You’re something spatial – building a more intelligent future with advanced spatial computing, digital twin, and AI

“How businesses integrate spatial computing into their digital transformation will determine their competitive edge and ensure long-term success in a world where virtual and physical realities are increasingly interconnected.” – Monika Underwood 

Imagine this: you’re a surgeon amid a complex operation. Every second counts, and each decision you make has the potential to dramatically alter the course of the surgery you’re performing. But you’re not alone.  

You’re wearing a virtual reality (VR) headset that allows you to connect with experienced surgeons from around the world who’ve performed the exact same procedure before. Your headset also enhances your vision, provides real-time data, and enables you to view surgery footage and CT scans simultaneously.  

This is the future being enabled by spatial computing, digital twins, and real-time 3D (RT3D) technology. Impacting every industry from healthcare to manufacturing, these technologies are ushering in a new chapter of efficiency, cost reduction, and intelligent decision-making – and it’s all happening right before our eyes.  

The next digital revolution 

This convergence of technology is enabling a new world of possibility for businesses across industries. Spatial computing blends the digital and physical using technologies like VR and augmented reality (AR) to deliver seamless, immersive experiences to users. Digital twins are virtual replicas of physical assets that enable users to monitor, simulate, and optimize processes in real-time. RT3D technology helps create immersive simulations by powering the immediate development of dynamic 3-D environments.  

Each of these technologies wields its own special power. Together, they’re helping create the most advanced integrated digital ecosystems that our world has ever seen – transforming how humans interact with technology along the way.  

Spatial computing is often mistaken for just AR, VR, mixed reality (MR), or extended reality (XR), but it’s far more expansive. Fueled by AI, advanced optics, and miniaturized sensors, it represents the next evolution of computing – one that blends the digital and physical seamlessly. As these technologies converge, spatial computing will scale beyond niche applications to become a transformative force across industries and everyday life.  

This includes radical progress in optics, the miniaturization of sensors and chips, and the ability to authentically portray 3D images. These innovations, supported by significant breakthroughs in AI, will make spatial computing increasingly compelling for businesses on a grand scale in the years to come. 

Uplifting industries 

A leading example of this technology is the scenario depicted at the beginning of this blog. Surgeons recently used Apple Vision Pro headsets during laparoscopic surgeries to consult with specialists, magnify surgical views, and review surgical footage and CT scans simultaneously during procedures. The VR/AR headset has drastically improved the confidence and performance of the hospital’s surgeons.  

The healthcare industry isn’t the only one to benefit from this wave of technology. A leading Dutch airline is harnessing Unity’s XR technology to develop an advanced training application. By enabling trainees to fully immerse themselves in high-quality, customizable training scenarios, this application delivers greater training volume, flexibility, and efficiency to future pilots who know that every hour of training counts. Another airline is integrating AR and digital twin technology with spatial computing to transform pre-flight damage check procedures. By boosting efficiencies by 900% and drastically reducing flight delays while promoting increased safety, this intersection of technology is having a profound impact on the airline’s business.  

What the future holds 

These are only a handful of the current applications of these technologies. Organizations across retail, manufacturing, education, and more are already reaping the rewards of spatial computing, digital twins, and RT3D tech. With benefits like personalized experiences, predictive analytics, faster go-to-market, and reduced operational costs readily available, more businesses will seek to leverage these technologies within their enterprises.  

Learn more

• TechnoVision 2025 – your guide to emerging technology trends
• You’re something spatial – new trend in user experience
• Voices of TechnoVision – a blog series inspired by Capgemini’s TechnoVision 2025 that highlights the latest technology trends, industry use cases, and their business impact. This series further guides today’s decision makers on their journey to access the potential of technology.

Face to interface – How human-like AI agents are changing the way we interact with technology 

Imagine a world where everyone has access to technology, where interacting with technology feels as natural as chatting with a friend, where there are no barriers for individuals, and societies across the globe can access advanced tools that create new opportunities that enhance human life. In this world, technology may look human, sound human, and even behave just as humans do. Though this may sound like some distant, sci-fi future, these interactions are already becoming a reality. 

“Human-AI interaction is accelerating at a pace we have not seen before. We are at crucial point where we have the responsibility to open access to technological developments and create fair and safe opportunities for everyone across individual, societal, and organizational levels. New AI agents designed with a human-centric approach are enabling this future, engaging with us in ways that feel more natural and help us achieve our goals.” – Carolina Sanchez Hernandez 

From tool to ally 

Over the last few years, we’ve seen advanced AI tools be made accessible to all. We’ve come to know AI as a tool that can accomplish tasks like brainstorming ideas, drafting emails, and generating code – all this responding to requests made in natural language. Now, we are in a new wave of development with the rise of agentic AI. This AI is more of a partner – one that, when designed with a human-centric approach, can drive profound change across businesses and societies. 

AI agents are software systems that use AI to complete tasks on behalf of users. Built in single or multi-agent configurations, agents can achieve the goals assigned to them using different decision paths, something which open many potential applications across industries including manufacturing, fintech, and consumer services to name a few. As we advance in this field, the way we design agent interfaces and human-AI agent interactions is critical for their safety and success. Now more than ever, AI needs to be designed as a sociotechnical tool guided by responsible principles. This responsible, human-like design is what will enable us to access the profound potential of agents to transform organizations and societies. 

A real-world impact 

Businesses are already benefiting from the latest evolution of AI. Earlier this year, Capgemini developed a prototype for a global life sciences organization which involved an AI-driven agent that would be triggered by external events to initiate and automate procurement and logistics tasks. It proactively reached out, created a step-by-step plan, and worked with human experts to execute the process. The agent performed its own analysis, made recommendations, and automated pre-approved tasks while seeking human approval for critical decisions – ensuring a balance of automation and expertise. This system optimized efficiency by automating routine tasks and allowing humans to focus on higher-value work. 

Capgemini also developed a solution for a global quick-service restaurant organization. The approach focused on using an AI agent to empower managers to handle minor equipment issues by leveraging AI-driven troubleshooting. Instead of relying solely on engineers, the AI assistant provided step-by-step repair guidance using structured workflows, images, and videos. By integrating equipment manuals and real-time diagnostics, the system enabled managers to identify problems and attempt fixes before escalating to an engineer. 

These advancements are breaking the barrier to entry when it comes to AI, making the technology accessible to all – not just tech experts. Now, any user can interact with an AI agent using plain dialogue to achieve their goals. As more people from all backgrounds begin to understand and utilize the vast potential of agentic AI, organizations will benefit from increased task efficiency, enhanced decision making, and faster innovation that enriches human-AI collaboration.  

The path to tomorrow 

The future of human-AI relationships is already taking shape. As interactions between people and AI evolve to feel more natural, both the technology and its potential business applications will also undergo an evolution. We have the power to shape this future, enable seamless and trustworthy interactions with technology, and deliver a transformational impact for all.  

Learn more

• TechnoVision 2025 – your guide to emerging technology trends
• Face to interface – new trend in user experience
• Voices of TechnoVision – a blog series inspired by Capgemini’s TechnoVision 2025 that highlights the latest technology trends, industry use cases, and their business impact. This series further guides today’s decision makers on their journey to access the potential of technology.

As highlighted in our Top Tech Trends of 2025 report, cybersecurity remains a critical focus with new defenses and emerging threats reshaping the landscape.

One of the most pressing concerns is the quantum cyber threat, which demands immediate attention and action

While less visible than artificial intelligence, quantum computing is advancing just as rapidly. In early 2025, Microsoft and Amazon both unveiled quantum processors with self-correcting capabilities, marking a decisive step towards stable, industrial-grade machines. The horizon for quantum computing is becoming clearer and closer, bringing with it the reality of threats that we must now seriously prepare for.

Cryptography in Danger

One of the strengths of quantum computing is its ability to perform massive calculations in parallel, significantly reducing the time required. This could enable, for example, the creation of highly targeted deepfakes from minimal data, which could be a formidable weapon in the wrong hands. However, the most significant threat concerns cryptography. While the security of commonly used asymmetric encryption algorithms today relies on the fact that it would take classical computers thousands of years to break them, a quantum machine could do it in just a few hours. This means all our data, communications, and authentication systems would become immediately vulnerable. In the post-quantum world, no identity, communication, or transaction can be guaranteed if it remains encrypted as it is today.

This risk is not a fantasy. The algorithms that underpin it have been ready for a long time, and their performance has been mathematically demonstrated. What is missing today are sufficiently stable and industrialized quantum machines. Recent announcements show that they will arrive not in ten, fifteen, or twenty years, but much sooner. And once available, they will be accessible to everyone via the cloud, as current quantum processors, despite their limitations, already are. Hackers are ready, the entry cost will be low, and as soon as the platforms are available, the risk will materialize massively and immediately.

An Already Present Risk

The threat is therefore major and imminent. It is even already present, as malicious actors can store encrypted data they collect today to decrypt it when they have the capability. In five years, most long-term strategic information, financial assets, health data, industrial, diplomatic, or military secrets will still be of great value. The issue is similar in all sectors whose products have a long lifespan and incorporate digital technology: defense, aerospace, transportation, energy, health… This strategy, known as “harvest now, decrypt later,” is a proven reality, with many states acknowledging that they practice it in long-term judicial investigations.

At some level, all organizations will be affected, from SMEs to multinationals, from local authorities to government ministries. In France more than elsewhere, very few have yet realized this, and even fewer have started to implement appropriate measures.

Overhauling Trust Systems

We can, and must, prepare now for this major cryptographic challenge, which will require nothing less than a complete overhaul of all trust systems: directories, APIs, certificates, storage, networks, application development… It will be a considerable project with major operational impacts that cannot be improvised in an emergency. It is necessary to start by scrutinizing the IT system to identify and assess risks, then prioritize interventions, allocate budgets, implement, test, and deploy solutions, manage change, coordinate with partners and suppliers… And it will be impossible to compress all this into a few weeks or months when the threat materializes.

Fortunately, technological countermeasures are being put in place. After a long competition, the NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) has approved encryption algorithms (five to date) capable of resisting quantum computers. Or rather, they are resistant based on current knowledge, which means that a certain cryptographic agility will be necessary in case they too are eventually broken. In France, several startups and large companies offer solutions in this area. It is also possible to implement hybrid encryption solutions to protect data against both today’s classical threats and tomorrow’s quantum threats. Finally, another area of study, still experimental, concerns the physical security of communications with QKD (Quantum Key Distribution), which provides absolute certainty that exchanges have not been intercepted.

For once, action must be taken without waiting for explicit regulatory pressure. While ANSSI has been warning about the quantum risk since 2022, these warnings are not yet accompanied by any obligations, not even for OIVs. However, texts like NIS 2, DORA, or GDPR hold leaders accountable without specifying the technical nature of the threats. In other words, an organization subject to such regulations will have no excuse if its data is stolen and decrypted by a quantum computer. In the face of the quantum threat, denial, skepticism, or inaction are no longer acceptable, especially in the current security and geopolitical context.

Click here to know more about our Quantum Lab.

Software engineers may have once stated that software doesn’t write itself. That’s not true anymore. Generative AI is perfectly capable of taking on at least some of the simple tasks involved in coding, as well as other aspects of the software development life cycle. In fact, research published in our new Capgemini Research Institute report, Turbocharging software with Gen AI, shows that organizations using generative AI have seen a 7–18% productivity improvement in software engineering.

So, what does this mean for those working in the software industry? It would be reasonable to expect some fear of change, after all, status quo bias is a well-documented human behavior. But our research data – which involved both developers and senior executives – shows that software engineers and their employers expect generative AI to enhance the profession and deliver increased value with software quality and the daily workload of software engineers, as companies demand ever more complex software across all parts of their business and product lines.

Let’s look in more detail at some of these key benefits.

Accelerate faster with greater accuracy

The old idea that moving too fast opens the door to mistakes can be turned on its head with the careful use of generative AI during software development. Because generative AI can automate some simple tasks, and complete them more quickly, it can help speed up a whole host of non-safety-critical processes, leaving more time to spend on complex software development.This can include paying extra attention to safety-critical systems, where human oversight will still play a crucial role in rigorous oversight to maintain the highest safety standards.

Of course, generative AI is not a ‘magic bullet’ that can just be told what to do and automatically produce the result you want. It will need a well-defined architecture and effective rules for how to ‘prompt’ it to generate code that is repeatable and maintainable, and which meets company needs and compliance rules.

But with the right processes in place, Gen AI clearly holds great promise, and these fundamental benefits are widely acknowledged among software developers. Our research indicates that its use is projected to grow significantly, with over a quarter of all work in software design, development, testing, and quality expected to be augmented by generative AI in two years. By 2026, we anticipate that more than four of every five software professionals will utilize generative AI tools.

Make room for talent to shine

Improved speed and accuracy are only part of the picture. They are very much enablers for other key advances, most notably allowing software engineers to spend the time required to develop the complex code they were hired to create.

Software engineers possess a wealth of talents that extend beyond writing quality, complex code. However, these talents can be stifled if they spend the vast majority of their time on the more mundane – even repetitive – aspects of coding. By freeing them of these tasks, tools like generative AI can unlock engineers’ creativity, enabling them to be creative, think of new ways of addressing problems, or imagine entirely new aspects of a software solution.

The challenge of balancing mundane tasks with creative thinking is not unique to software engineers. People in many professions often find that their most profound or innovative thoughts emerge when they are not immersed in the more day-to-day aspects of their work.

However, software engineers still need to spend time writing code, and time must be allocated for it. By automating those everyday tasks, generative AI can free up more time for innovative thinking and creative problem-solving – like allowing software engineers to spend more time thinking through the user experience. Software professionals are aware of this, and we found they see multiple pathways for creativity to emerge. We found that 61% of software leaders have already seen the benefits of generative AI in enabling innovative work, and 36% have seen benefits in collaborative work.

Advantages like this can be experienced across many different job grades. One technical leader told us, “While senior professionals are leveraging generative AI combined with their domain expertise for product innovation, junior professionals see value in AI process and tool innovation, and in automation and productivity optimization.”

Increase job satisfaction and retention

Despite initial fears, firms are not seeing that generative AI is reducing the software engineering workforce. Instead of considering generative AI as a standalone team member, the prevailing view is to use it as a tool to empower team members and enhance their effectiveness.

When we examined how firms plan to utilize the productivity gains they reap from generative AI, we discovered that only a mere 4% intend to reduce the workforce. The overwhelming majority are committed to enhancing more meaningful work opportunities for their software professionals, such as innovation and new feature development (50%), upskilling (47%), and focusing on complex, high-value tasks (46%).

This is not really surprising. The reality is that most engineering companies cannot hire anywhere near the number of software engineers they need. So, far from reducing headcount, generative AI is more about allowing the existing software workforce to get closer to what the company dreams it will deliver.

Our research found that 69% of senior software professionals believe generative AI will positively impact job satisfaction. When we asked software professionals how they see generative AI, 24% felt excited or happy to use it in their work, and an additional 35% felt it left them assisted and augmented. These factors can also benefit staff retention: people who are happy in their work are less likely to look at moving on.

In conclusion

It is still very early days for generative AI in the software development life cycle. Still, we have already found that it is being leveraged to speed up development time, enhance products, free up software engineers to move from the mundane to more innovative work, and in doing all this, boost both productivity and job satisfaction. With uptake predicted to grow significantly over the coming few years, we expect exciting things for developers, their products, and their customers.

Download our Capgemini Research Institute report Turbocharging software with Gen AI to learn more.

As we get ready for ServiceNow Knowledge 2025, it’s an opportune time to reflect on the insights and discussions we recently had on the Data-powered Innovation Jam RightHere, RightNow podcast.

Automation is a cornerstone of innovation. On the Data Powered Innovation Jam RightHere, RightNow podcast, Toby Isaacson, Senior Advisory Solution Architect at ServiceNow, shared invaluable insights on how automation is reshaping industries and unlocking new possibilities. Hosted by Capgemini’s Ron Tolido, Weiwei Feng, and Robert Engels, this episode delved into the transformative power of automation and ServiceNow’s pivotal role in this journey. 

The evolution of ServiceNow  

ServiceNow has come a long way from its origins as a ticketing tool. Toby Isaacson elaborated on how the platform has evolved to encompass a comprehensive suite of automation capabilities. He emphasized that while ServiceNow still excels in IT Service Management (ITSM), its true potential lies in automating diverse business processes across HR, CRM, supply chain, and more. This evolution reflects ServiceNow’s commitment to driving efficiency and innovation in every aspect of enterprise management. 

Automation and AI 

A significant portion of Toby’s discussion focused on the integration of AI and automation within ServiceNow. He highlighted the importance of AI in enhancing productivity by automating repetitive tasks and allowing employees to focus on more valuable work. Toby shared examples of how AI agents and process mining tools are used to identify bottlenecks and optimize workflows, ultimately leading to more efficient and effective operations. 

Unified data and process management

One of the standout points from Toby’s talk was the emphasis on unifying data and process management. He explained how ServiceNow’s single data model and workflow data fabric enable seamless integration and orchestration of data from various enterprise systems. This unified approach ensures that businesses can leverage accurate and consistent data to drive their workflows and AI initiatives, fostering a more cohesive and efficient operational environment. 

Industry-specific solutions   

ServiceNow’s commitment to providing industry-specific solutions was another key highlight. Toby discussed how predefined workflows and best practices tailored to industries like healthcare, manufacturing, and retail can help businesses quickly adopt automation without reinventing the wheel. These solutions not only streamline processes but also allow companies to focus on innovation and differentiation in their respective fields. 

The future of work  

Looking ahead, Toby painted a picture of a dynamic and fluid future of work, driven by automation and AI. He emphasized that the goal is not just efficiency but also creating a work environment that is autonomous and perfectly timed. ServiceNow’s platform is designed to support this vision, ensuring that businesses can navigate the complexities of modern work with ease and agility. 

Toby Isaacson’s insights on the Data Powered Innovation Jam podcast underscore the transformative power of automation and AI in today’s business landscape. As ServiceNow continues to innovate and expand its capabilities, it remains a crucial partner for enterprises seeking to enhance their operations and drive meaningful change. 

Join us at ServiceNow Knowledge 2025, to embrace our theme “Intelligence, meet experience. Welcome to your agentic-powered business,” highlighting how our intelligent solutions are designed to enhance customer experiences and empower businesses with agentic AI capabilities.

Listen to the RightHere, RightNow podcast episode now!

Today’s customers demand more than convenience. They expect speed, consistency, and empathy – across every channel and interaction.

Whether they’re paying a bill, reporting an outage, or navigating a complex public service, customers want seamless, human-centric support. Yet most organizations are still struggling with disjointed systems, manual processes, and a reactive service mindset.

The result? Frustrated customers, overworked service teams, and a widening gap between expectations and delivery.

According to the Capgemini Research Institute:

• 52 percent of customers have switched providers due to poor experiences
• 43 percent  of executives cite limited cross-department alignment and collaboration as a top challenge
• 38 percent point to siloed systems and fragmented customer data as key barriers to delivering seamless experiences
• There is $98 billion left on the table each year by failing to provide simple customer experiences.

The research also highlights three critical takeaways:

• Customer service matters: 58 percent of those surveyed say it is extremely important to overall brand perception.
• Customer service faces serious operational challenges: 65 percent of executives report low efficiency within the function, directly leading to reduced satisfaction.
• Gen AI offers real promise: already, 33 percent of organizations using generative AI are seeing improved first-contact resolution rates.

It’s time to change the game. And that’s where Customer Experience (CX) with ServiceNow comes in.

The Capgemini plus ServiceNow vision for CX

Capgemini believes that delivering great customer experience doesn’t start at the front-end. It starts deep in the back office – where the real magic (or mess) happens. ServiceNow gives us the platform to streamline and orchestrate customer journeys end-to-end, breaking down silos and automating complexity.

CX with ServiceNow is a strategic offering that combines:

• ServiceNow’s powerful AI-driven workflows
• Capgemini’s industry and functional expertise
• A library of real-world demo scenarios across energy, utilities, public sector, and more.

We’re not just fixing broken experiences. We’re reimagining them.

From fragmented to frictionless

In most organizations, customer service is a relay race. CRM passes the baton to IT. IT passes it to field services. Field services hands it to billing. It’s disjointed, inefficient, and slow.

CX with ServiceNow changes the game.

We create unified workflows that treat the customer journey as a single, intelligent flow – no matter how many departments are involved. With ServiceNow, we automate case routing, streamline approvals, integrate legacy systems, and enable real-time visibility for agents and customers alike.

And most importantly, we embed agentic AI to power decision-making at every step.

Agentic AI: The smart core of CX

Agentic AI is not basic chatbots. They’re intelligent digital agents that:

• Monitor data from across the ecosystem
• Detect issues early (sometimes before the customer even notices)
• Trigger the right workflows based on business logic and intent
• Escalate and communicate in human-friendly ways
• Learn and improve over time.

In our demos, you’ll see how agentic AI enables:

• Autonomous power outage triage and dispatch
• Auto diagnosing and fixing machinery in manufacturing
• Tax office support driven by natural language understanding
• AI-based customer notifications and smart triage for service disruptions
• Seamless, integrated journeys across CRM, GIS, ERP, and field ops.

Tailored for the real world

We’re not building these solutions in a vacuum. Every CX demo we deliver is based on real-world pain points we hear from clients across sectors:

• In energy and utilities, we show how to proactively detect outages, trigger repair workflows, and keep customers informed every step of the way.
• In the public sector, we demonstrate how intelligent workflows reduce the strain on overstretched services and make it easier for citizens to get the help they need.
• In smart factory and industrial, we show how CX isn’t just about customer service – it’s about operational continuity, safety, and compliance.

Each scenario is brought to life with working demos that showcase how the NOW platform and Capgemini’s expertise come together to deliver value.

Delivering the bottom line

Customer experience isn’t just a feel-good metric. It impacts trust, loyalty, efficiency, and brand reputation. It’s the difference between a complaint and a lifelong advocate.

CX with ServiceNow gives organizations the tools to automate what should be automated, humanize what needs empathy, predict problems before they happen, and respond at speed and scale.

CX with ServiceNow gives organizations the tools to automate what should be automated, humanize what needs empathy, predict problems before they happen, and respond at speed and scale.

Want to see it in action? Get in touch for a live demo or to explore how CX with ServiceNow could work for your organization.

Join us at ServiceNow Knowledge 2025, to embrace our theme “Intelligence, meet experience. Welcome to your agentic-powered business,” highlighting how our intelligent solutions are designed to enhance customer experiences and empower businesses with agentic AI capabilities.

We cannot have a sustainable energy system without storage, and lots of it. For signatory countries to achieve the commitments set at COP28, for example, global energy storage systems must increase sixfold by 2030.

Batteries are expected to contribute 90% of this capacity. They also help optimize energy pricing, match supply with demand and prevent power outages, among many other critical energy system tasks. Put simply, batteries are the beating heart of the energy transition – so what are the opportunities and challenges of this pivotal market? To find out, the Capgemini Research Institute surveyed 750 senior executives globally, including in the energy and utilities sectors. Its research report, The battery revolution: shaping tomorrow’s mobility and energy, generally reflects what I hear from clients, but I would add a couple of other factors.

As battery prices fall, their prevalence goes up

Let’s start with the good news: the falling price of batteries as production capacity increased over the past decade or so. It will be interesting to see how these ongoing price drops impact two of the challenges highlighted in the report – the extended payback period for investors and the profitability of manufacturers.

Likewise, as batteries become more available and affordable, I believe that every solar photovoltaic site will have some form of battery storage. I also expect that we will see more residential battery use. That could be people buying their own battery energy storage system (BESS) to capture energy from their solar panels and discharge it at peak times. Or it could be EV owners with Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) functionality renting or leasing a battery through the growing trend for Batteries-as-a-Service (BaaS).

Innovation could lead to surplus batteries and energy demand outstripping supply

This rise in availability, and corresponding drop in cost, also has its downsides. First, with so many batteries coming on to the market, how can we track where they are all are, or how well they are cared for during their life cycle? And what happens when an innovation arrives like “Flash Charging”, from the Chinese company BYD, which allows an EV battery to charge in 15 minutes? How do we know that the stock it supersedes will be properly disposed of, not just thrown into landfill?

Second, if increasing numbers of homes have a BESS and an EV charging point, it will create a level of demand that the grid was not designed to meet. For example, it makes sense to charge your EV overnight. But if everyone does the same, it puts a huge stress on the system. This could conceivably lead the Distribution System Operator (DSO) to tell consumers they can’t have an EV charger or a BESS – the political implications of which could be huge.

One final issue I would call out, which is also in the report, is the growing need for sovereignty in battery and energy production. We have all seen the impact on energy prices of being overly reliant on other countries for our supply. But having just one country – China – produce 83% of the world’s batteries, and mine around of one fifth of its lithium, creates similar vulnerabilities. Only time will tell how the trade tariffs the US administration recently imposed on China will affect the price of batteries and their raw materials stateside, for example.

Data and AI will be a big part of any solution

Currently, there is no single, defined solution to the issues I have described. But here are some ideas to consider.

1. In today’s distributed energy system, data and AI are king – so why not use them to help ease the stresses I have described? For example, advanced battery management systems can extend the life of batteries by constantly monitoring and maintaining their health and optimizing the way they charge and discharge. Data and AI can also speed up research and increase visibility of the supply chain.
2. Collaboration between governments and industry could help to overcome the issue of an overstrained power grid. For example, Great Britain’s energy regulator, OFGEM, has tasked the UK’s National Energy System Operator (NESO) with coordinating the delivery of a data sharing infrastructure (DSI) for the sector (until 2028). Having a DSI in place will ultimately make it easier to connect all the battery storage devices on the grid and optimize when and how they are used.
3. Europe and the US have invested heavily in rebalancing the scales for battery production. (Though again, it remains to be seen how the tariffs imposed by the US will affect its own efforts.) Meanwhile, governments that are serious about sovereignty will need to keep incentivizing local production. That’s as well as supporting the research and development of technologies that rely on different components or materials, like solid-state and sodium-ion batteries.
4. As I said before, new innovations risk making old ones redundant. Yet according to our report, just one in three organizations has taken meaningful steps to establish a circular economy. To move the dial, we need more initiatives like the EU Sustainable Batteries Regulation, more research into recycling and repurposing methods and a ‘sustainable-by-design’ approach to battery manufacture.

Batteries are not the only storage

These challenges will not be solved overnight. But meanwhile, other innovations are emerging. For example, the giant solar array at New York City’s John F Kennedy International Airport will also feature 3,84 MW of hydrogen fuel cells. I’m sure London’s Heathrow Airport would have appreciated this capacity when a fire in one of the electrical substations supplying its power forced it to close for over a day in March 2025.

Far from being the be all and end all, then, batteries are part of a bigger picture of energy storage – one that is constantly evolving. In future, this could mean we have a sustainable energy system that deploys different types of storage to help it manage, monitor and optimize energy use. With AI technologies developing at pace, we have more opportunity than ever to achieve it.

Product-centric innovation fuels business growth in a unified ecosystem

Service management was a bit of a solo act not too long ago. It stood alone, as an IT cost center, but now it’s taking center stage to drive an integrated and AI-driven world that’s revolutionizing service management. Once impossible, enterprises across sectors can adopt these technological leaps to enhance their operations with cloud-first models, intelligent automation, and digital-first experiences, among other solutions.

As a ServiceNow consulting partner, Capgemini’s experts are helping organizations unlock the full potential of ServiceNow’s integration platform, going beyond ITSM. Below are five top trends we believe position businesses as digital transformation leaders.

1. Unleashing AI-powered autonomy – The prospect of unleashing artificial intelligence might seem daunting, but the technology has matured. Companies can confidently loosen the reins and make AI and intelligent automation the nerve center of modern service management. According to Gartner, AI and machine learning are rapidly getting smarter and now have the capacity to resolve up to 40 percent of IT incidents automatically. This real-world progress uses proactive and predictive services to transform everyday operations and positively impact bottom lines. For instance, a large retail company implemented AI-driven solutions, such as Agentic AI and next-gen virtual assistants, to manage its IT incidents. Since this technology continuously learns from historical data and real-time inputs, it could predict – and resolve – issues before they escalated, as well as automate routine tasks and make context-aware decisions. The company achieved a 40 percent reduction in IT incidents, decreased downtime, and improved overall productivity. AI’s evolution to handling even more complex decision-making paves the way for a resilient and agile operational landscape.
2. Shifting from silos to seamless ecosystems – Customer needs are always evolving – and every service offering must also align with their expectations at every touchpoint and deliver a seamless customer experience. To achieve this, modern service management requires a consolidated view that breaks down silos between SIAM, ITSM, and ESM, thereby creating a unified approach, which shifts from cost centers to product-centric solutions. In one example, Capgemini partnered with a US public agency to enhance its ServiceNow integration and management services (SIAM) through the platform, delivering secure, reliable, and recoverable IT services for state agencies. The benefits were a 20 percent reduction in IT costs, doubled customer satisfaction, increased agility, and faster innovation, ultimately improving collaboration and transparency across business functions. 
3. Prioritizing responsive cloud-first and hybrid service models – As remote work and digital transformation accelerate, flexible and scalable service models become essential. The transition to cloud-first and hybrid service models isn’t just an upgrade – it’s a strategic imperative for modern, distributed enterprises. Cloud-first models provide the agility to scale operations up or down with ease, while hybrid environments, which blend on-premises and cloud-based solutions, ensure business continuity and support distributed workforces. Both these models empower organizations to innovate quickly while maintaining cost efficiencies and robust performance. They support a responsive infrastructure that adapts to market disruptions and evolving customer expectations.
4. . Enhancing invisible and intuitive interactions – Customer and employee experiences are now defining and driving competitive advantages. Yet even modern expectations can be surpassed with enhanced digital interactions. At the forefront are seamless omnichannel journeys that can be hyper-personalized at scale. Today’s robust digital experience blends functionality with ease, and it offers intuitive solutions at the point of need to create frictionless experiences. For employees, ServiceNow’s platform enables user-friendly AI-powered interfaces to be built into tools and systems, while also integrating other collaboration tools and virtual assistants such as Microsoft Copilot or Dynamics 365. Staff can perform the task at hand, self-provision workloads, and resolve issues quickly and easily – without waiting for traditional support channels. Workflows are streamlined. Cumbersome, human-dependent processes are replaced with intelligent, “invisible” systems that deliver a consumer-like experience. This approach enhances usability and elevates overall service quality.
5. Committing to transparency in AI ethics and governance – As AI and automation become central to service management, guaranteeing ethical governance and seamless infrastructure help safeguard an enterprise’s operations from privacy risks and cyber threats, while boosting client trust. Capgemini has recently developed ServiceNow solution that helps organizations comply with the EU’S new Digital Operations Resilience Act (DORA). It uses automated methodologies to assess compliance maturity, resilience mapping and reporting, third-party risk, and delivers improved security and information sharing.

It’s critical to embed security into every layer of service management. Transparent decision-making processes, clear audit trails, and robust compliance protocols ensure that automated systems align with ethical standards and regulatory requirements, which are continuously changing. 

The fascinating future of service management is already here, and these five trends can help organizations dream smarter and innovate faster. With Capgemini’s support, companies can leverage the ServiceNow platform as its foundation to integrate AI intelligently and fulfill its vison for the future.

Join us at ServiceNow Knowledge 2025, to embrace our theme “Intelligence, meet experience. Welcome to your agentic-powered business,” highlighting how our intelligent solutions are designed to enhance customer experiences and empower businesses with agentic AI capabilities.  

Technology is bringing innovation to the life sciences sector and transforming the patient experience.

Clinical trials would be impossible without willing participants. Vaccines, drug treatments, medical devices, and other clinical services designed to prevent disease, treat illnesses, and improve quality of life could be delayed or even derailed without effective trials.

For life-sciences organizations and pharmaceutical companies, the work of coordinating the complex and interdependent stages of clinical trials – especially the critical recruitment and retention of patients – has long been a slow-going, labor-intensive, and manual process. But that’s swiftly changing, thanks to the power of technology to automate, accelerate, and scale the clinical trials process. As a ServiceNow consulting partner, Capgemini is helping organizations undertake this type of business transformation, delivering operational services to support all participants in clinical trials, especially patients.

A holistic approach to transforming trials

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the ways in which people interacted and went about their daily lives changed dramatically. With people directed to stay at home, Signant Health, the company awarded clinic-trial management for Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine, faced a monumental challenge. It had to urgently find a way to organize the tens of thousands of patients required to bring a vaccine to the world and concurrently manage large-scale data, patient engagement, and communication – all under stringent deadlines. Millions of lives were at stake. If people couldn’t participate in clinical trials in person, there had to be a way to reach them in their new, largely virtual, lives.

With Capgemini’s support, experience, and industry expertise, Signant Health moved to ServiceNow’s NOW platform to support a more robust patient experience. Within four weeks, the people, processes, and tools were in place and integrated to execute a highly complex study with more than 46,000 patients. Signant Health now had the technological capacity to deliver an innovative method of clinical service orchestration – the seamless integration and delivery of operational services to patients, healthcare providers, and pharmaceutical companies.

Automating the patient experience from mobile phones to chatbots

That process generated a 95 percent patient satisfaction rate, notably because it was innovative, simple, and intuitive, but there was another reason: it was human-centric, putting participants first. That is critical, as a major hurdle in clinical trials is that, on average, 30 percent of patients drop out over the course of the process. That results in 85 percent of clinical trials failing to retain enough participants.

So, why are people exiting trials that could improve their own lives and potentially those of millions more? Reasons include onerous record-keeping requirements in paper journals, the need to travel to in-person appointments, and barriers in accessing timely information and support, like troubleshooting issues with wearables.

The NOW platform’s patient portal, which is accessible around the clock, helps remove these obstacles. And much like any customer journey, like shopping, banking, or streaming a movie, the online user experience is critical, for patients and for investigators and other participants. People expect an omnichannel experience and the platform delivers, ensuring seamless operations, enabling patients to access the portal via mobile and other connected devices.

Driving the patient experience also delivers business outcomes

Clinical trials take time and the best way to improve outcomes is to provide high-touch multi-channel support, where patient engagement and communication are key. Imagine the continuum and volume of “contacts” required throughout the trial’s life cycle and the impact that has on patients. The portal is designed to anticipate and guide the non-linear patient journey, thereby expanding accessibility and boosting the overall experience.

Between in-person visits, patient data is collected through mobile phones, IoMT devices, and other connected technologies, such as wearables that track health metrics and patient diaries. This eliminates the need for manual record-keeping and the potential for patients to miss reporting or forget key details that could create gaps in, or reduce the reliability of, the data.

Patient privacy, however, remains paramount. Medical data is not stored on the ServiceNow platform. Its core focus is ensuring seamless operations and powering and optimizing workflows to enable a quick resolution. If a patient has a concern or feedback, they can provide that through an automated channel, like a chatbot, or live support. The result is two-way communication where patients can drive improvements and also find quick solutions to frequent queries. This supports patient retention, which promotes speedier and more successful clinical trials, accelerating time to care for life sciences organizations.

The platform we developed with ServiceNow and Signant Health was an unqualified success and helped develop a vaccine for the deadliest health crises to occur in many generations. For life sciences companies, this translates into better IoMT device management, reduced operational friction, improved trial efficiency, and increased patient satisfaction. It is an example of technology helping humans when we needed it most.

 Join us at ServiceNow Knowledge 2025, to embrace our theme “Intelligence, meet experience. Welcome to your agentic-powered business,” highlighting how our intelligent solutions are designed to enhance customer experiences and empower businesses with agentic AI capabilities.