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NTT DATA, a leading global technology consultancy and digital transformation partner, announced the acquisition of The Cloud People, one of Europe’s largest pure-play ServiceNow partners. This strategic move significantly expands NTT DATA’s capabilities in workflow automation, enterprise service management, and AI-enhanced process solutions, while strengthening its footprint across Northern Europe, Central Europe, and beyond.
The Cloud People, founded in 2019 and headquartered in Oslo, Norway, brings more than 300 consultants and 130 active enterprise customers to NTT DATA Business Solutions, a key business unit within the NTT DATA Group focused on helping enterprises modernize and automate core operations. With deep expertise in ServiceNow’s platform and a dedicated AI Center of Excellence, The Cloud People will enhance NTT DATA’s ability to deliver advanced, next-generation AI-enabled enterprise services at scale.
Strengthening Enterprise Automation and AI Transformation
ServiceNow has emerged as one of the most widely adopted platforms for IT service management (ITSM), customer service workflows, human resources automation, and security operations. The acquisition places NTT DATA in a stronger position to deliver end-to-end automation solutions that help clients run their digital operations more efficiently.
The Cloud People’s proven success with ServiceNow solutions, covering incident, problem and change management, resource planning, onboarding/offboarding tasks, and more, will now be amplified with NTT DATA’s global delivery scale and consulting expertise. Together, they intend to co-develop and market AI-powered workflow automation that empowers organizations to streamline operations and reduce manual effort, particularly in complex enterprise environments.
This strategic fit reflects a broader industry shift toward intelligent automation and generative AI integration, where companies increasingly look for solutions that combine operational data, AI insights, and workflow orchestration to cut costs, improve employee productivity, and accelerate decision-making.
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Impact on Japan’s Tech Industry
Accelerating AI-Driven Services and Digital Workflows
NTT DATA’s acquisition underscores the growing importance of AI-enhanced automation in global enterprise IT strategies. For businesses in Japan, where digital transformation remains a key agenda for both private and public sectors, this development signals stronger access to world-class automation frameworks and AI-assisted workflow solutions backed by ServiceNow and NTT’s global delivery network.
By integrating The Cloud People’s expertise with its own consulting and technical services, NTT DATA enhances its ability to support Japanese companies in automating complex internal processes and modernize legacy systems. This will be especially valuable in industries such as finance, manufacturing, logistics, and telecommunications, where workflow bottlenecks and administrative overhead remain persistent challenges.
Expanding Global Leadership in AI and Automation
Japan’s tech industry has been rapidly adopting AI and robotic process automation (RPA) to stay competitive against peers in North America, Europe, and China. NTT DATA’s strengthened portfolio will help domestic firms better compete abroad by offering scalable, AI-enabled enterprise solutions designed to operate across multi-region landscapes.
NTT DATA’s strategic alignment with platforms like ServiceNow, which is increasingly embedding generative AI into its workflow and operational offerings, mirrors global trends in agentic AI services that optimize routine tasks and enable predictive operations. Japan’s enterprises can leverage these capabilities to improve labor productivity at a time when workforce shortages are a national economic concern.
Furthermore, the acquisition will facilitate knowledge transfer between The Cloud People’s AI Center of Excellence and NTT DATA’s teams in Japan, potentially accelerating local innovation in enterprise AI deployment. This could translate into more sophisticated AI solutions tailored to Japanese business needs.
Effects on Businesses Operating in the IT Services Sector
Broader ServiceNow Expertise and Innovation
For system integrators and IT consulting firms in Japan, this acquisition boosts ServiceNow skills and new delivery methods. NTT DATA’s improved skills may boost competition among local and global providers. This could lead to wider use of ServiceNow and other workflow platforms.
Service providers must expand their AI and automation efforts to stand out. This will boost industry investments in training, certification, and innovation labs focused on AI-enhanced business operations.
Increased Focus on Intelligent Automation Projects
Enterprises that want to digitize operations, like HR and customer support, can now access improved capabilities from NTT DATA. This also includes areas like security and compliance. Automation projects are no longer just isolated efforts. Now, they are seen as key digital investments. Companies expect to see clear ROI through lower costs, faster cycle times, and fewer errors.
The new capabilities will create chances for managed services. They will support long-term digital transformation projects and recurring revenue models based on AI automation.
Long-Term Strategic Outlook
NTT DATA’s purchase of The Cloud People sets the stage for a key role in enterprise service automation. This merger blends strong technical skills, local market insight, and a wide global reach. NTT DATA is expanding its ServiceNow portfolio. It’s adding AI-powered workflow solutions. This move aligns with the next wave of global digital business transformation.
This move shows how important it is for Japanese companies and the local tech scene to invest in intelligent automation, cross-platform integration, and AI-enhanced operations. These steps help them stay competitive and resilient in a digital global economy.
Organizations are dealing with more complexity and shifting customer expectations. To stand out, they need advanced workflow automation and AI tools. NTT DATA is ready to provide these solutions.
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