AI in India: Jobs evolved, not erased - opportunity and reskilling key, experts claim
OpenAI’s entrance marked a turning point, automating routine tasks and disrupting employment sectors like data entry and call centres. However, the AI wave also brought a surge of opportunities in data science, engineering, and machine learning, creating a new landscape of high-skilled jobs. Mint speaks with hiring experts to probe into AI’s impact on Indian jobs after its emergence.
Experts told Mint that AI has caused both disruption and adaptation, with challenges like the digital divide coupled with social unrest balanced by the potential of AI to revolutionize traditional sectors like agriculture, healthcare, and education. World Economic Forum (WEF) anticipates that AI will generate 12 million more jobs than it displaces by 2025. India houses a talent base of 416K AI professionals as of August 2023 as opposed to the current demand of approximately 629K, a figure expected to surge to 1 million by 2026, according to a report by Wheebox National Employability Test (WNET).
Young employability surges to 51.25 per cent, with Haryana, Maharashtra, and UP leading in talent concentration, the report added. Over 85 per cent of employers foresee AI generating new job opportunities within the next 1-5 years. This optimism is shared by around 63 per cent of job seekers, with 53 per cent believing that AI will create more jobs.
Sectors like Education, Healthcare, Media, Finance, and Technology witness significant enthusiasm from 50-65 per cent of job seekers toward AI adoption. However, industries such as Construction, Logistics, Government, and Transportation display a more reserved response, an Indeed India survey revealed. AI is already changing how we work, and its influence is only going to grow.
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