Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) is expected to be a tool for augmenting roles rather than replacing jobs, according to Sangeeta Gupta, Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of Nasscom. Her observation comes as automation continues to impact various roles in the tech and non-tech industries. While the specific impact on the workforce will become clearer over time, companies like HCLTech and Wipro have already announced plans to leverage knowledge automation.
Gupta stated that the implementation of Gen AI is still uncertain in terms of its impact on jobs in India. However, she believes that it will serve more as a tool for augmentation rather than job replacement. She made these remarks at the Nasscom Annual Technology Conference 2023, where Accenture Managing Director Matt Carroll also spoke about how AI has the potential to replace the traditional 40-hour work week, giving people more time to pursue their interests.
Regarding the data protection and privacy bill (DPDP bill), Gupta mentioned that it introduces a negative list of data, which is favorable for the industry. She emphasized that this bill will continue to evolve as new use cases and challenges arise due to the rapid evolution of technology.
Addressing the issue of startups locating outside India, Gupta cited two reasons: investors’ interests in overseas markets and concerns about the ease of doing business in India. However, she mentioned that Nasscom has been working with the government to address these concerns through taxation and ESOP policies, aiming to attract more startups to stay and build in India.
Gupta also commented on the current job market in India, stating that opportunities still exist for people with good tech skills, despite the slowdown caused by the great resignation and industry layoffs.
Furthermore, Nasscom and EY released a report highlighting the top three challenges in the DeepTech industry: the availability of talent, investment, and relevant infrastructure. The report revealed that almost all (99%) of the Indian B2B SaaS companies studied have embraced DeepTech innovations, with the highest adoption in AI/ML, followed by Big Data and Descriptive Analytics, and Intelligent Automation.
In conclusion, Gen AI is expected to enhance job roles rather than replace them, while the impact on the workforce in India is yet to be fully understood. Nasscom continues to work with the government to address challenges in the startup ecosystem, and opportunities for individuals with strong tech skills still exist in the market. The DeepTech industry is also seeing significant adoption of innovative technologies among Indian B2B SaaS companies.
