Venture capitalist Vinod Khosla (L)
Credit: Special arrangement
Bengaluru: Venture capitalist Vinod Khosla said artificial intelligence (AI) will transform global services, replacing traditional IT and BPO roles, but also creating an unprecedented opportunity for India to lead the next wave of AI-driven innovation.
He said this at Startup Policy Forum’s 'Meet the OGs' series in the Bay Area. Speaking to a delegation of Indian startup founders, he said, "All of BPO will be replaced. All IT services will be replaced in the next five years. Every company in the world could operate with half the number of people—but they don’t know how to do it. Productivity would improve from 5 per cent to 500 per cent which could mean 80 per cent of people get replaced for the same job. It’s going to be pretty chaotic.”
Khosla added that India is uniquely positioned to turn disruption into opportunity, with its deep pool of technical talent and readiness to scale. He suggested that the country could become the global hub for AI transformation services, reimagining IT exports for the AI era.
He also urged India to deploy AI domestically to revolutionise healthcare and education. He described these essential services as “infinitely scalable” through AI and affordable enough to be integrated into Aadhaar, ensuring nationwide access.
According to Khosla, AI-enabled delivery has the potential to transform India’s social infrastructure, unlocking vast human capital and creating scalable solutions for the nation. He also said that ongoing shifts in global supply chains provide strong tailwinds for India. “All the key indicators show India is well-positioned globally," he said.