AI to boost productivity, not replace jobs: InfoEdge founder at AI Summit

InfoEdge Founder Sanjeev Bikhchandani said that young professionals should learn a few useful AI tools to make sure that they are not left behind

InfoEdge Founder and Executive Vice-Chairman Sanjeev Bikhchandani on Monday said that artificial intelligence (AI) is being used to enhance productivity rather than eliminate jobs.

 

Speaking at the AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, Bikhchandani said that for many companies, deploying employees to cater to thousands of low-paying customers does not make economic sense. However, he stated that AI-driven voice bots can now manage such interactions efficiently, allowing firms to tap into an underserved market segment without adding to their workforce.

 

He further advised young professionals to focus on their jobs and adopt a few AI tools or risk being left behind.

 

 

"To all the young people here, you don't worry about system problems or policy issues. You just worry about your job and your individual career. Just think what should you do so that AI does not make you lose your job and instead help you get a job. Just learn 10-15 useful AI tools. Let me assure you, the older people in any company would not know that because they are not quick learners, but you can," he said in a session titled 'The Future of Employability in the Age of AI'.

 

"AI is happening, it is relentless, if you don't do AI, AI will be done to you... Set a personal target of learning how to use three AI platforms within the next three months. The more you do that the more your job is safe," he added.

 

Similarly, Sateesh Seetharamiah, CEO of EdgeVerve (wholly owned subsidiary of Infosys), said that AI has generated more productivity to businesses, but ultimately there has to be a human being to take accountability of the jobs getting done.

 

"So the jobs are not going anywhere, nature of jobs will change," he said, adding that "life-long learning ability" will help professionals to deal with the AI wave. 

 

 

Adding to it, former chief executive officer (CEO) of HCL Technologies, Vineet Nayar, said the technology could affect nearly 50 per cent of existing roles, but would also generate an equal proportion of new employment opportunities. 

"AI offers us a scope to reskill ourselves. But what skills are required, that we need to figure out," Nayar said.

 

He also pointed out that these new jobs will be created through startups and not big companies.

 

"From an employment point of view, I think it is very important for us to understand that Indian companies, including Indian IT companies, are going to be profit-driven and therefore, if you believe that they are going to create employment, you must be dreaming. Thus, that employment comes from mass-scale startups, which is what this government is already doing," Nayar said.  (Wth inputs from ANI and PTI.)