ANNOUNCEMENT

Hexaware Positioned as a Visionary in the 2026 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Custom Software Development Services

Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Custom Software Development Services, By Jaideep Thyagarajan, Ryan McKinney, Nathan Davie, 28 September 2026. Gartner and Magic Quadrant are trademarks of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates. Gartner does not endorse any company, vendor, product or service depicted in its publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s business and technology insights organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this publication, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. This graphic was published by Gartner, Inc. as part of a larger research document and should be evaluated in the context of the entire document. The Gartner document is available upon request from Hexaware.

Cognitive Computing

What is cognitive computing?

Cognitive computing is technology that mimics human thought processes like reasoning, learning, and decision-making. These systems use advanced AI technologies to analyze data and solve complex problems. A simple cognitive computing definition is creating computerized models that mimic human cognition to assist in decision-making, especially where the answer is unclear or uncertain.

How does cognitive computing work?

Cognitive computing systems work by processing massive amounts of structured and unstructured data, identifying patterns, and generating insights. They use AI-driven technologies like machine learning, neural networks, and natural language processing to analyze data, learn from it, and adapt over time. They are designed to interact with humans naturally, understand the context, and provide tailored recommendations.

What are the business benefits of cognitive computing?

The benefits of cognitive computing for businesses include:

Sifting through big data to uncover insights that drive better decisions
Automating repetitive tasks, streamlining processes, and saving time and resources
Enabling businesses to deliver services customized to individual customer needs
Creating new products and services by identifying trends and patterns

What are the disadvantages of cognitive computing?

Despite its advantages, cognitive computing has some drawbacks:

Implementing cognitive computing systems requires significant investment in infrastructure and expertise
Developing and maintaining these systems is challenging and requires specialized skills
The accuracy of cognitive computing systems depends heavily on the quality of the data they process

What are examples of cognitive computing applications?

Examples of cognitive computing include:

Voice assistants like Siri and Alexa, which use natural language processing to interact with users
Cognitive computing systems assist in diagnosing diseases and creating personalized treatment plans
These systems are used for fraud detection, risk assessment, and predictive analytics
Cognitive computing applications help personalize shopping experiences and optimize inventory management

How can businesses transition to cognitive operations?

Moving from traditional business operations to cognitive business operations involves:

Identifying use cases: Determine where cognitive computing use cases can add value, such as improving decision-making or automating tasks
Investing in technology: Implement AI and cognitive computing platforms to enhance existing workflows
Training employees: Equip teams with the skills to work alongside cognitive computing systems
Iterative improvement: Continuously refine systems based on feedback and performance

What is the future of cognitive computing?

The future of cognitive computing technology lies in advancing human-machine collaboration, enabling real-time decision-making, and solving increasingly complex problems. As cognitive computing capabilities evolve, they will play a critical role in industries like healthcare, finance, and autonomous systems. 

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