Will Artificial Intelligence eliminate jobs or generate new opportunities? India’s Principal Scientific Adviser has now addressed the growing concerns.
Speaking at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, Ajay Kumar Sood said that while some routine jobs may disappear, Artificial Intelligence will create many more new employment opportunities in emerging sectors.
In an exclusive interaction with News18 India, Sood clarified that India’s goal is to become one of the top three AI-powered nations in the world. Currently ranked among the top five, India plans to strengthen its infrastructure, hardware and software ecosystem to move into the top tier.
AI and Viksit Bharat 2047 Vision
Sood emphasized that Narendra Modi envisions AI as a tool to empower every citizen and support the mission of “Viksit Bharat 2047.” According to him, AI must benefit the last person in society, ensuring inclusive digital growth.
India’s Light-Touch AI Regulation
India does not support overly strict AI regulations that could hinder innovation. Instead, the country has adopted a “light-touch” regulatory approach. Recently, a legal document on AI safety was also released to guide responsible development without slowing progress.
How AI Will Transform Key Sectors
Healthcare: AI tools will interact with patients in their own languages and generate comprehensive summaries for doctors, improving communication and efficiency.
Education: In Rajasthan, the ‘padhai.ai’ experiment significantly improved math pass rates to 98%, allowing students to learn at their own pace.
Agriculture: Farmers can use AI to detect crop diseases early and receive immediate solutions.
AI and Employment
Sood acknowledged that certain repetitive roles may decline, but history shows that every technological revolution creates more jobs than it eliminates. He added that India’s government-led AI investment model can serve as a blueprint for Global South nations that lack private billionaire-backed tech ecosystems.
Former Director of the U.S. National Science Foundation Sethuraman Panchanathan also praised India’s linguistic diversity and AI capabilities, noting the country’s unique potential in multilingual AI solutions.
With 88% mobile penetration and some of the world’s cheapest data rates, India is well positioned to accelerate AI adoption across sectors.
Sood concluded that India should not copy other nations’ AI models but instead build its own innovation-driven path — one that addresses the country’s challenges, opportunities and vast linguistic diversity.
AI, he said, will play a crucial role in shaping a developed India by 2047.
