Infosys Limited (NSE: INFY, BSE: INFY, NYSE: INFY) saw its stock surge as much as 5% to Rs 1,430.95 on the BSE Tuesday, February 17, 2026, following the announcement of a major strategic AI collaboration with San Francisco-based Anthropic. The move is already shifting market sentiment, as investors appear to be warming to the idea that artificial intelligence might be an opportunity—not a threat—for the Indian IT giant.
The partnership pairs Anthropic’s powerful Claude models—including Claude Code—with Infosys’s proprietary Topaz AI platform. The aim? To build agentic AI systems that automate complex workflows, speed up software delivery, and ensure that AI adoption in heavily regulated industries is guided by strong governance and transparency. That’s a key differentiator, given how much scrutiny sectors like financial services, telecommunications, and manufacturing face.
From Demo to Deployment in Regulated Industries
Infosys and Anthropic aren’t just talking about generic AI. They’re zeroing in on solutions tailored for some of the world’s most complex industries. Dario Amodei, CEO and co-founder of Anthropic, pointed out, “There’s a big gap between an AI model that works in a demo and one that works in a regulated industry—and if you want to close that gap, you need domain expertise. Infosys has exactly that kind of expertise across important industries: telecom, financial services, and manufacturing.”
The collaboration starts with a dedicated Anthropic Center of Excellence in telecommunications, where AI agents will help carriers modernize network operations, streamline customer lifecycle management, and improve service delivery. Infosys says the program will then expand to financial services, manufacturing, and software development—sectors that demand robust compliance and security.
Investor Optimism Returns
The partnership comes at a time when Infosys shares had been under pressure due to fears that next-generation AI could disrupt the traditional software services business. This new strategy, however, positions Infosys as an AI innovator rather than a casualty, with the stock rising more than 3% in pre-market trading and up to 5% by session close.
By integrating Anthropic’s AI expertise with Infosys’s industry know-how, the companies are betting on a future where AI doesn’t just automate tasks, but also brings transparency and governance to the forefront. As the collaboration expands, the focus will remain on building custom AI agents—starting with telecom and quickly moving into other tightly regulated sectors.
