Artificial intelligence (AI) is more than just a term; it is a disruptive force altering businesses throughout the world. Companies, ranging from Indian IT behemoths to global conglomerates, are rushing to capitalize on AI’s promise. The excitement over its potential is great, but there are concerns. The big issue is: Will AI result in enormous employment losses, or is there more to the story?
While industry experts have various viewpoints, one thing is certain: there is employment displacement, but there is also job creation. Upskilling has never been more important, because AI is altering employment rather than destroying them.
“AI is set to fundamentally reshape workforce strategies over the next decade, especially in industries like IT, where change is the only constant,” says Ramprakash Ramamoorthy, Zoho Corp’s Director of AI Research. Ramamoorthy believes that AI will improve positions that include data processing, routine decision-making, and operational activities. Support agents, quality assurance testers, and data analysts may see significant changes when AI replaces monotonous tasks. However, this transition is not about job loss; rather, it is about work evolution.
Avinash Godkhindi, MD & CEO of Zaggle, a publicly traded SaaS company, thinks that positions that need repetitive, rule-based operations, such as data entry, financial reconciliation, and basic customer service, are likely to be rationalized. AI can do these jobs with better precision and speed.
Ritesh Malhotra, Enterprise Head Great Learning at Great Learning, a prominent global ed-tech business, told Business Today that educating the workforce for tasks that do not yet exist takes vision, agility, and a dedication to continual learning. “Similar to the rise of electricity and telephony, believe AI will be a force multiplier in creating new jobs and spurring economic growth,” according to Ramamoorthy.
A World Economic Forum research supports this hopeful prognosis. By 2025, AI is anticipated to replace 75 million jobs while generating 133 million new ones. While particular industries may see severe displacement, the global impact will be a net gain of 58 million jobs.
As AI gains traction, industry experts believe the professions it cannot readily replace are those that demand critical thinking, creativity, and interpersonal skills—fields such as business development, product management, and customer relationship management. However, these positions will change and become more important as AI technologies are used to make better decisions and create value.