Deloitte AI Leader: Job Loss to AI is Inevitable, But The Real Threat is Your Colleagues
Deloitte’s Global AI Leader Nitin Mittal has delivered a stark warning: job displacement due to artificial intelligence is inevitable, but the primary threat isn’t the technology itself—it’s falling behind colleagues who master it faster.
Key Takeaways
- AI will inevitably impact roles in software engineering, customer support, and coding.
- Job loss typically stems from people, not AI directly—those who upskill with AI replace those who don’t.
- A new AI-driven economy will create unforeseen jobs, demanding widespread reskilling.
- India must build sovereign AI models and focus on local development, not importing solutions.
The Inevitable Impact on Jobs
Speaking at the NDTV World Summit 2025, Mittal confirmed that AI will affect certain job categories. “It is inevitable that certain jobs will be impacted, like software engineering, customer support, call centres and coding,” he stated. However, he clarified a crucial distinction: “I have not come across a single job that has been lost to AI. Almost all jobs are impacted by another person who has figured out how to work with AI.”
Adapt or Get Left Behind
Mittal, co-author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller All-in on AI, emphasized that adaptability is key to survival. He warned that individuals who fail to reskill risk being displaced. “Those who don’t show curiosity to learn and instead spend their time doomscrolling will likely get displaced,” he remarked.
The Rise of the New AI Economy
Instead of fearing job losses, Mittal urged a focus on the opportunities within the emerging AI-driven economy. “The new AI economy could create jobs that no one imagined, but it will require reskilling,” he said. He highlighted that building AI data centres alone will generate new construction and manufacturing roles, supporting local industries.
India’s Sovereign AI Imperative
Mittal strongly advocated for developing sovereign AI models in India to preserve the nation’s cultural and linguistic identity. “India must leverage its strengths — the scale of its talent, entrepreneurship, and innovation — to build and apply AI effectively,” he asserted.
When questioned about the feasibility of technologies like self-driving Waymo cabs on Indian roads, he shifted the focus to indigenous development. “The conversation should be about what we can make, design, build, test, and deploy in India,” he concluded, championing a self-reliant approach to AI innovation.
