NTT Data launches a retrofit-ready agentic AI stack to bridge Industry 4.0 to 5.0, transforming legacy RPA bots into autonomous agents and delivering modular, multi-cloud AI across sectors.
In sum – what to know:
Retrofitting 5.0 to 4.0 – patented plug-in transforms old RPA bots into autonomous AI agents – bridging Industry 4.0 to Industry 5.0 in old OT systems.
Composable AI system – modular agents, tools, and templates span sectors; enterprises mix-and-match vertical and horizontal AI to deliver assured outcomes.
Cloud-to-edge delivery – AI infrastructure, private 5G, and hyperscaler flex simplify multi-agent deployments across public/private clouds and networks.
More about the supply of agentic AI into enterprises – following similar announcements from Siemens and Schneider Electric this week. Now, global system integrator NTT Data is claiming a fully managed and flexible ‘ecosystem’ of AI agents for different sectors (“with assured outcomes”) – notably, healthcare, manufacturing, and finance, with bespoke versions for other sectors in the pipe. Interestingly, it says its mix-and-match AI functions can make intelligent agents out of old software-based process automation (RPA) bots, geared for rule-based computer tasks. As such, it proposes a way to layer-in new Industry 5.0 smarts on old Industry 4.0 automation projects.
The retrofit RPA transformer solution is patented, it said. It explained: “This plug-in capability is especially important to companies that want to adopt AI but are constrained by technological debt. Millions of RPA bots have been deployed by businesses worldwide for rules-based automation. Similar to a plug-in module that turns a basic television into a smart TV, [this] new solution can transform bots into intelligent agents that operate autonomously while complying with governance and policies for security and privacy.”
The bigger AI service offer, called Smart AI Agent Ecosystem, covers tools, infrastructure, and support. The nitty gritty of it comprises: an expanding roster of industry-specific vertical AI agents and task-specific horizontal AI agents, which can be picked and paired for enterprise projects; a central AI platform for sundry tools, accelerators, resources, templates, and plug-ins, plus a marketplace for enterprises to find additional agents and large/small language models (LLMs, SLMs). NTT Data is bundling compute and network infrastructure, as well – from cloud to edge, public to private – as part of a total managed build/run consultancy and service wrap.
The (“AI-ready”) infrastructure piece includes accelerated servers and storage in cloud and edge environments for whatever AI models, agents, and other workloads; the networking piece means fiber backbone and cellular access, as required, between cloud/edge environments, linking offices and campuses to cloud platforms in data centers, and to AI agents wherever they reside. NTT Data has a well-oiled IoT solutions and private 5G networks operation, as well – which will be brought to bear through the consultancy process, to refine and organise all the solution pieces. A press note makes reference to “services that leverage public cloud, private cloud, network, and cybersecurity”.
It is offering to manage data security and privacy, in line with enterprise and regulatory requirements, as well as infrastructure (compute, networks), models (training, retraining), and agents themselves. Its AI tooling is available across cloud platforms to orchestrate and simplify multi-agent workflows – so “any agent NTT Data builds can easily be transferred… across Microsoft Azure, AWS and Google Cloud Platform”. Besides, the firm has a bunch of related partnerships and alliances to crow about, including a new OpenAI R&D hub (‘Open AI Center of Excellence’) to develop and deploy industry-specific AI agents based on OpenAI’s GPT models, or at least its APIs.
NTT Data has also said it is working with startups Rafay Systems and Kore.ai to improve cloud infrastructure and digital workplace support. It explained: “Rafay’s platform supports [our] delivery of a scalable, secure and developer-friendly [GPU] platform-as-a-service experience… [to help] enterprises to streamline generative AI adoption, reduce operational complexity, and accelerate deployments of production-grade AI workloads; Kore.ai’s enterprise-grade AI agent platform integrates LLMs to enhance [our] Digital Workplace Services… [and] enhance Service Desk operations, reduce costs and deliver personalized, context-aware support to various clients.”
The firm said it has deployed “hundreds” of AI agent “instances” for enterprise clients, and is readying lots more. Examples include: agents to classify and prioritize insurance appeals and to monitor patient medications in healthcare; agents for analyzing regulatory warning letters and citation and (soon) to root-cause defects and initiate recalls and fixes, and even launch compliance reviews; agents for fraud detection and customer validation in finance; and agents for purchasing workflows, procurement services, and ROI calculations in the adoption, performance and return on investment supply chain and logistics industry.
Yutaka Sasaki, president and chief executive at NTT Data, said: “The rapid evolution of AI presents both immense opportunities and challenges for businesses… We have developed the comprehensive capabilities needed to guide our clients through these transformative times and empower them to shape their future with the power of AI.”
Abhijit Dubey, chief executive at the firm, added: “Agentic AI… will impact every sector, far more than what we have seen with generative AI so far. It’s not just about boosting creativity or productivity. It’s about unlocking new capabilities that can take initiative, make decisions and collaborate with humans in entirely new ways… AI is causing a massive shift similar to the early days of the internet – reshaping how we work, solve problems, and create value. We’re not just watching this future unfold – we’re driving it.”
