The birth of Services-as-Software: Phil Fersht and Karthik Krishnamurthy usher in the new era of the workplace Video
From the Horse's Mouth: Intrepid Conversations with Phil FershtShow Notes
Agentic AI. Culture wars. Rewiring leadership. In this electric conversation, Phil Fersht, CEO of HFS Research, sits down with Karthik Krishnamurthy, CEO of Ascendion, to explore why the future of work isn't just being automated, it's being reimagined.
From building trust in AI-powered enterprises to rethinking capital allocation and redefining what it means to be a services firm, this episode dives into the seismic shifts shaping the next decade. Is your company stuck in a legacy mindset, or ready to embrace Services-as-Software?
This one's for the bold.
What You'll Hear in 30 Minutes
* Why 2025 was the year of Agentic at work, but not at scale * The real reason people embrace AI in their personal lives but not at work * Why medium-sized companies are driving the most disruption * How trust, not tools, is the missing ingredient in enterprise AI * The myth of "digital transformation" and what needs to happen next * What Services-as-Software really means—and why it's already here * Why investors need a new playbook for the platform era * The talent profiles needed to win the next decade
Guest Snapshots
Karthik Krishnamurthy is the CEO of Ascendion, where he's pioneering the transformation of traditional IT services into platforms and products designed to deliver meaningful business outcomes. A veteran of the services space, KK's leadership is rooted in redefining how technology connects to enterprise value, and why trust is now the currency of transformation.
Timestamps 00:00 – Welcome and setting the stage for 2025 01:45 – The year of agentic AI at work 04:45 – Personal vs professional AI adoption 06:30 – The leadership trust gap 10:20 – Why mid-sized firms have an edge 13:00 – The fear of change in enterprises 16:00 – The reality of job elimination vs cyclical layoffs 18:20 – Why this industry is about to explode 20:00 – Services firms as last-mile tech partners 22:40 – Breaking the revenue–people linearity 24:00 – What needs to change: leadership, IP, and culture 26:00 – Platforms over PowerPoints: the trust imperative 29:20 – Redefining the services firm 32:00 – The investor POV: Outcomes vs headcount 35:00 – Talent that gets their hands dirty 39:30 – Storytelling as a core capability 41:00 – Smashing the silos, building alignment 43:00 – Rethinking capital allocation 46:00 – R&D and the reinvention imperative 48:00 – Final thoughts: Change is here. Get on board.
Explore More
* Phil Fersht on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipfersht * HFS Research Website: https://www.hfsresearch.com/ * Karthik Krishnamurthy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karthikkrishnamurthy * Ascendion Website: https://ascendion.com/
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