A recent study conducted by ServiceNow and Pearson has shed light on the significant impact of AI and automation on the workforce in India. By 2027, it is estimated that a staggering 16.2 million full-time employees (FTEs) will need to undergo reskilling and upskilling in emerging technologies. Moreover, the study suggests that an additional 4.7 million tech-related jobs could potentially be created within the next five years, illustrating the evolving landscape of employment.
Reshaping Tech Roles and Disruptions: The Changing Face of India’s Workforce
Even traditional technology roles, including computer programmers, are not immune to these changes. The rise of generative AI, such as text-to-code technology, is expected to transform these roles into flow automation engineers, product owners, implementation engineers, and master architects. India’s tech hubs, with significant concentrations of computer programmers in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, stand to gain a substantial competitive advantage in this evolving tech landscape.
The study also predicts that various sectors will experience varying degrees of disruption due to automation and skill augmentation. Manufacturing, for instance, is expected to see the most significant impact, with 23% of the workforce poised for automation and skill enhancement. This is followed by sectors like agriculture, forestry, and fishing (22%), wholesale and retail trade (11.6%), transportation and storage (8%), and construction (7.8%).
India’s Digital Skill Revolution: Paving the Way to a $1 Trillion Economy
As a response to these changes, India’s digital skill ecosystem is set to expand, with a growing demand for application developers, data analysts, platform owners, product owners, and implementation engineers. This increasing need for digital skills aligns with India’s broader vision of creating a future-ready workforce through initiatives like the ‘SkillIndia Digital’ campaign.
Kamolika Gupta Peres, Vice President and Managing Director of ServiceNow Indian Sub-Continent, emphasizes the importance of this transformation in India’s journey toward a $1 trillion digital economy. The government’s vision and initiatives, along with the potential to add up to $500 billion to India’s GDP by 2025, underscore the significance of AI and automation in shaping the country’s economic future.
In this rapidly evolving digital landscape, the study highlights the need for individuals to proactively reskill and upskill, as technology continues to redefine job roles. It presents an unprecedented opportunity for Indian workers to reshape and future-proof their careers in the face of technological advancements.
