The Dark Side of AI Upskilling in Indian IT

Indian IT firms are racing to declare their workforce “GenAI-ready,” but the reality behind these upskilling programs paints a starkly different picture. A former Infosys employee revealed that many generative AI training initiatives are outsourced to smaller firms offering superficial, entry-level courses.?

“Most of these programs involve clicking ‘next’ on slides and answering multiple-choice questions, the answers to which can easily be found on Google,” the source told AIM.

While big-tech partnerships with companies like NVIDIA and Microsoft promise structured training, progress is slow, with firms taking years to make their workforce truly AI-ready. The focus often lies on ticking boxes rather than fostering real expertise. “Even though 900,000 employees have been trained, the depth and quality are questionable,” a user shared on X, highlighting the disappointment among professionals.

Experts like Krishna Vij, VP of IT hiring at TeamLease Digital, stress that effective training must go beyond compliance-driven modules. “Formats like hackathons, real-world applications, and live projects make a real impact,” she noted. Meanwhile, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, during his Bengaluru visit, reaffirmed the company's commitment to upskilling 10 million people in AI by 2030.

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India Plays with Mouse, Not Snakes?

In his first-ever podcast conversation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi captured India’s tech transformation with a striking statement: “Our ancestors played with snakes. Today, every child in India plays with a mouse.”?

Reflecting on how the world once saw India as a land of snake charmers, Modi emphasised that technology has now become the nation’s defining strength, enabling everything from UPI transactions to startup innovations. “Earlier, people dreamed of going abroad. Today, a village boy says, ‘I will build a startup,’” he noted, highlighting the shift in aspirations. ?

The mouse now symbolises India’s progress—it is no longer charming snakes but clicking its way to global leadership. Read more here.

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GCCs Pay Poorly in Tier 2 & 3 Cities

Global capability centres (GCCs) pay a premium in India, but the gap between tier-1 hubs like Bengaluru (INR 19.5 LPA) and tier-2 cities like Coimbatore (INR 10.7 LPA) remains stark.?

The reasons? Cost-of-living adjustments and lesser competition for talent. However, tier-2 & 3 cities offer unique advantages like stronger retention rates and better work-life balance. “Nano GCCs in smaller cities tap into local talent, offering global exposure without relocation,” said Suchita Vishnoi, cofounder at gatewAI. Explore more insights on India’s evolving GCC landscape here.

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This Will Be the ‘First Multi-trillion Dollar Robotics Industry’

Speaking at CES 2025, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang declared that robotaxis and self-driving cars will be the “first multi-trillion dollar robotics industry.”?

Highlighting breakthroughs like NVIDIA’s DRIVE Hyperion and Cosmos, Huang painted a future where autonomous vehicles reshape global mobility and logistics. While companies like Waymo and Tesla rely on vast real-world driving data, NVIDIA’s synthetic data simulation tools offer scalable, cost-effective training environments.?

Partnerships with Toyota, Uber, and Amazon signal the rapid adoption of autonomous technologies, positioning AI-driven mobility as a game-changer.

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