A Blueprint for the Future of Work
As Artificial Intelligence (AI) reshapes global industries, NITI Aayog has stepped forward to ensure India not only adapts—but leads. On Friday, the policy think tank released a landmark report titled “Roadmap for Job Creation in the AI Economy,” outlining how India can harness AI to generate millions of jobs while mitigating potential employment disruptions.
Unveiled by B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, CEO of NITI Aayog, the report underscores that AI will redefine work, workers, and the workforce over the next decade. While automation may displace certain roles, the roadmap estimates that with a coordinated national strategy, India could create up to 4 million new AI-enabled jobs within five years.
Turning Challenge into Opportunity
India’s advantage lies in its demographic strength and digital readiness. With over nine million professionals in technology and customer experience sectors, the country possesses the talent base to drive the next wave of AI transformation. “India’s strength lies in its people. What we need now is urgency, vision, and coordination,” said Subrahmanyam at the launch event, which was attended by senior education and technology officials, including Sanjay Kumar, Vineet Joshi, and Debjani Ghosh.
Ghosh, Distinguished Fellow at NITI Aayog, stressed the importance of timely action. “AI can either be a job destroyer or a job creator—our choices today will decide which,” she remarked, calling for bold reforms to make India the global hub for AI talent by 2035.
Three Pillars of the AI Jobs Roadmap
The roadmap outlines a three-pronged strategy designed to equip India’s workforce for an AI-driven economy:
· AI Literacy and Education Reform:
Introducing AI as a foundational subject in schools, universities, and vocational training programs to build digital fluency from an early age. The goal is to prepare a generation of learners who can create and collaborate with AI rather than compete against it.
· National Reskilling Engine:
Launching a large-scale program to upskill and reskill existing professionals in technology and service sectors, enabling them to take on AI-augmented roles. This initiative will ensure that India’s current workforce evolves alongside technological advancements.
· Global AI Talent Magnet:
Establishing India as a premier destination for AI skilling and innovation by retaining domestic talent and attracting global experts. This includes creating incentives for AI research, cross-border collaborations, and talent exchanges.
· Building an AI-Ready Ecosystem
The report advocates close collaboration between the proposed National AI Talent Mission and the ongoing India AI Mission, integrating efforts across academia, industry, and government. It emphasizes building the right infrastructure, data ecosystems, and research frameworks necessary for a robust AI economy.
Developed by NITI Aayog’s Frontier Tech Hub in partnership with NASSCOM and Boston Consulting Group (BCG), and guided by an expert council comprising leaders from IBM, Infosys, Tech Mahindra, LTIMindtree, and Teleperformance, the roadmap is both aspirational and actionable.
From Potential to Policy
The “Roadmap for Job Creation in the AI Economy” is not merely a policy document—it’s a call to action. It envisions an India where AI amplifies human potential rather than replacing it, transforming the nation into the AI workforce capital of the world.
As the global AI revolution accelerates, NITI Aayog’s blueprint positions India to seize the moment—by investing in skills, innovation, and collaboration. If executed with the urgency and unity it calls for, this roadmap could ensure that India’s AI story is one of opportunity, inclusion, and sustainable growth.
(With agency inputs)
