At a crucial time when artificial intelligence is reshaping the global workforce, Aravind Srinivas, CEO of Perplexity AI, shared his perspective on India’s unique position and the changing nature of work. Source News Report.
The scale of AI’s impact on jobs globally
Srinivas acknowledges that AI will bring seismic shifts across many sectors. He cited reports indicating multiple industries—especially in India—could affect more than 18 million jobs by 2030. Yet he emphasises the transition must be managed by upskilling and strategic workforce planning to minimise disruption.
India’s youth, learning culture and tech readiness
India is home to one of the youngest workforces in the world and a strong tradition of education and learning. Srinivas believes this gives India an edge to pivot into roles that combine human creativity with AI-tools, rather than merely face replacement by machines.
Why human connection cannot be automated
Even when AI becomes pervasive, Srinivas argues that certain human traits—empathy, curiosity, interpersonal skills—remain irreplaceable. He suggests that machines may answer many queries, but humans will ask the next one. That curiosity will drive future learning and job creation.
Reskilling as a national mission
Srinivas calls for a strategic focus on lifelong learning, vocational training and digital literacy. For India to thrive in the AI-era, professionals will need to upgrade their skill sets, engage with AI tools, and embrace new career paths that blend human intelligence and machine assistance.
Roles evolving: From routine work to AI-augmented roles
According to Srinivas, while basic or repetitive jobs might be automated, roles centred on design, oversight, adaptation and human-machine collaboration will grow. In India, professionals will shift from data-entry or simple tasks to roles like prompt-engineering, AI ethics, and hybrid service delivery.
India’s values align with intelligent AI deployment
Srinivas pointed out that India’s traditions of collective learning, community and wisdom-seeking align well with responsible AI deployment. He said the company sees India as a country “that sees the world the same way we do” — making it a natural market for human-centric AI solutions.
Businesses and talent: Preparing for AI integration
Companies in India and globally must adopt new frameworks to integrate AI. Srinivas emphasises that firms should invest in human-AI collaboration, redesign workflows to use AI as an assistant, train talent and avoid treating AI merely as a cost-cutting tool.
Government policies, education systems and future frameworks
Public policy matters. Srinivas recommends India’s policymakers prioritise digital infrastructure, skill-development programmes and public-private partnerships to help the workforce transition smoothly. Education systems must evolve to teach not only coding but critical thinking and collaborative skills.
Investing in AI responsibly: The human-first approach
He also stressed the need for responsible AI—systems that respect cultural, ethical and social frameworks. In India’s diverse and value-rich context, AI must reflect local norms, support human dignity and enhance lives, rather than replacing human interaction.
The opportunity ahead: India as a global AI hub
With its strong pool of engineering talent, large English-speaking workforce, and evolving digital ecosystem, India has the potential to become a major AI hub. Srinivas envisions India not just as an automation market but as a creator of AI-tools that partner with people to drive innovation.
Final thought: Adapting, learning and collaborating
In closing, Srinivas said that the future of work in India will not be about humans versus machines. It will be about humans **with** machines, constantly learning, adapting and connecting. India’s strength lies in its ability to embrace change while preserving human values and relationships.
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AI Disclosure: Generated using an AI model under the author's specific input and editorial control for formatting and data integrity. While human-reviewed, AI technology carries an inherent risk of occasional errors.
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