Key facts
- Costco's Hyderabad capability centre employs more than 70 people, Polit told Reuters.
- Polit said the centre is expected to grow to several hundred staff over the next five to six years.
- Polit said AI has delivered productivity gains of up to 60% in some technology projects.
- Polit said Costco expects its technology workforce to shift to about 75% employees and 25% contractors.
- Polit said the Hyderabad centre will also support data and analytics, business software and digital advertising operations.
Costco sees room to expand its technology presence in India beyond its Hyderabad capability centre as it accelerates international growth, chief information and digital officer Javier Polit told Reuters on November 12, 2026. The centre, Costco's first global capability centre, plays a role in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity work, he said.
The Hyderabad site employs more than 70 people and is expected to grow to several hundred staff over the next five to six years, Polit said. He did not give a specific hiring target. "We're going to grow our business internationally at a greater velocity than we have been in the past. So there'll be more presence in this geography for sure," Polit said, adding that India was already playing a key role in the retailer's growth plans.
Polit said AI has delivered productivity gains of up to 60% in some technology projects, prompting Costco to build more tools in India for global deployment. Those include a Hyderabad-developed geofencing tool that identifies customers approaching stores to speed check-in and checkout. The centre will also support data and analytics, business software and digital advertising operations, he said.
Over time, Costco expects the mix of its technology workforce to shift to about 75% employees and 25% contractors, from roughly an even split, as it builds more in-house engineering and technology capabilities, Polit said.
Costco set up the Hyderabad centre with support from consulting firm ANSR. Global capability centres, once used mainly by multinationals to cut costs, now drive higher-value work in areas such as technology, finance, product development and research, according to the report. Costco operates a membership-only warehouse club business across North America, Europe and Asia.