December 18, 2023: Tech Mahindra’s outgoing CEO, CP Gurnani, shared a different take on the impact of Generative AI on jobs during a recent interview with Reuters. While there’s a lot of talk about AI taking over jobs, Gurnani believes it could actually open up new job opportunities.
He pointed out that Generative AI, like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard, is still evolving. This means new use cases and job roles could emerge as the technology develops. In the tech world, where things change fast, Gurnani’s insights suggest that AI might bring more jobs rather than just taking them away.
Gurnani, who has been a key figure in India’s $245-billion IT sector, stressed that skills and adaptability are crucial. He urged young engineers to learn new things on their own, hinting at a shift from the old ways where companies trained fresh hires extensively.
His views are shared by other industry leaders like Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy. They believe that despite AI’s growth, skilled professionals won’t be replaced easily. This is a comforting thought for those worried about AI-driven job losses.
Recent studies by the European Central Bank and the International Labour Organization also back this up. They haven’t found big job losses due to AI yet. This suggests that the fears of AI wiping out jobs might be a bit exaggerated.
So, as Gurnani steps down from his role, he leaves behind an important message: AI’s growth could mean more jobs, not fewer. But to grab these opportunities, people need to keep learning and adapting.
