Founder Yash Thakker explains why the future of AI belongs to businesses willing to redesign their operations, not simply automate them.

Artificial Intelligence has become a priority for businesses across industries. From customer service and operations to manufacturing and decision-making, organisations are investing heavily in AI. Yet, despite the growing enthusiasm, many enterprises continue to struggle with one question: how do they move beyond experimentation and create real business impact?

According to Yash Thakker, Founder of devx labs, the answer lies in changing the way organisations think about AI altogether.

Instead of viewing AI as another technology layer that can be added to existing systems, he believes companies need to rethink how their businesses operate from the ground up. That philosophy has shaped devx labs, an AI-native consulting and engineering company helping enterprises redesign operations for the next generation of business.

In an exclusive conversation with Indian Startup Times, Thakker spoke about the company’s vision, the common mistakes enterprises make while adopting AI, how devx labs is building its own AI-native culture, and why leadership commitment is the deciding factor in successful transformation.

Building for an AI-Native World

devx labs was founded with a clear objective: to help organisations become AI-native rather than simply technology-enabled.

Thakker explained that traditional consulting firms often focus on implementing software or improving existing systems. devx labs takes a different approach by working with businesses to redesign operations around artificial intelligence from the beginning.

The company partners with technology leaders including Google Cloud, AWS, OpenAI, and Anthropic to build enterprise AI solutions that are focused on measurable business outcomes rather than technology implementation alone.

“Our goal is not to help companies use AI as an additional feature,” Thakker said. “We want organisations to rethink how they operate in an AI-first world.”

AI Should Be Treated as a Business Priority

One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding AI, according to Thakker, is that it remains an IT initiative in many organisations.

He believes AI should be discussed in boardrooms rather than only within technology teams because its impact extends far beyond software. It influences customer experience, operational efficiency, revenue generation, and long-term competitiveness.

For that reason, CEOs and leadership teams need to drive AI transformation from the top instead of delegating it entirely to technical departments.

“When AI becomes a business strategy instead of a technology project, organisations begin to unlock real value,” he noted.

Why Many AI Projects Fail to Deliver

While companies continue launching AI pilots, relatively few succeed in deploying AI across their business.

Thakker believes the problem is not the technology itself but the way businesses approach transformation.

Many organisations simply add AI tools to existing processes without questioning whether those processes should exist in the same form at all.

He compared this approach to renovating a house that already has structural problems.

“If you only renovate one room, the foundation remains the same,” he explained. “Real transformation comes from rebuilding the house.”

That rebuilding process begins with strong data infrastructure, modern APIs, and connected enterprise systems. Without those foundations, AI struggles to deliver meaningful returns regardless of how advanced the models may be.

Looking Beyond Automation

For devx labs, AI is about redesigning complete business workflows rather than automating isolated tasks.

Thakker shared the example of a retail business where AI can simultaneously manage inventory planning, pricing decisions, customer interactions, demand forecasting, and personalised recommendations. Instead of functioning as separate systems, these capabilities work together as an intelligent operating model.

This integrated approach allows organisations to achieve significantly greater efficiency than traditional automation projects.

Reducing a 35-Day Process to Just Seven Days

One example that reflects the company’s approach involved a  manufacturer struggling with fragmented manual operations.

The process from receiving an order specification to beginning production required multiple approvals and disconnected systems, stretching the timeline to nearly five weeks.

devx labs redesigned the workflow using a multi-agent AI architecture that enabled different intelligent agents to coordinate information, automate decision-making, and remove operational bottlenecks.

The result was dramatic.

The production initiation timeline was reduced from 35 days to just 7 days, allowing the business to improve operational efficiency while reducing manual intervention across teams.

For Thakker, the project demonstrated that AI creates the greatest value when organisations redesign processes instead of automating individual tasks.

Practising AI Internally Before Recommending It

devx labs applies the same philosophy within its own organisation.

Rather than relying entirely on third-party software, the company develops internal AI tools to solve its own operational challenges.

One such platform, Atlas, supports recruitment by helping screen candidates and evaluate applications more efficiently. AI agents are also used during hiring workflows, while Claude provides insights into customer relationship management pipelines.

Thakker described this approach as “dogfooding”, where the company actively uses its own AI-first mindset before recommending similar transformations to clients.

The objective, he said, is to build software around business needs rather than forcing businesses to adapt to software.

Building an Organisation That Embraces Change

devx labs currently has a team of around 150 employees, with an average age of 27.

Thakker believes organisational design plays an equally important role in AI transformation.

One of the company’s unique roles is that of an Outcome Manager, who focuses not only on project execution but also on change management and ensuring that AI initiatives deliver measurable business results.

This reflects the company’s belief that successful AI adoption depends as much on people and processes as it does on technology.

Learning Never Stops

With AI evolving almost every week, staying current has become essential.

To keep pace with rapid technological developments, devx labs has established an internal research and development team. Employees are also encouraged to publish technical blogs and share knowledge across the organisation.

According to Thakker, continuous learning has become part of the company’s culture rather than an occasional exercise.

This helps engineering teams stay updated while ensuring clients benefit from the latest advancements in AI.

Choosing Sustainable Growth

Unlike many startups chasing aggressive funding rounds, devx labs is taking a more measured path.

The company has already raised its Pre-Series A round and is currently profitable. As a result, there are no immediate plans to raise additional capital.

Instead, the focus is on expanding into international markets, particularly Singapore, the Middle East, and the United Kingdom.

Thakker believes sustainable growth gives the company the flexibility to invest in long-term capabilities without compromising its values or culture.

Protecting Culture While Scaling

When asked about the biggest lesson from building the company, Thakker pointed to culture.

He believes organisations often compromise hiring quality in pursuit of rapid growth.

At devx labs, the emphasis remains on hiring people who align with both the role and the company’s values.

Maintaining talent density, he said, is far more valuable than expanding headcount quickly.

For him, culture is not an afterthought. It is one of the company’s strongest competitive advantages.

The Next Five Years of Enterprise AI

Looking ahead, Thakker expects AI to fundamentally reshape enterprise software and business operations.

He believes organisations will increasingly rely on intelligent systems capable of managing complex workflows instead of traditional software applications designed for individual tasks.

However, he also cautions businesses against becoming dependent on a single AI provider.

Companies should focus on owning the architecture around their AI systems so they remain flexible as technology continues to evolve.

A Question Every Founder Should Ask

Before concluding the conversation, Thakker shared a simple exercise for founders and business leaders beginning their AI journey.

He encourages leaders to ask themselves one question:

“If I were starting this business today, how would I build it?”

The answer, he believes, provides the foundation for a practical two to three-year transformation roadmap.

For devx labs, AI is not about replacing people or adding another software tool. It is about giving businesses the opportunity to rethink how they operate in a world where intelligence is becoming part of every workflow.

As enterprises continue searching for meaningful ways to adopt AI, devx labs is making the case that the greatest opportunity lies not in improving yesterday’s systems, but in building tomorrow’s organisations from scratch.

By Arushi Agarwal