India Must Focus on AI Skills to Protect Jobs- IBM India Chief Sandeep Patel

Sandeep Patel, the head of IBM India, has stressed the need for coordinated efforts between the government, companies, and educational institutions to help India emerge as a global leader in Artificial Intelligence. Speaking to the media, Patel said India must prioritize skill development and workforce training to match the rapid pace of AI adoption across industries. He also urged IT companies to focus on reskilling employees to prepare them for changing workplace demands.

Patel stated that AI itself is not the biggest challenge for India, but protecting millions of jobs during the technological transition will be crucial. He highlighted that more than half of India’s population is under the age of 30, giving the country a major advantage in building the world’s largest AI-ready workforce. However, he warned that without rapid skill development, India may fail to fully benefit from its demographic strength. Patel’s comments come at a time when generative AI tools are increasingly handling coding, data analysis, and entry-level tasks, significantly reshaping hiring patterns and job roles in the IT sector.