A new report linked to NITI Aayog cautions that rapid adoption of artificial intelligence could reshape India’s IT workforce, placing millions of routine technology roles at risk while creating new demand for advanced digital skills.
Mumbai: Artificial intelligence could significantly reshape India’s technology workforce in the coming years, with as many as 15–20 lakh IT jobs potentially disrupted, according to insights linked to a recent policy analysis associated with NITI Aayog.
The findings highlight how the rapid adoption of AI tools across software development, IT services and business process outsourcing may automate a large share of routine digital tasks that currently employ millions of professionals.
India’s IT and IT-enabled services sector, which employs roughly 7.5 to 8 million people, has long been one of the country’s largest formal job creators. However, the increasing use of AI-powered coding tools, automated testing systems and intelligent customer support platforms could reduce the need for certain entry-level and repetitive roles.
Policy experts warn that automation risks are especially high for roles built around predictable and process-driven tasks, including software maintenance, basic programming, testing and back-office operations.
Industry analysts estimate that more than 60 per cent of formal sector roles globally may face some level of automation risk by 2030, with technology services among the sectors most exposed to rapid change.
However, the report also stresses that AI is not expected to eliminate jobs entirely. Instead, it is likely to transform the nature of work, shifting demand toward specialised skills such as data science, machine learning engineering, AI governance and advanced cybersecurity.
Experts argue that the long-term outcome will depend on how quickly companies, universities and policymakers can scale up reskilling and digital education programmes.
The report suggests that with the right national strategy, AI adoption could create millions of new roles in emerging technology domains. These could include positions in AI model development, responsible AI oversight, automation management and data infrastructure.
Policy discussions are increasingly focusing on a potential national AI talent initiative aimed at preparing India’s workforce for the next wave of technological transformation and positioning the country as a global hub for AI-driven innovation.
For India’s technology sector, the challenge will be balancing efficiency gains from automation with the urgent need to retrain workers and build future-ready digital capabilities.
As artificial intelligence continues to move from experimental deployments to core business operations, the report concludes that workforce transformation, not simply job loss, will define the next phase of India’s digital economy.
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