At the India Today AI Summit 2026, industry leaders came together to address a question that worries many professionals today: Is artificial intelligence leading to job losses, or is it simply changing the way jobs are done?
The panel featured Nitin Mittal, Global AI Leader at Deloitte India; Amrit Acharya, CEO and co-founder of Zetwerk; Reeju Datta, co-founder of Cashfree Payments; and Sunil Gupta, CEO of Yotta Data Services. The discussion was moderated by Sweta Singh.
JOBS ARE EVOLVING, NOT DISAPPEARING
Opening the session, Sweta Singh asked whether job losses due to AI are real, or whether work is only transforming.
Sunil Gupta said there is no simple answer.
“There is no straight-forward answer. If we say nothing will happen because of AI, that would also be wrong,” he said.
He explained how AI is different from earlier automation.
“Earlier, automation handled structured workflow tasks. With AI, you don’t code the machine. You feed it unlimited data, the machine becomes intelligent on its own and starts responding.”
Because of this, AI has a wider impact than traditional automation.
“This does not mean job loss. It means optimisation. Where earlier you needed 50 people, now you may need 10 people to oversee the work. The human element will always remain,” Gupta said.
He also pointed out that AI itself creates demand for new roles.
“AI needs data centres, infrastructure and engineers. The demand for computing will not end. AI will impact every sector.”
YOUR JOB WON’T BE REPLACED BY AI
Sweta Singh then asked what individuals should do to ensure their jobs remain secure in the age of AI.
Amrit Acharya stressed that AI is accessible to everyone.
“One of the best things about AI is that it is democratic. You don’t need to be a coder or a technologist. The real skill lies in asking the right questions,” he said.
He added that AI helps people see what they often miss.
“AI removes blind spots. It shows perspectives and angles that we may overlook while working.”
Acharya summed it up clearly:
“Your job won’t be replaced by AI. It may be replaced by someone who knows how to use AI better than you.”
SKILLS YOUNGSTERS SHOULD BUILD
When asked about skills young people should focus on, the panel agreed that AI adoption is inevitable.
Nitin Mittal explained that just as smartphones became unavoidable, AI will be the same for the next generation.
“Every technology curve is adopted by the next half-generation. AI will be no different,” he said.
Two skills stood out as most important: curiosity and adaptability.
“Curiosity leads to learning, and learning makes us adaptable. Creativity, judgement, relationships and understanding context are deeply human traits that AI cannot easily replicate,” the speaker added.
ROLE OF COMPANIES IN RESKILLING
On whether companies should take responsibility for reskilling employees, Reeju Datta said accountability lies on both sides.
“Employees have responsibility, but companies must set high expectations in terms of outcomes,” he said.
He explained Cashfree’s approach.
“We don’t say ‘use AI’. We say deliver results that are 10 times better. For example, we want 90 per cent of customer queries resolved within 10 minutes. People then figure out how to upgrade their skills to meet that bar.”
The overall message from the panel was clear: AI will change how work is done and raise performance expectations, but it is not wiping out jobs wholesale. Those who stay curious, adaptable and willing to learn will continue to stay relevant.
