AI may reshape jobs, but India can turn the shift into an opportunity: CP Gurnani

Artificial intelligence is changing the way people work, but India should not look at it only as a threat to jobs. Instead, the country can use AI to improve skills, build affordable solutions and create new opportunities, CP Gurnani, Co-Founder and Vice Chairman of AIONOS, said at the India Today BRICS Roundtable in New Delhi.

Gurnani said AI is not an entirely new technology. What has changed is the way people interact with it. With conversational AI available in multiple languages, the technology can now reach a much wider group of users, including people who may not be comfortable using traditional digital tools.

He sees AI becoming more like electricity, something people use every day without needing to understand the technology behind it.

Gurnani said India should focus on what it can build and use rather than worry only about owning every part of the AI technology stack.

While access to advanced chips and other infrastructure can be affected by global tensions and supply restrictions, India can continue developing applications, platforms and AI-based services that work with whatever infrastructure is available.

He pointed to India’s past experience with technology restrictions as evidence that the country can find alternatives when access to foreign technology becomes difficult.

The bigger opportunity, he said, lies in developing solutions suited to India’s own needs and then taking them to other markets.

DATA COULD GIVE INDIA AN EDGE

Gurnani sees data as one of India’s biggest strengths in the AI race.

India has a large pool of data and a wide range of real-world use cases across healthcare, payments, transport and other sectors. Combining this data with practical applications could help Indian companies develop AI solutions that can also work in other emerging markets.

He said India should not automatically exclude China when thinking about technology cooperation. If a better solution or experiment is developed elsewhere, Indian companies should be willing to learn from it and adapt it for their own needs.

INDIA CAN TAKE AFFORDABLE AI TO THE GLOBAL SOUTH

India’s experience of building low-cost products and services could also become an advantage in AI.

The country has already shown that affordable solutions can work at scale in areas such as telecom, pharmaceuticals, automobiles and financial technology. Gurnani said a similar approach could be applied to AI, particularly in markets that cannot afford expensive technology solutions.

The focus should be on finding areas where India can build competitive products and services while keeping costs under control.

AI DOES NOT HAVE TO MEAN FEWER JOBS

On the jobs debate, Gurnani said fears around AI could be greater than the actual impact so far.

He pointed to the continued expansion of India’s technology industry and the emergence of new types of work, including independent businesses, creators and technology-led entrepreneurs.

The key issue, according to him, is employability. Workers will need to keep learning and updating their skills as technology changes.

AI can also help smaller businesses become more productive and create opportunities beyond large companies. This could be particularly important for India’s vast small-business sector.

STAYING RELEVANT WILL BE THE KEY

Gurnani’s message for workers was to keep learning rather than fear technology.

People no longer need to depend entirely on traditional institutions to gain new skills. Online courses, certifications and digital tools can help workers learn continuously and prepare for changing jobs.

He also argued that India needs to move beyond being primarily a services economy and build stronger capabilities in products, platforms and critical technologies.

INDIA SHOULD BUILD FOR A CHANGING WORLD

Geopolitical tensions and the risk of deglobalisation could create challenges for India, but Gurnani said the country should focus on reducing its dependence in critical areas while continuing to build domestic capabilities.

For him, AI is part of a much larger technology shift. India can either worry about what technology may replace or use it to improve productivity, develop affordable solutions and create new opportunities.

The opportunity, he said, lies in staying adaptable and making technology work for India’s needs.

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