New Delhi: As artificial intelligence continues to reshape industries across the globe, rising fears of job losses—especially among young professionals—have triggered widespread concern. With major tech firms announcing layoffs amid growing automation, anxiety over AI-led disruption has intensified.
Seeking to calm these worries, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the country’s youth to focus on preparation and skill-building, calling readiness the most effective response to uncertainty.
Preparation is the best antidote to fear
In an interview with news agency ANI, the Prime Minister said artificial intelligence should be seen not as a threat but as a powerful force of transformation. While acknowledging that some existing roles may change, he emphasised that the digital revolution will simultaneously create new employment avenues.
Modi noted that the government views the AI transition as an immediate priority rather than a distant challenge. He pointed to India’s large-scale skilling and reskilling programmes designed to prepare the workforce for an AI-driven economy, describing them as among the world’s most ambitious.
Technology has always opened new doors
Drawing on historical trends, the Prime Minister observed that every major technological shift has altered the nature of work without eliminating opportunities. Fears around innovation, he said, have surfaced repeatedly over centuries, yet each wave has ultimately generated new industries and jobs.
Artificial intelligence, he added, is expected to follow the same path—reshaping job profiles while expanding technology-driven opportunities and boosting productivity.
India must build AI, not just use it
Linking AI to the broader vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, Modi stressed that India must move beyond being merely a consumer of advanced technologies and emerge as a global creator.
He outlined a three-pillar strategy for India’s AI journey—sovereignty, inclusivity and innovation—and reiterated his goal of placing India among the world’s top three AI powers in both development and deployment.
AI should empower, not threaten
Looking ahead, the Prime Minister said citizens should experience artificial intelligence as a tool that enhances human capability rather than undermines livelihoods. He envisaged Indian AI models serving global users in native languages, startups scaling into multibillion-dollar enterprises, and AI-enabled public services setting new global benchmarks.
At its core, Modi emphasised, India’s AI mission is about expanding dignity and opportunity—ensuring technology serves human progress while positioning the country as a responsible leader in the global AI ecosystem.
