Infosys Chairman Nandan Nilekani has dismissed concerns that artificial intelligence (AI) will lead to widespread job losses, arguing that the technology will create new employment opportunities, drive demand for specialised skills and help small businesses grow.

Speaking at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in New Delhi on Tuesday, October 13, the 71-year-old technology entrepreneur acknowledged that AI is increasingly automating tasks such as coding. However, he said the technology's adoption would also generate demand for professionals who can oversee its implementation, manage risks and ensure that AI systems operate reliably.

The prospect of AI replacing human workers is “hogwash”, Nilekani said, pushing back against mounting concerns over the technology's implications for the global labour market.

His assessment contrasts with that of International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, who has described AI as a “slow-moving tsunami” for employment.

Nilekani, one of the seven co-founders of Infosys, argued that the work involved in transforming businesses extends well beyond software development. While AI models are becoming increasingly capable of writing code, companies will continue to require expertise in areas such as governance, organisational change and the management of AI-related risks.

“Business transformation is not just about coding,” Nilekani said. “Seventy percent is governance, change management, transformation, guardrails. How do you make sure AI bots don’t hallucinate? How do you make sure agents don’t go rogue?”

He said emerging employment opportunities would also involve understanding client needs, facilitating collaboration and helping organisations integrate AI into their operations.

“The new jobs will be in understanding client requirements, in collaborating, in getting people to work together,” he said.

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