Pearson and Cognizant Announce Global Strategic Partnership to Enhance Learning, Support Early Career Development and Build Workforce Readiness in the AI Era

Collaboration leverages generative and agentic AI to enhance learning and empower workforces with future-ready skills for human-machine collaboration

LONDON and TEANECK, N.J., Sept. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Pearson (FTSE: PSON.L) and Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH) today announced a global strategic partnership aiming to accelerate early-career development, strengthen mid-career transitions, and equip the global workforce with the skills needed to thrive in an era of rapid AI-driven change.

Inefficiencies in career pathways cost the U.S. economy an estimated $1.1 trillion annually—around 5% of GDP—according to Pearson's Lost in Transition research. A recent study by Cognizant and Oxford Economics projects that AI could reshape up to 90% of existing jobs, while driving as much as $1 trillion in annual growth for the U.S. economy by 2032.

As part of a multi-year agreement, Cognizant aims to enhance Pearson's platforms with generative and agentic AI and help Pearson enhance its products including learner experiences and applications by implementing cloud-native solutions with a microservices architecture, leveraging Cognizant Flowsource™. Additionally, Cognizant aims to use their Agent Foundry and Neuro^® SAN solutions to help enhance Pearson's agentic AI critical business processes.

By combining Pearson's expertise in learning and assessment with Cognizant's consulting and technology capabilities, this collaboration is designed to accelerate the development and availability of AI-powered learning, assessments, and workforce skilling programs. Leveraging innovative technologies such as agentic AI, augmented reality, and conversational AI, the companies are jointly developing cutting-edge learning products designed to cater to diverse learning styles and preferences, fostering engaging, accessible, interactive, and more seamless lifelong learning experiences.

As part of the collaboration, Pearson's talent solutions – Credly, Faethm and Talent Lens – aim to support digital credentials, workforce analytics, and cognitive assessments in Cognizant's workforce development programs.

Specifically, Pearson and Cognizant will collaborate across several strategic areas:

Early careers: Cognizant and Pearson will collaborate to help recent graduates, apprentices, and mid-career professionals build skills in AI, cloud, and digital technologies. Pearson will provide content and assessment across Cognizant's existing initiatives, including Synapse and the Immersive Learning Centre in Chennai.

Redefining learning: Cognizant's automation and AI capabilities will help Pearson enhance the performance, availability, and time-to-market of its products and services. Together, the companies will develop new learning products and services that leverage technologies such as agentic AI, augmented reality, virtual reality, and conversational AI.

Global workforce transformation: Cognizant will offer Pearson's products and services to its clients to help them plan for the future impact of tech and identify skill gaps. Cognizant's organizational change expertise and Pearson's AI insights capabilities will help organizations redesign roles, build new skilling pathways, and provide custom training across corporate, business, and technical domains. Additionally, Pearson's learning and assessment solutions will be embedded into Cognizant's client programs across key growth markets, leveraging Cognizant's regional sales and delivery network to accelerate adoption across industries.

Omar Abbosh, CEO of Pearson, said: "AI is quickly redefining the skills we need in the workplace. This means that the most critical skill is learning. This is especially urgent for early career workers, who are already impacted and are just establishing themselves in today's rapidly changing workforce. Together with Cognizant, we can help companies diagnose their skill needs, plan for the future, and execute new talent strategies. Importantly, we can help people at all stages of their careers thrive in this era where people will be working alongside teams of digital agents seamlessly."

Ravi Kumar S, CEO of Cognizant, said: "We are excited to collaborate with Pearson to drive innovation within their own applications and across the education sector. At Cognizant, we are committed to continuously investing in learning. This is exemplified through our research on AI-driven talent readiness and hiring trends, the expansion of our community skill initiative, Synapse, and the establishment of our Chennai Immersive Learning Centre. In partnership with Pearson, we are dedicated to leveraging our expertise in AI and digital engineering to create transformative solutions designed to benefit learners and educators worldwide. This partnership underscores our shared vision to proactively shape a skilled workforce ready to thrive in the AI era."

The partnership with Cognizant advances Pearson's strategy to build 360-degree relationships aiming to drive stronger outcomes for customers, deliver joint go-to-market initiatives, and drive shared growth. It also furthers Pearson's commitment to accelerating AI adoption across its products and serving the enterprise learning market.

About Pearson
At Pearson, our purpose is simple: to help people realize the life they imagine through learning. We believe that every learning opportunity is a chance for a personal breakthrough. That's why our c. 18,000 Pearson employees are committed to creating vibrant and enriching learning experiences designed for real-life impact. We are the world's lifelong learning company, serving customers in nearly 200 countries with digital content, assessments, qualifications, and data. For us, learning isn't just what we do. It's who we are. Visit us at plc.pearson.com.  

About Cognizant
Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH) engineers modern businesses. We help our clients modernize technology, reimagine processes and transform experiences so they can stay ahead in our fast-changing world. Together, we're improving everyday life. See how at www.cognizant.com or @cognizant.

Media contact
sara.bartlett@pearson.com 

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