BPO and SSC ahead of 2026: Cost pressures, cautious AI adoption and a shift toward higher-value processes

On 24 November, Łódź hosted the conference “BPO and SSC trends in 2026,” organised by Pro Progressio in strategic partnership with the City of Łódź and the Łódź Special Economic Zone. The event brought together more than 120 representatives of the business services sector – including BPO, GBS, SSC, GCC, CX and IT organisations from cities across Poland. It was the fourth consecutive edition of an annual Łódź-based event examining forward-looking trends in the BPO and SSC industry.

The conference’s content sessions focused on the sector’s key development directions, with particular attention to technological transformation, evolving work models and macroeconomic factors shaping investment decisions. Speakers underscored the maturity of Poland’s business services market – a result of more than three decades of growth and successive waves of change, from simple processes and early automation to the era of robotics and AI-supported solutions.

Among the positive trends highlighted were the increasingly diverse maturity levels of operational centres in Poland, a growing share of knowledge-based processes and the country’s strong positioning as an attractive location for both nearshoring and offshoring projects. Participants also pointed to cultural and communication proximity to Western Europe, North America and parts of Asia as a continued advantage for foreign investors.

Challenges that may affect the sector’s growth trajectory were also discussed. The war in Ukraine, sustained wage pressures and the ambiguous impact of automation and AI were cited repeatedly. While new technologies offer efficiency gains, they can also lead to workforce reductions in selected areas. Consolidation was identified as another visible trend, particularly in CX services and accounting operations.

Artificial intelligence dominated the agenda, yet both speakers and attendees stressed the need for a measured approach. Despite widespread expectations surrounding AI, a gap between declarations and real-world implementation persists; according to data presented at the conference, only around 4% of AI deployments currently succeed. At the same time, Poland’s fast uptake of new technologies may support further sector development, although the scope and pace of adoption remain under close watch.

From an organisational and strategic perspective, participants pointed to the need for greater diversification of service centre activities – including expanding R&D functions and building Centres of Excellence as pathways from transactional operations toward higher-value capabilities. When discussing workplace models, attendees largely agreed that hybrid work is expected to remain the predominant approach in 2026.

One of the programme’s highlights was the pre-launch presentation of the report “GBS Next Stop: Łódź, Poland,” prepared by KPMG, Antal and Invest in Łódź. The report identifies Łódź as one of the key growth hubs for the GBS sector in Central and Eastern Europe.

Following the formal agenda, participants and members of the Pro Progressio Club met for an informal evening networking session at the Farina Bianco restaurant, continuing discussions and strengthening business relations in a more relaxed setting.

The conference reaffirmed that while Poland’s BSS sector faces significant challenges, it continues to offer strong fundamentals and competitive advantages as a location for both domestic and international investors.

A photo gallery is available on the event website.

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