India AI Impact Summit 2026 | Policymakers and industry leaders urge employees to focus on reskilling

At the ongoing India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, policymakers and leading technocrats urged employees not to panic over artificial intelligence's potential effects on jobs.

Instead, they emphasized that AI is poised to create more employment opportunities than it displaces, provided the workforce actively reskills and adapts.

Speaking at the summit, S. Krishnan, Secretary of the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), reassured attendees that AI is unlikely to cause a major negative impact on employment.

"Do not expect a massive negative impact of AI on jobs—many more roles will be created because of AI," he stated, highlighting the technology's net positive effect on the job market.

Krishnan also noted the overwhelming response to the event, with over 2.5 lakh registrations from India and abroad, reflecting strong global interest in India's burgeoning AI and semiconductor ecosystem.

Srijay Ghosh, a senior executive at Temasek, said AI would allow employees to use their time more productively, potentially adding 20–30 per cent more value to their work. However, he cautioned against over-reliance on machine-led decisions, stressing the importance of maintaining strong human oversight.

Bhuvan Lodha from Mahindra & Mahindra highlighted "What's worrying is our education system is yet to catch up," he added, underscoring the urgency for reforms to prepare future generations.

Manish Agarwal, President and Business Head of Kotak Mahindra Bank's flagship digital banking platform 811, noted that while AI-driven transformation offers immense opportunities for value creation and efficiency, sustaining accountability and workforce readiness will be essential for inclusive and sustainable growth.

Vineet Nayar, Founder Chairman of Sampark Foundation and former CEO of HCL Technologies, said that while 50 per cent of current jobs will go because of AI, 50 per cent more jobs will also be created, which would need skilled manpower to handle AI.

He described automation as an "economic inevitability" rather than a distant possibility, urging professionals to identify and acquire the specific skills required in their fields.

Sanjeev Bikhchandani, Founder of Info Edge (which owns Naukri.com), direct message to young professionals was clear: "Don't worry about policy. Just think what you should do so that AI does not make you lose your job and instead help you get a job."

He encouraged learning 10–15 practical AI tools to boost productivity rather than fearing replacement.