AI will replace monotonous tasks and open up new possibilities: Advisor for science

AI Will Disrupt Jobs but Create New Opportunities; India Must Prepare: Govt’s Top Science Advisor

Artificial Intelligence (AI) will disrupt many repetitive jobs while creating new employment opportunities, and India must be prepared for this realignment, Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, said ahead of the AI Impact Summit.

In an interview with PTI, Sood said the government is actively working to equip young Indians with skills in emerging technologies, particularly AI. He added that efforts are underway to establish AI and data laboratories in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, providing hands-on exposure to tools, datasets, and real-world problem-solving environments.

“AI is a disruptive technology. Whenever such technologies emerge, job realignment is inevitable. But at the same time, new jobs are created,” Sood said, drawing parallels with the computer revolution of the 1990s.

Recalling concerns during the early days of digitisation, Sood said fears of job losses eventually gave way to reskilling and new opportunities. “We never imagined in the 1990s that all reservations would move to computers. People feared job losses, but instead they adapted, got trained, and it worked wonderfully. This is one of those moments again,” he said.

New jobs across sectors

Sood said AI is expected to generate new roles across a wide range of sectors, including agriculture, finance, and manufacturing, underscoring the technology’s transformative potential.

The government’s focus, he added, is on ensuring the benefits of AI reach all parts of the country. “India’s primary expectation from the AI Impact Summit is to foster global convergence on AI’s future direction based on shared priorities and a common vision,” he said.

“As the name suggests—AI Impact Summit—we want to see how AI’s impact can be felt by people, stakeholders, and organisations,” Sood added.

Inclusive and responsible AI adoption

Sood emphasised that AI’s benefits should not be concentrated among a few, but distributed uniformly across society. “Impact is the central goal, while also addressing concerns around safety and associated risks,” he said.

He also made a strong case for wider adoption of AI by Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to improve product quality and competitiveness. “This is an area that needs acceleration. AI adoption has not diffused enough yet,” he said.

India’s AI Mission

India launched its AI Mission in 2024, structured around seven key pillars:

• Development of computing infrastructure

• AI applications

• Creation of datasets

• Foundation models

• Startup financing

• Skill development initiatives

• Responsible and trusted AI adoption

Under the skilling component, the mission aims to support over 500 PhD scholars, 5,000 postgraduates, and 8,000 undergraduate students in a phased manner.

Sood also said the government is encouraging Indian startups to build global linkages, including partnerships with Station F, the world’s largest startup campus based in Paris.