‘AI is a powerful enabler… Human skills will continue to be irreplaceable’: LinkedIn’s Meg Garlinghouse

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is certainly here to stay and is transforming rapidly the way we work and conduct business. It is no longer a future concept, but an integral part of our everyday work lives. Meg Garlinghouse, vice president of social impact at LinkedIn, puts it, “We see AI as a powerful career enabler, not a detractor. In fact, AI is a tool designed to act as your trusted assistant, helping you navigate your workday. At LinkedIn, we recognise this. Which is why we’re putting generative AI in the hands of our members and customers to help them be more productive and easily connect to opportunities.”

The LinkedIn executive’s point of view highlights a radical shift in how AI is being perceived in the workplace worldwide. In the last three years, from being seen as a threat to jobs, today AI is increasingly viewed as a tool that can boost productivity at work. “These tools help professionals by taking care of routine tasks, freeing up their time to focus on what truly matters—the creative, human, and high-impact work that only they can do,

Overcoming barriers to AI adoption

Garlinghouse’s views on AI as a career enabler are tied to the broader discussion about overcoming challenges to AI adoption. She said that while AI offers immense potential, there are still significant barriers, particularly for marginalised groups. "Human skills will continue to be irreplaceable in the era of AI, which means professionals who can bring a balance of the right technical and soft skills will have greater chances to thrive in this era of work," she stated.

Echoing this, Garlinghouse emphasised the emotional and practical barriers that hinder AI adoption. She highlighted LinkedIn’s efforts to address these barriers through AI-powered features, such as nudges that encourage users to engage more actively with the platform. "We’ve found that women are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet 100% of the qualifications. So we built a nudge to encourage them to apply even if they don’t meet every single criterion," Garlinghouse explained.

Her views found resonance with other industry leaders during the panel discussion - ‘Navigating an AI-driven Workplace: From Challenges to Opportunities’ at the ongoing Charcha, a collaborative convening of leaders and changemakers. The session explored the rapid changes that AI was bringing to the workforce, especially in India, and how they are creating new opportunities along with some significant challenges

Garlinghouse was joined by Shankar Maruwada, co-founder of Ekstep; Puneet Chandok, president of Microsoft India; Manu Chopra, co-founder of Karya Inc; Manish Sabharwal, vice chairman of TeamLease, in a session that was moderated by Ruchee Anand, senior director, talent and learning solutions at LinkedIn.

How the landscape of work is changing

The session opened with Anand highlighting the phenomenal pace of change driven by AI. Garlinghouse pointed out that the skills required for the same roles were changing rapidly. The LinkedIn VP said that data showed a 25% shift in skills needed since 2015, a trend expected to increase to 68% by 2030. "Our jobs are changing even when we are not changing our jobs," Garlinghouse said while asserting the importance of a "skills-first approach" to navigate this transformation.

Meanwhile, Maruwada, during the session offered a historical context, drawing parallels between AI’s trajectory to the previous technological revolutions. "In the 1870s, Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison showcased the telephone and electric bulb, but it took decades for these innovations to transform industries," he explained. According to Maruwada, AI is following a similar path, with its true impact yet to be fully realised. He noted that AI’s real power lies in its ability to make intelligence and understanding widely accessible

An optimistic view

On the other hand, Microsoft India’s Puneet Chandok elaborated on AI’s potential, specifically in terms of democratising access to knowledge and opportunities. Chandok offered some insights from the healthcare sector, where AI can be used to assist first-year doctors in India, giving them access to the same level of expertise as seasoned professionals. "This has the potential to raise wages and opportunities for younger professionals," Chandok said, adding that AI could lower the cost of intelligence, making it more accessible to a broader population.

Chopra from Karya Inc echoed similar sentiments and went on to speak about the transformative impact AI can have on marginalised communities in India. He said that at Karya, AI is not merely a tool for development, but a lifeline for thousands of workers. "We've employed over 40,000 people, paying them significantly more than the minimum wage," Chopra shared while highlighting the story of a worker named Reshma, who earned more in her first two weeks with Karya than her father did in a year. "Digital work, enabled by AI, offers flexibility and opportunities that can transform lives, especially for women who are constrained by time poverty and social norms,” he said.?

Scaling AI in India

Even as they spoke about the immense potential, all the panellists acknowledged the challenges in scaling AI in India. Maruwada said that while AI’s potential can be showcased in controlled environments, implementing it on a national scale would mean collaboration across institutions and thoughtful design to make sure that technology supports human accountability and not replace it.?

According to Maruwada, a significant obstacle is the availability of localised data, which is essential for AI to function effectively in India. "We need localised data in our own languages, and this is a massive challenge," Maruwada explained. He spoke about the need for updated laws and regulations to keep pace with technological advancements. "Technology is running far ahead of society, and the gap between the two creates tension," he said.?

On a similar tangent, Chandok stressed the need for responsible AI to ensure its benefits are reaped without causing harm. "At Microsoft, we build AI with principles like transparency, inclusiveness, and security at the core, not as an afterthought," he said. According to him, the ecosystem (tech companies, governments, and NGOs) needs to collaborate to implement AI responsibly.