Majority of employers and jobseekers in India optimistic about new jobs creation due to AI: Report

Artificial intelligence (AI) will create new jobs within five years, a majority of Indian employers say. Similarly, over 50% of jobseekers are optimistic about new job creation due AI, owing to factors like increased productivity, skill improvement, and helping getting hired on the basis of skills rather than just experience. These observations were made by job platform Indeed in its latest study on the usage of AI in recruitment.

“This new survey brings encouraging news that jobseekers are not only aware of the promise of AI but are also excited about its potential. It demonstrates that job seekers are ready to embrace AI as a force for positive change in their careers. However, employers must work together to devise frameworks that allow the effective use of artificial intelligence in order to facilitate technological advancement,” Sashi Kumar, head of sales, Indeed India.

Despite enthusiasm about this technology, jobseekers also expressed a few concerns and apprehensions, especially in terms of the need to reskill, potential job losses in their industries, and ethical considerations. Overall work wellbeing and bias are also some others causing stress among candidates. 

Notably, a report by Microsoft in June found that 83% of Indian employees would like to delegate as much work as possible to AI in order to reduce their workload. Further, 3 out of 4 workers said that they would be comfortable using AI for not just administrative tasks but also analytical and creative. Indian managers were found to be 1.6 times more likely to say that AI at workplace boosts productivity rather than cutting headcount.

Indian IT services companies are also doubling down on efforts to train their staff in AI and generative AI skills. During the FY24Q2 results, the largest software services company in India — Tata Consultancy Services — said that it has already trained 100,000 employees in related skills. Infosys, on the other hand, is training its employees on new models or systems every few weeks, as per CEO Salil Parekh who remarked while answering media query at the quarterly results announcement on Thursday.