AI will create new tasks, not remove jobs: NITI Aayog CEO

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not going to eliminate jobs but will transform existing roles by reshaping the nature of work, said NITI Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam while addressing the Bengaluru Skill Summit 2025 on Wednesday.“Artificial Intelligence is not going to remove jobs; it is going to remove roles. Some tasks will disappear, but new ones will emerge,” Subrahmanyam said during his keynote address. “We did a mapping  some jobs that didn’t exist six months ago are now among the most searched positions on the internet. So, there will be a complete change in the skill profile.”He referred to a recent NITI Aayog report that highlighted AI’s potential to create up to four million new jobs in India, underscoring the transformative role of technology in reshaping the labour market.
Subrahmanyam called for the creation of an “AI Talent Mission” to embed artificial intelligence learning across all levels of education. He noted that skilling continues to be viewed as an extracurricular activity rather than an integral part of education.“Skilling is not seen as part of education. If education is not skilling, then what is it?” he asked, stressing the importance of building a workforce capable of handling complex and high-value tasks.Citing a major challenge, he pointed out that only 4% of India’s workforce is formally skilled, compared to a global average of 80–90%. “You cannot expect this workforce to produce some of the most sophisticated products in the world without a strong foundation in education and skills,” he remarked.
The NITI Aayog CEO also emphasized the need for effective counselling systems to guide students in making informed career choices. “We always look at skilling as something outside of education. If India wants to become the global talent capital, we must integrate education and skilling and that integration must begin early,” he said.The Bengaluru Skill Summit 2025 brought together policymakers, educators, and industry leaders to discuss strategies for developing future-ready talent and strengthening India’s position in the global skill ecosystem.

(State Correspondent)