NITI Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam announced that artificial intelligence (AI) will add an estimated $2 trillion to India’s economy by 2035. Speaking at the launch of the Roadmap for AI for Viksit Bharat and the NITI Frontier Tech Repository, he emphasised that AI is not a threat to jobs but an opportunity for new employment avenues.
“It is going to add at least 2 trillion dollars extra by 2035, just from the use of AI. It means the 2/3rd of the size of the economy today can be added, if we use AI correctly,” Subrahmanyam stated. He also highlighted the critical role of skilling to ensure the workforce is prepared for emerging roles.
AI: Job Creator, Not Job Destroyer
Subrahmanyam compared AI’s impact to the advent of computers, which many once feared would eliminate jobs. Contrary to those fears, computers created new employment opportunities. He said, “The use of AI will create more jobs, new types of jobs. For this, we need appropriate skilling.”
He stressed that while the nature of jobs will evolve, the overall employment scenario will improve with AI adoption. Preparing the workforce for these shifts through targeted training is key to reaping AI’s benefits.
India’s Competitive Edge Through AI
Looking ahead, the NITI Aayog CEO expressed confidence that AI will give India a substantial economic advantage. “With AI, we will not only be the fastest-growing economy but the fastest by a mile,” he said. NITI Aayog has already drafted an AI roadmap for the industry and will soon release a similar framework for government use.
Subrahmanyam concluded by underscoring the importance of developing new skills to meet future job demands. “We are going to come up with a separate report, and it will exactly tell you how AI is going to create more jobs. And for that we need appropriate skilling,” he affirmed.