- The CEA said focus should be on making non-cognitive jobs where AI complements humans
- The youth, said the CEA, should be prepared to be able to participate in a world dominated by AI
- In recent years, businesses have griped about how to go beyond ill-fated AI pilots
Acknowledging it is difficult to give precise answers, Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran warned on Saturday that AI advancements put coding and cognitive jobs at risk, which will inevitably affect hiring trends.
"All of us know in the abstract that cognitive jobs will be under threat, coding will be under threat. People like Mr Vembu are tweeting about Anthropic products or how they are so good in coding, etc. So, yes, and this is something that has been brewing for quite some time, but I think specific impact in terms of more than laying off people, in terms of future hiring will be impacted," CEA Nageswaran said at NDTV Profit Conclave, themed "India: The Real Deal".
The warning comes a day after Zoho co-founder Sridhar Vembu said AI models continue to break new barriers and it was time for those writing code, including him, to consider alternative livelihoods.
In recent years, businesses have griped about how to go beyond ill-fated AI pilots and capitalise on an AI craze started by ChatGPT in 2022.
Citing four areas - care economy, health professionals, tourist guides, orange economy (centred on culture, content, and creativity) - the CEA underscored that jobs in these areas can function independently of AI.
"I think we need to, therefore, make non-cognitive jobs where AI complements humans or where jobs can be created independent of AI. And you look at the budget, there are four areas that stand out, although they were not packaged in that manner. Whether it is the care economy ecosystem or the allied health professionals or tourist guides or the orange economy that the budget spoke about, these are all areas wherein you try to create a skilling and jobs in areas which will not be touched by AI, which can flourish independent of AI, and that is the way to look at," the Chief Economic Adviser said.
"So, one is to prepare your youth to be able to participate in the world that will be dominated by AI in cognitive spaces, and the other is to strengthen and make it respectable and fashionable to work in areas which are not necessarily located in steel and glass buildings. But that's an important one," he added.
Amid widespread worries over the impact of artificial intelligence on jobs, Reserve Bank Deputy Governor Poonam Gupta on Friday said the net impact of the new technology on employment will be a positive one.
However, there will be a churn as some jobs get lost, and the challenge will be in managing the transition to the new technology, she told reporters at the RBI headquarters.
She said that the central bank has recently conducted a survey on the impact of AI on productivity and employment, and added that there is no negative effect as of now.
"On employment, while the evidence is or even hypothetically is difficult to talk about, but whatever surveys have been done, whether internationally or domestically in India, as of today is showing a net positive effect," she said.
AI is a disruptive technology and will replace a lot of repetitive jobs, but will also create new opportunities and India has to be prepared for this realignment, the government's top science advisor said last month.
Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, said efforts are on to train the youth in this area of emerging technology.
Sood also said the government is also establishing more AI and data labs in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities to provide hands-on exposure to tools, data-set and problem-solving environments.
"It's a new disruptive technology. Now, whenever a new technology comes, there is a job realignment. But at the same time, new jobs will open up," the top scientist said, citing the introduction of computers in the 1990s.
India launched its own AI Mission in 2024 with a focus on seven pillars - developing computing facilities, applications, creation of datasets, foundation models, start-up financing, initiatives for skilling, and responsible adoption through safe and trusted AI.
The India AI Impact Summit is scheduled to be held in Delhi from February 19 to 20.
