High-Level Discussion at India AI Impact Summit 2026 Explores the Future of Employability in the AI Era
High-Level Discussion at India AI Impact Summit 2026 Explores the Future of Employability in the AI Era
At the India AI Impact Summit 2026, a high-level discussion on “The Future of Employability in the Age of AI” brought together policymakers, industry leaders, educators and innovators to deliberate on how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is redefining employability across sectors, the shift from narrow skills to human-led capabilities, and India’s opportunity and responsibility in the AI era.
The session was moderated by Alok Agrawal, Co-Founder, AI4India, and featured a Virtual Address by the Chief Economic Advisor. The panel included Shashi Shekhar Vempati, Co-Founder, AI4India and Padma Shree Awardee; Smita Prakash, Editor, ANI; Sanjiv Bhikchandani, Co-Founder, InfoEdge; Sateesh Seetharamaiah, CEO, EdgeVerve; Vineet Nayar, Founder, Sampark Foundation and former CEO, HCL Technologies; and Prof Anurag Mairal, Adjunct Professor, Stanford University School of Medicine.
The discussion examined which skills, roles, and mindsets will remain relevant as automation accelerates and what individuals must do to stay employable. Speakers emphasised the growing importance of creativity, systems thinking, adaptability, and lifelong learning over narrow task-based expertise.
In his virtual address, the Chief Economic Advisor Dr V Anantha Nageswaran stated that with foresight, institutional discipline, and relentless execution, India can become the first large society to demonstrate true human abundance. He observed that artificial intelligence can either reinforce this vision or undermine it, and that the outcome will not be accidental. Emphasising that the transformation will not happen by drift, he called for urgency, political will, and strong state capacity. He underlined that aligning technological adoption with mass employability must be a clear national commitment and said this effort must extend beyond government to become a Team India initiative involving policymakers, industry, educators, and society at large.
Shashi Shekhar Vempati underlined that AI for India must be treated as a national capability rooted in Indian data, languages, and societal needs. He stressed that the real measure of AI’s success will be its impact on citizens’ daily lives and its contribution to inclusive growth.
In her remarks, Smita Prakash noted that technology has been replacing jobs for decades, but the speed of change has intensified. She emphasised that continuous upskilling is essential and highlighted how media must evolve formats, revenue models, and intellectual property strategies in response to AI-driven disruption.
Vineet Nayar stated that AI is automating sub-skills created during the industrial age, making macro skills such as systemic thinking and imagination critical. He cautioned that India must rethink education, innovation, and data ownership to avoid becoming merely a consumer of global AI technologies.
Sanjiv Bhikchandani observed that while uncertainty surrounds AI’s impact on jobs, adaptability remains the only viable approach. He encouraged professionals, especially youth, to learn and apply AI tools proactively to enhance employability.
Speaking on healthcare, Prof Anurag Mairal highlighted AI’s potential as a net job creator, particularly in expanding access and enabling new roles in community-based healthcare delivery.
Sateesh Seetharamaiah described AI as a capability multiplier that enhances productivity and innovation. He noted that enterprises will become more digitally native, creating different but meaningful roles as AI adoption progresses.
The deliberations underscored that while AI presents significant disruption, it also offers India an opportunity to build an inclusive, innovation-driven and responsible AI ecosystem aligned with national priorities and citizen welfare.