Reality of AI is that some jobs will disappear: Rishad Premji

Bengaluru: Tech giant Wipro’s executive chairman Rishad Premji said on Tuesday that artificial intelligence (AI) is the most disruptive and profound wave of change he has seen in his career. Speaking at the Bengaluru Tech Summit, Premji, son of founder Azim Premji, said that AI will make some jobs redundant, but as the technology is developed, more jobs could be created as well.

“The reality is there are going to be some jobs that disappear… But by developing the ecosystem, I think we will create a tremendous amount of jobs as well, which is always an opportunity in a country like ours,” Premji said at the fireside chat.

Industry leaders across sectors spoke at the summit and focused on AI’s disruptive powers and opportunities.

“For India's technology sector, the question is about building AI capabilities and helping customers through another massive transformation. This is going to be very difficult. 240 startups are now innovating creative AI,” said nasscom President, Rajesh Nambiar.

“Practically, a lot of things will change, and we need to be prepared for that as an industry. Companies must protect themselves from traditional as well as new geopolitical cyber threats as nations increasingly exploit vulnerabilities. Changes will also be around jobs, skills, talents,” he said.

Leaders also spoke about India’s particular role in this transformation.

Sameer Mehta, Chairman and an Executive Director of boAt, said, “We can't buy and then sell in India. The needs of the consumer are very different. So innovation also has to be in line with that.”

Swapnil Jain, co-founder and CTO, Ather Energy, said that India can’t just be a manufacturing hub for the world, but also excel across the value chain, including engineering, design, sales and business aspects.

Karnataka and Bengaluru’s growth was at centre of industry leaders’ talks.

"The city (Bengaluru) has always been at the heart of innovation and entrepreneurship, and we have been fortunate to be part of this vibrant community," said Sriharsha Majety, CEO and co-founder, Swiggy.

Experts on the 'Unlocking the Bioeconomy Potential' panel discussed how India’s bioeconomy, currently valued at $150 billion, is on track to reach $300 billion by 2030.