Let’s dive into what makes Snowflake Openflow a game-changer. 

        OpenFlow stands out due to its unique ability to separate control and data planes in network architecture, which allows for more flexible and efficient network management. Here are some key features that make OpenFlow exceptional: 

        Centralized control: OpenFlow enables centralized control of network devices, such as switches and routers, through a dedicated controller. This centralization simplifies network management and enhances the ability to implement complex policies. 

        Programmability: It allows network administrators to program the behavior of the network dynamically, which accelerates the introduction of new features and services. 

        Scalability: OpenFlow supports scalable network configurations, making it suitable for both small- and large-scale deployments. 

        High availability: The protocol ensures high availability by preserving the flow table across management module failovers and syncing configurations between active and standby modules. 

        Flexibility: OpenFlow supports multiple flow tables, custom pipeline processing, and various modes of operation, providing a high degree of flexibility in network design and operation. 

        What is Snowflake Openflow? 

        Snowflake Openflow is built on Apache NiFi®, an open-source data integration tool that automates the flow of data between systems. Openflow enhances Apache NiFi® by offering a cloud-native refresh, simplified security, and extended capabilities tailored for modern AI systems. This service ensures secure, continuous ingestion of unstructured data, making it ideal for enterprises. 

        Openflow and Apache NiFi stand out as superior data integration tools due to their robust ETL/ELT capabilities and efficient handling of CDC (change data capture) transformations. Openflow’s seamless integration with Snowflake and AWS, combined with its user-friendly CLI, simplifies the management of data pipelines and ensures high performance and scalability. 

        Some of the components of Openflow are: 

        • Control Plane: Openflow control plane is a multi-tenant application, designed to run on Kubernetes within your container platform. It serves as the backend component that facilitates the management and creation of data planes and Openflow runtimes. 
        • Data Plane: The Data Plane is where data pipelines execute, within individual Runtimes. You will often have multiple Runtimes to isolate different projects, teams, or for SDLC reasons, all associated with a single Data Plane. 
        • Runtime: Runtimes host your data pipelines, with the framework providing security, simplicity, and scalability. You can deploy Openflow Runtimes in your VPC using a CLI user experience. You can deploy Openflow Connectors to your Runtimes and also build new pipelines from scratch using Openflow processors and controller services. 
        • Data Plane Agent: The Data Plane Agent facilitates the creation of the Data Plane infrastructure and installation of Data Plane software components including the Data Plane Service. The Data Plane Agent authenticates with Snowflake System Image Registry to obtain Openflow container images. 

        Workflow summary: 

        • AWS cloud engineer/administrator: installs and manages Data Plane components via Openflow CLI on AWS. 
        • Data engineer (pipeline author): authenticates, creates, and customizes data flows; populates Bronze layer. 
        • Data engineer (pipeline operator): configures and runs data flows. 
        • Data engineer (transformation): transforms data from Bronze to Silver and Gold layers. 
        • Business user: utilizes Gold layer for analytics. 

        Key aspects of Apache NiFi 

        Dataflow automation: NiFi automates the movement and transformation of data between different systems, making it easier to manage data pipelines. 

        Web-based interface: It provides a user-friendly web interface for designing, controlling, and monitoring dataflows. 

        FlowFiles: In NiFi, data is encapsulated in FlowFiles, which consist of content (the actual data) and attributes (metadata about the data). 

        Processors: These are the core components that handle data processing tasks such as creating, sending, receiving, transforming, and routing data. 

        Scalability: NiFi supports scalable dataflows, allowing it to handle large volumes of data efficiently. 

        Apache NiFi’s intuitive web-based interface and powerful processors enable users to automate complex dataflows with ease, offering unparalleled flexibility and control. Together, these tools provide a comprehensive solution for data engineers and business users alike, ensuring reliable data ingestion, transformation, and analytics, making them the preferred choice for modern data integration needs. 

        Key features of Snowflake Openflow 

        1. Hybrid deployment options: Openflow supports both Snowflake-hosted and Bring Your Own Cloud (BYOC) options, providing flexibility for different deployment needs. 
        1. Comprehensive data support: It handles all types of data, including structured, unstructured, streaming, and batch data. 
        1. Global service: Openflow is designed to be a global service, capable of integrating data from any source to any destination. 

        How Openflow Works 

        Openflow simplifies the data pipeline process by managing raw ingestion, data transformation, and business-level aggregation. It supports various applications and services, including OLTP, internet of things (IoT), and data science, through a unified user experience. 

        Deployment and connectors 

        Openflow offers multiple deployment options: 

        • BYOC: deployed in the customer’s VPC 
        • Managed in Snowflake: utilizing Snowflake’s platform. 

        It also supports a wide range of connectors, including SaaS, database, streaming, and unstructured data connectors, ensuring seamless integration with various data sources. 

        Key use cases 

        1. High-speed data ingestion: Openflow can ingest data at multi-GB/sec rates from sources like Kafka into Snowflake’s Polaris/Iceberg. 
        1. Continuous multimodal data ingestion for AI: Near real-time ingestion of unstructured data from sources like SharePoint and Google Drive. 
        1. Integration with hybrid data estates: Deploy Openflow as a fully managed service on Snowflake or on your own VPC, either in the cloud or on-premises. 

        Roadmap and future developments 

        Snowflake has outlined an ambitious roadmap for Openflow, with key milestones including private and public previews, general availability, and the introduction of new connectors. The service aims to support a wide range of databases, SaaS applications, and unstructured data sources by the end of 2025. 

        Conclusion 

        Snowflake Openflow is set to revolutionize the way businesses handle data integration. With its robust features, flexible deployment options, and comprehensive support for various data types, Openflow is poised to become an essential tool for enterprises looking to harness the power of their data. 

        Sagar Lahiri

        Sagar Lahiri

        Data Architect, Insights & Data
        Tech Enthusiast, passionate about Modern Data Platforms at Capgemini, Data and Insights. As a Snowflake Data Engineer and Architect, I specialize in helping clients unlock the full potential of their data.With a deep understanding of Snowflake’s cloud-native architecture, I design and implement scalable, secure, and high-performance data solutions tailored to each organization’s unique needs.

          Five reasons why digital accessibility must matter

          Capgemini
          Laurie Bazelmans, Amish Desai
          Jun 23, 2025

          Sarah wants to access her new online banking account to pay an urgent bill. Frustrated and anxious, she spends close to an hour trying to complete a simple task that should only take a few minutes. Unfortunately, her bank’s digital interface is not compatible with her screen reader, which she relies on as a person with a visual impairment.

          If you think this is an extremely uncommon scenario, roughly 80 million people, or one-fifth of the EU’s population, live with a disability.[1] A disability can affect anyone at any time and can include temporary conditions like someone recovering from surgery or suffering from a short-term injury that prevents them from accessing a once routine service.

          As a brand in the digital space, you should strive to design and develop more accessible services, especially since digital accessibility can suddenly become very important for any of your customers.

          Here are five more reasons why this topic deserves your attention.

          1. Tap into a large and valuable audience

          People with disabilities will naturally favor brands that ease their accessibility challenges. A study in the Netherlands revealed that 45% of iOS and 61% of Android users “have one or more accessibility settings activated on their phone.”[2] By making features like screen reader compatibility, video captioning, and voice recognition standard practice in software development, your business will see a significant uptick in transactions thanks to new satisfied customers.

          2. Your brand reputation is on the line

          Whether physical or mental, temporary or permanent, disabilities can limit people’s access to essential services in areas like banking, transportation, healthcare, and education. As digital technologies become increasingly integral to our daily lives, addressing accessibility is not only a matter of social justice but also an economic necessity. If your business can design products and services that are easier to access by everyone, your new and existing customers will have a favorable view of your brand, which can engender strong customer loyalty.

          3. Non-compliance will be costly

          Starting June 28, 2025, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) will introduce measures requiring EU businesses to adhere to the updated digital accessibility guidelines, as it aims to reduce barriers to entry and ensure everyone can participate in the digital realm.[3] This new standard will catch many affected businesses by surprise. A January 2025 survey revealed that only 11% of organizations feel confident they will meet the June deadline, while another 35% aren’t even sure if their changes are enough to be in scope of the EAA.[4] By prioritizing accessibility today, you’ll avoid potential legal pitfalls tomorrow.

          4. A better user experience (UX) benefits everyone

          Accessibility is about more than just meeting legal requirements; it’s about creating a highly accessible service that’s more enjoyable to use. By adding new features, you enhance the overall experience for all users. Plus, did you know search engines favor accessible websites?

          5. Continuous improvement leads to long-term growth

          Accessibility is not a one-time fix; it’s a continuous journey that will only become more relevant in the future. Disabilities such as visual impairments, hearing loss, cognitive decline, and reduced mobility are a fact of life as populations age, so if you want to be a business that values a diverse customer base, you’ll make accessibility a foundational core of your business strategy. And by doing so you’ll set a positive example in your industry, winning you respect and loyalty from customers, employees, and stakeholders alike.

          For example, a national postal company recognized the importance of enhancing accessibility and collaborated with Capgemini to evaluate over 100 of their omnichannel journeys. This led to the identification of more than 250 recommendations for improving the UX of their app and website.

          Ready to create a more inclusive digital environment? Stay tuned for our follow-up article, Five steps to widespread digital accessibility.

          Contact us to learn more about how we can help you with your digital accessibility journey.


          • [1] https://www.who.int/health-topics/disability#tab=tab_1
          • [2] https://appt.org/en/stats
          • [3] https://creative-boost.com/european-accessibility-act/#:~:text=European%20Accessibility%20Act%20Exemptions,less%20than%20€2%20million
          • [4] https://abilitynet.org.uk/news-blogs/eaa-only-11-organisations-confident-they-will-meet-june-deadline

          Authors

          Laurie Bazelmans

          Laurie Bazelmans

          User Experience and Front-End Interactions Offer Leader, Netherlands
          Laurie is a product and services expert at Capgemini, specializing in user experience (UX) and behavioral psychology. As Offer leader UX & Frontend Interactions and UX Business Partner, she harnesses UX as a strategic lever for business growth – translating complex customer needs and journeys into impactful, user-centered solutions. Throughout her consulting career, she has elevated digital transformation initiatives, focusing on customer needs, business goals, and structured UX strategies.
          Amish Desai

          Amish Desai

          Global User Experience and Front-End Interactions Offer Leader
          With 20+ years in digital transformation, Amish has led Fortune 100 firms to profit through design and product innovation. Highlights include training 2,000+ CPG staff in Design Thinking, pioneering digital-first ventures in finance, and launching connected commerce for a century-old retailer. His pinnacle achievement is forming global teams that excel in crafting digital customer experiences at the nexus of immersive tech, customer insight, and business value. He teaches UX design, product, and strategy in academic and entrepreneurial institutions as a token of gratitude for those who have assisted him over the years.

            Why your bank’s customer service needs to up the empathy – and AI may hold the key

            P.V. Narayan
            Jun 24, 2025

            Marketing guru Shep Hyken once said “make every interaction count, even small ones.” This quote has always stuck with me because it’s so human, and because it explains why we feel a strong emotional connection to certain brands. We are more likely to become repeat customers if we experience good customer service, even in a small interaction.

            It is well known that contact center agents are the face of any bank. They are on the front lines dealing with customer interactions and shaping your bank’s perception. Alas, the unfortunate reality is that today’s customer service isn’t standing up to customers’ needs. Consumers in 2025 expect more, and it’s on banks to step up.

            Today’s consumer won’t stand for generic banking – they expect a personalized, seamless experience. More than that, they want it to feel human. Often, this demand lands with the staff at a contact center. But can we expect this staff to keep up with ever-growing customer expectations unaided? Or, even worse, can we expect the contact center to deliver a great experience when the perception is that banks are actively trying to automate away their jobs?

            Capgemini’s World Retail Banking Report 2025 finds that only 16% of agents appear satisfied with their jobs. Attrition continues to rise, increasing the cost of recruitment and time spent training agents. In between, customers are looking for empathy in basic interactions – and instead find things impersonal and procedural.

            I’m convinced we’ll do right by customers if we deploy technology to help overworked agents. Technology, after all, is a tool. The use of AI can help eliminate friction and let these agents deliver the kind of frictionless experiences that customers are hungry for. By implementing predictive AI capabilities, banks can prevent issues before they even occur based on historical patterns and trends, reducing the number of complaints and anomalies in real-time.

            In the World Retail Banking Report, we sought to understand how 8,000 millennial and Gen Z customers view perhaps the single most important feature of their banking relationship: the card. The consensus was clear: there is room for improvement at every point of the customer journey. And there is a clear need for personal connection.

            The worrying part of our research findings was the extent to which bank teams seemed aware of dissatisfaction among customers. Consider this: 68% of banking institutions acknowledged poor customer satisfaction as a major issue. What’s more concerning is that over 60% of bank marketing staff say they are overwhelmed by the number of applications they receive, and many banks acknowledge the KYC process can take days.

            All of this is taking place against a backdrop of profound technological change. These changes have benefited nimble, digital-first players such as Monzo and Revolut. While they may seem small compared to the scale of US megabanks, they have succeeded in capturing valuable market niches. They did so by creating smooth digital experiences, broadening the aperture of services available and sidestepping much of the friction that can hinder established banks. They created real customer connection.

            AI can let US banks build this connection too, removing bottlenecks in manual processes such as card applications. At a strategic level, it can inform banking strategy, create products with in-built personalization and close the customer service gap with the emerging neobank players.

            By proactively predicting and addressing trends, the technology can assist banks in staying ahead of customer complaints and operational bottlenecks, making the process smoother for both agents and customers. 

            However, AI can’t do it alone – many customers will still want the option to connect with a human being. After all, personal finance is personal, whether it’s a customer loan application or resolving a disputed charge. But AI can empower those humans, giving them a better insight into the customer’s situation and request.

            For example, if a customer is angry about an unauthorized credit card transaction, a human agent augmented by AI can use sentiment analysis to detect the customer’s anger. The AI can then direct the query to an agent who has a high success rate in managing similar complaints and calming frustrated customers. AI can even proactively anticipate scenarios to help agents better serve customers.

            Furthermore, by automating routine inquiries, AI allows agents to focus on complex, high-value tasks that require empathy, creativity, and judgment – attributes that customers are increasingly expecting. In this way, AI enables agents to provide more personalized service at scale, bridging the gap between human empathy and efficiency.

            To put it simply, AI can make customer service agents much happier and more productive in their work. This takes more than a technology strategy: bank leaders will have to implement a thorough change management plan. That means educating employees about the potential of AI and their role in augmenting human capabilities, as well as clearly delineating what work will be done entirely by AI, and where AI will play a supporting role.

            It’s also crucial that banks adopt a customer-centric AI strategy, focusing not only on operational efficiencies, but also how these technologies can directly enhance customer experience and employee experience. AI’s role is not just to solve problems faster, it’s to solve them better and with more empathy, while providing seamless self-service options and empowering agents to be more competent with contextual insights and continuous learning.

            The bottom line: bank executives must push the boundaries of innovation to explore the potential of AI – in a safe and controlled fashion – that strives to deliver enhanced client engagement. It’s time to make every interaction count.

            Author

            P.V. Narayan

            P.V. Narayan

            EVP and Head of US Banking and Capital Markets, Capgemini

              Enhancing geothermal energy efficiency with Gen AI: Smarter energy solutions

              Bragadesh Damodaran & Amit Kumar
              18 Jun 2025

              Geothermal energy is a clean and reliable power source, but making it more efficient can be difficult. Systems like organic Rankine cycles (ORCs) are commonly used because they work well with moderate temperatures and are environmentally friendly.

              However, improving their performance requires careful control of factors like temperature, pressure, and flow.

              Traditional design and simulation tools can be slow and hard to use. That’s where Gen AI, Bayesian optimization, and large language models (LLMs) come in. These advanced technologies can make the process faster, smarter, and more user friendly.

              • Gen AI can create useful data, suggest design improvements, and support decision-making.
              • Bayesian optimization helps find the best settings to boost system efficiency.
              • LLMs can explain complex data and offer clear, actionable insights.

              By combining these tools with traditional engineering methods, we can build smarter, more efficient geothermal systems. This approach supports greener energy solutions that are easier to design, manage, and scale.

              How can Gen4Geo help to optimize the geothermal energy process?

              We partnered with one of India’s top institutes (IIT) to explore how geothermal power plants perform under different conditions. Our goal was to better understand and improve their efficiency.

              • Simulation and modeling
                We built detailed models of geothermal systems using Python and REFPROP to get accurate data. We focused on key parts of the organic Rankine cycle (ORC) and calculated important values like energy output and efficiency. To ensure accuracy, we also recreated the model in Aspen HYSYS, a trusted industry tool.
              • Smart predictions
                We used Gen AI to create a model that can predict how the system should operate to reach certain efficiency goals. This model was trained on real data and tested to make sure its predictions were reliable.
              • System optimization
                To find the best setup for the system, we used Bayesian optimization with a fast-learning model (XGBoost). This helped us quickly identify the most efficient configurations without heavy computing.
              • User friendly interface
                We developed a chatbot called Gen4Geo, powered by a large language model (LLM). It allows users – even those without technical backgrounds – to ask questions and get clear, helpful answers about the system.
              • A smarter, closed loop system
                By combining simulation, AI generated data, optimization, and a natural language interface, we created a smart, self-improving system. It helps design and manage geothermal plants more easily and efficiently.

              Bringing value to the geothermal extraction domain with AI and physical modeling

              Traditional methods for designing geothermal power plants can be slow, expensive, and hard to use without deep technical knowledge. Our new approach solves these problems by combining the power of artificial intelligence (AI) with proven physical models.

              • Faster, smarter design
                We use Gen AI to quickly create realistic data, which helps us test different design ideas much faster than before. This speeds up the entire process and leads to better, more efficient systems.
              • Cost effective optimization
                With Bayesian optimization, we can find the best system settings using fewer tests. This saves time and money while still delivering high performance.
              • Easy to use for everyone
                A breakthrough is our use of large language models (LLMs). These allow anyone from engineers to decision makers to ask questions and get clear, helpful answers. No need for deep technical skills.
              • Always improving
                Our system learns and adapts over time. As new data comes in, it gets smarter, helping us stay ahead in geothermal technology and improve performance under changing conditions.
              • A greener future
                By making plant design faster, cheaper, and more accurate, our method helps speed up the use of geothermal energy. It supports cleaner, more sustainable energy solutions that are also more profitable.

              Key insights and learnings

              We’re combining the power of thermodynamics and artificial intelligence (AI) to solve real world energy challenges. By using smart data models alongside traditional simulation and optimization tools, we can make geothermal power plants more efficient, faster to design, and more affordable. A key part of our approach is using Gen AI to create useful data for testing and improving system performance. Bayesian optimization helps us make smart choices quickly, saving time and money. We’ve also added a large language model (LLM) interface that lets users interact with the system using everyday language. This makes advanced tools easier to use, even for people without a technical background. This approach isn’t just for geothermal energy; it can also be used in other industries like oil and gas or hydrogen production. It opens the door to smarter, more sustainable, and more accessible energy solutions across the board.

              Author

              Bragadesh Damodaran

              Bragadesh Damodaran

              Vice President| Energy Transition & Utilities Industry Platform Leader, Capgemini
              He is responsible for driving Clients CXO Proximity through Industry Infused Innovation and Partnerships, Thought leadership, building Industry-centric Assets and Solutions with Intelligent Industry focus aligning to Energy Transition, Smart Grid, New Energies, Water, Nuclear and Customer Transformations. Bragadesh is a seasoned ET&U Industry and Strategy Consultant in a career spanning over 24 years. Worked for major multinationals driving E&U Value chain strategies and CXO Advisory.
              Amit Kumar Gupta

              Amit Kumar Gupta

              Program Manager, Energy & Utilities- Gen AI for ET&U
              Amit brings over 18 years of expertise in the energy and utilities sector. As the Gen AI Lead in the ET&U industry platform, he specializes in asset development and industry intelligence, driving forward-thinking strategies and sustainable practices. He has spearheaded numerous innovative projects, developing industry-centric assets and solutions with a focus on intelligent industry practices. His extensive knowledge covers energy transition, smart grid, new energies, water, and oil & gas sectors while successfully collaborating with clients across various geographies, delivering impactful on-site solutions.

                Who leads in the agentic era: The builders or the adopters?

                Sunita Tiwary
                Jun 18, 2025

                We’ve entered a new phase of AI – one where systems no longer wait for instructions but actively reason, plan, and act. This shift from generative to agentic AI raises a defining question:

                Who will lead the next wave of transformation?

                 Will it be the tech companies building the foundation models and platforms, or the industries embedding AI into real-world business workflows? The answer is clear: neither side can win alone. Agentic AI isn’t a plug-and-play solution—it’s a systemic leap that demands AI-native infrastructure, new talent roles, a culture of experimentation, and trust in autonomous systems. The future belongs to those who can bridge the gap between breakthrough technology and scalable, responsible value creation. In this article, we explore the evolving power dynamic between builders and adopters—and why service providers may be the unlikely accelerators of this new era.

                Agentic AI: Beyond Implementation to Transformation

                Unlike prior tech cycles, Agentic AI isn’t simply implementing a new tool or channel. It demands a complete rethink of how work is done, how decisions are made, and how value is created. To truly harness its power, industries need more than APIs and dashboards.

                They need:

                • Infrastructure readiness: scalable compute, data pipelines, and model orchestration.
                • Talent transformation: from prompt engineers to AI product managers, the skills needed are nascent and niche.
                • Mindset shift: a culture of experimentation, agility, and comfort with co-creating alongside AI.

                In this context, the true differentiator isn’t just having access to AgenticAI; it’s being prepared to reimagine how you operate with AI at the core.

                ROI, Talent, and the Black Box Problem

                While tech companies dazzle with breakthrough models and autonomous agents, industries face grounded realities:

                • ROI is uncertain unless use cases are tightly coupled with business outcomes.
                • Niche talent is hard to find, and even harder to retain.
                • The black-box nature of LLMs challenges observability, governance, and trust.
                • Security, privacy, and compliance must be rethought in the age of generative automation.

                This isn’t a plug-and-play revolution. It’s a systemic shift. Industries must invest not only in tools but also in readiness and resilience.

                The Evolving Power Dynamic

                Tech companies lead the way in building foundation models, toolchains, and agentic platforms. They control the tech stack, drive innovation velocity, and shape the ecosystem. Yet, they face challenges around monetization, trust, and the long tail of enterprise needs.

                On the other hand, industries hold the real-world context, proprietary data, and deep knowledge of customer behaviour. They define high-value use cases, drive adoption at scale, and ultimately determine where AI delivers impact. But they must also tackle integration complexity, change management, and readiness gaps.

                The new power players will be those who can navigate both worlds — translating the potential of Agentic AI into practical, governed, and scalable transformation across domains.

                Strategic Implications for Service Providers

                For service companies working with both tech builders and enterprise consumers, this creates a unique strategic opportunity:

                • Act as translation layers between Agentic AI innovation and industry needs.
                • Provide platformization strategies (moving from isolated tools and pilots to creating scalable, reusable AI foundations inside an enterprise) to help industries build internal capability, not just consume tech.
                • Build AI governance frameworks that bridge the black-box risks and enterprise trust requirements.
                • Offer talent incubation and skilling programs tailored to AI-first roles.

                Service companies must evolve from implementation partners to AI transformation enablers.

                The Real Winners: Co-Creators of Value

                Ultimately, the winners in the Agentic AI era will not be defined solely by who builds the most powerful models or the most dazzling demos. They will be the ones who can:

                • Align AI with business strategy.
                • Drive adoption with speed and responsibility.
                • Build ecosystems that are trustworthy, explainable, and human-centric.

                This is not just a race to innovate — it’s a race to transform. And those who can blend technology, context, and trust will define the next era of value creation.

                In this new landscape, co-creation is the new competitive advantage.

                Meet the Authors

                Sunita Tiwary

                Sunita Tiwary

                Senior Director– Global Tech & Digital
                Sunita Tiwary is the GenAI Priority leader at Capgemini for Tech & Digital Industry. A thought leader who comes with a strategic perspective to Gen AI and Industry knowledge. She comes with close to 20 years of diverse experience across strategic partnership, business development, presales, and delivery. In her previous role in Microsoft, she was leading one of the strategic partnerships and co-creating solutions to accelerate market growth in the India SMB segment. She is an engineer with technical certifications across Data & AI, Cloud & CRM. In addition, she has a strong commitment to promoting Diversity and Inclusion and championed key initiatives during her tenure at Microsoft.
                Mark Oost - AI, Analytics, Agents Global Leader

                Mark Oost

                AI, Analytics, Agents Global Leader
                Prior to joining Capgemini, Mark was the CTO of AI and Analytics at Sogeti Global, where he developed the AI portfolio and strategy. Before that, he worked as a Practice Lead for Data Science and AI at Sogeti Netherlands, where he started the Data Science team, and as a Lead Data Scientist at Teradata and Experian. Throughout his career, Mark has worked with clients from various markets around the world and has used AI, deep learning, and machine learning technologies to solve complex problems.

                  Decarbonizing transport by 2050: which alternative fuels will lead the way?

                  Capgemini
                  Graham Upton and Sushant Rastogi
                  Jun 13, 2025

                  Transport accounts for over one-third of CO₂ emissions from end-use sectors globally, and emissions have grown by 1.7% annually between 1990 and 2022—faster than any other sector.

                  To align with net-zero goals, emissions from transport must fall by more than 3% per year through 2030 and continue to decline steeply beyond that, despite rising demand and increasing complexity across the sector. (Source: IEA – Transport Sector)

                  On this urgent but complex journey to decarbonize, the transport sector, especially aerospace and automotive, faces the dual challenge of growing demand while meeting increasingly strict environmental targets. Additionally, rising government regulation and public pressure are pushing airlines, automakers, and other transport operators toward cleaner fuels and energy sources.

                  The production of biofuels, a critical alternative to fossil fuels, faces several technical challenges. For example, used cooking oil requires significant pretreatment, agricultural waste is difficult to process, and algae-based fuels remain costly and unscalable. These challenges stem from both the type of feedstocks used and the conversion processes required to make them usable across aviation, automotive, and other mobility applications.

                  There is an expanding range of biofuels in development such as biodiesel, bioethanol, biogas, and others but each presents unique hurdles depending on the raw materials and technologies involved.

                  Here, Graham Upton (Chief Architect, Intelligent Industry) and Sushant Rastogi (New Energies SME, Energy Transition & Utilities) explore how alternative fuels are evolving and how aerospace, automotive, and infrastructure players can use them to offset carbon emissions while enabling mass sustainable mobility.

                  Biofuel feedstocks: diverse sources, diverse challenges

                  Biofuels can be derived from various feedstocks, but each presents distinct technical, environmental, and economic challenges:

                  • First-generation feedstocks (food crops):
                    Derived from crops like corn, sugarcane, and soybean, these are well-studied and widely used. However, they raise “food versus fuel” concerns, consume large land and water resources, and contribute to environmental degradation such as deforestation and nutrient runoff.
                  • Second-generation feedstocks (non-food boimass):
                    Include agricultural residues, forestry waste, and energy crops. While they don’t compete with food supply, they are harder to collect, transport, and process due to their structural complexity and geographic dispersion.
                  • Third-generation feedstocks (algae and microorganisms):
                    Can be cultivated on non-arable land and produce high yields of biodiesel, but the current technology is energy-intensive, water-demanding, and not economically scalable. (Reference: IEA Bioenergy Task 39, “Algal Biofuels: Landscape and Future Prospects,” 2022.)
                  • Waste oils and fats:
                    Sourced from used cooking oils and animal fats, these feedstocks avoid land-use conflict but are limited in global supply and require extensive pretreatment due to high impurity levels.
                  • Fourth-generation biofuels:
                    Produced using genetically engineered microorganisms to enhance yield and efficiency. While promising, they face high R&D costs, regulatory barriers, and significant scalability hurdles. (Reference: IRENA, “Advanced Biofuels – Technology Brief,” 2021.)

                  Processing costs for many of these advanced biofuels remain 2–3 times higher than conventional fuels, limiting their commercial competitiveness. (Source: World Bank, “Biofuels for Transport: Global Potential,” 2020.)

                  Achieving net-zero emissions in transport—particularly in hard-to-abate sectors like aviation—requires a multi-pronged approach:

                  • Optimize biofuel feedstocks and processing technologies
                  • Scale up production economically
                  • Align infrastructure development and supportive policy frameworks

                  A diversified and innovative strategy is critical to reduce costs, increase resource efficiency, and ensure sustainable, scalable biofuel adoption across sectors such as automotive and aerospace.

                  Biofuel production: a comparative view of process challenges

                  Producing biofuels is technically demanding. Each type—bioethanol, biodiesel, and biogas—faces unique process-related challenges in terms of efficiency, cost, environmental impact, and scalability. Here’s a side-by-side comparison:

                  Biofuel typeKey feedstockCore process challengeEfficiency barrierEnvironmental impact
                  BioethanolLignocellulosic biomass, sugar cropsComplex pretreatment to break down plant fibresTraditional yeast inefficient at fermenting all sugar typesHigh energy input in pretreatment and fermentation
                  BiodieselWaste oils, vegetable oilsImpurities reduce process efficiencyHigh-quality feedstock required; catalyst separation is complexExcess glycerol by-product requires responsible disposal
                  BiogasOrganic waste, manure, food wasteFeedstock inconsistency affects gas yieldAnaerobic digestion requires precise conditionsRequires gas purification to meet fuel quality standards

                  Each of these fuels needs process optimisation to reduce cost and improve performance—such as advanced enzymes, improved catalysts, or integrated upgrading technologies.

                  Summary insight:

                  To unlock biofuels at scale in high-emission sectors like aviation and automotive, industry must address core production hurdles by:

                  • Innovating cost-effective conversion technologies
                  • Enhancing feedstock flexibility
                  • Minimising waste and emissions

                  Can these challenges be solved through material and process optimization?

                  Producing biofuels efficiently and with minimal environmental impact requires significant technical optimization across the value chain:

                  • Enzyme and catalyst development enhances performance in bioethanol and biodiesel production.
                  • Process integration and energy efficiency, particularly in energy-intensive stages like distillation and gasification, are crucial.
                  • Upgrading technologies for biogas and bio-oil must meet high fuel standards, often requiring expensive, multi-stage purification.

                  While these innovations support net-zero targets in aviation and transport, most remain expensive and limited in scale without broader industrial and policy support.

                  Where the focus needs to be: scalability and economic viability

                  Even with technical solutions in place, scaling biofuel production to meet global transport demand is challenging:

                  • Higher production costs vs fossil fuels
                  • Fragmented, globalized supply chains
                  • Need for new or upgraded processing and distribution infrastructure

                  Current infrastructure is largely fossil-based. Biofuel integration in sectors like aerospace and heavy mobility requires system-wide investments across storage, pipelines, airport fuelling systems, and more.

                  To succeed, biofuels must be backed by strong market mechanisms: subsidies, tax credits, blending mandates, and long-term regulation to encourage adoption across carbon-intensive industries.

                  Conclusion

                  Decarbonizing the transport sector by 2050 is a critical challenge and to meet net-zero targets, emissions must decline by over 3% annually through 2030 and continue to decline steeply beyond that – despite rising demand. This transition is particularly complex for high-emission sectors like aviation and automotive, which face mounting regulatory and societal pressure to adopt cleaner energy sources. Biofuels, ranging from first-generation food crops to advanced fourth – generation engineered organisms, offer a promising alternative but each type presents unique technical, environmental, and economic hurdles. These include high production costs, limited scalability, and complex processing requirements. Feedstocks such as waste oils, algae, and agricultural residues require significant pretreatment and infrastructure adaptation, while innovations in enzymes, catalysts, and purification technologies are essential to improve efficiency and reduce emissions. However, without strong policy support market incentives, and investment in infrastructure, biofuels remain commercially uncompetitive.

                  Achieving scalable, sustainable biofuel adoption will require a coordinated strategy that enhances feedstock flexibility, optimizes production processes which aligns with broader energy and transport systems.

                  How Capgemini can help you decarbonize

                  Capgemini brings deep expertise in decarbonizing transport and industrial energy systems. We partner with global clients to define, develop, and deliver innovative fuel and infrastructure strategies.

                  In aerospace, we assessed market demand for medium-range planes by 2030 and evaluated the feasibility of hydrogen-powered aircraft—helping clients plan for the next generation of zero-emission aviation.

                  In maritime, we partnered with Newcastle Marine Services, the University of Strathclyde, O.S. Energy, and MarRI-UK to retrofit diesel vessels with hydrogen propulsion using Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers (LOHCs).

                  Impact metrics:

                  • Emissions reduced by >90% per vessel during trials
                  • GPS and energy data collected over 48-hour missions
                  • Demonstrated LOHC integration without redesigning onboard systems

                  Capgemini enables transport clients to make informed decarbonization choices—from strategy to implementation. Our approach includes:

                  • Strategic fuel and tech assessments
                  • Infrastructure and policy alignment
                  • Business case development
                  • Digital prototyping and scaled deployment

                  We also leverage Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to optimize biofuel supply chains, enhance efficiency, and reduce carbon footprints across the value chain.

                  👉 Learn more about our experience in energy transition and mobility innovation

                  Authors

                  Sushant Rastogi

                  Sushant Rastogi

                  Oil & Gas SME, Energy Transition and Utilities Industry Platform, Capgemini
                  Entrusted to drive Oil & Gas Digital Strategy & Consulting at Capgemini, leading business development, decarbonization, and digital transformation initiatives. With deep expertise across Upstream, Midstream, and Downstream including Petrochemical sectors, he crafts tailored solutions, fosters partnerships, and promotes AI/ML adoption, contributing to sustainable energy transitions.
                  Graham Upton

                  Graham Upton

                  Head of Technology & Innovation, Capgemini Engineering UK
                  Capgemini can help clients seize opportunities in transport decarbonisation by leveraging its expertise in digital transformation, engineering, and sustainability. We can support innovation in biofuel technologies, optimise supply chains, and navigate regulatory landscapes. By enabling scalable, cost-effective solutions and infrastructure adaptation, Capgemini empowers clients to lead in sustainable mobility and meet net-zero targets amid rising demand and complex challenges.