Jobs Are for Humans: The AI Invasion That Wasn’t

Meet Ravi, the young IT engineer from Bengaluru? Barely two years into his job, whispers started swirling around his office: artificial intelligence/Open AI/ChatGPT was coming for jobs like his. "The bots" were allegedly getting ready to seize roles across the software and IT sectors.

Fast forward to today, and Ravi is not just secure in his job; he’s excelling in it.

Meet ‘AI Assistant’, Ravi's AI tool at his workplace. Far from stealing his job, AI Assistant is Ravi’s trusty sidekick. It automates the mundane coding tasks that once consumed hours of Ravi’s day, and flags possible errors before they become bigger issues.

The AI Assistant in India's IT World

Across India's tech hubs—from Bengaluru to Hyderabad, from Noida to Pune—AI tools like AI Assistant are proving to be invaluable allies, not job stealers. They’re handling the routine coding and testing tasks, leaving IT professionals like Ravi free to think creatively, strategize, and develop more innovative solutions for clients.

"AI can help us debug a program, but it can’t yet understand the unique needs of our clients or propose a groundbreaking new software solution."

The Human Touch in the Indian IT Sector

Consider Sandeep, a project manager in Pune. He collaborates with an AI system that organizes project data and helps schedule tasks for her team. It’s his ‘silent coordinator’, keeping things in order but stepping back when nuanced human judgement is required, like when navigating team dynamics and client relationships—something that AI can't replace.

"AI gives the data, but it’s not ready to understand the human aspects of our work—the team’s morale, the client’s vision,"

The Reality Check

The rumours of AI-induced mass unemployment in India's IT sector seem more fiction than fact. In reality, AI is evolving into a useful tool for the Indian IT workforce, streamlining tasks but still far from supplanting the complex, creative, and uniquely human elements of tech work.

"Telling the world that AI is taking over tech jobs is simpler than actually having AI fully replicate the nuances of a seasoned software engineer," observes an industry veteran from Hyderabad.

Conclusion: The Code for the Future is Still Human

Professor Anand Sharma, a noted technologist at a leading Indian institute, captures it well: the future of AI and employment in India is a narrative still being written. And as it stands now, “Humans are hugely underrated.”

As for Ravi, he's now mentoring junior engineers and leading a small team—assisted, not replaced, by AI Assistant. He’s excited about AI, not threatened. Because while machines might learn to code, they can't yet replicate the human insights that fuel true innovation.

Especially when that insight comes from an experienced human.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organisation, employer or company.

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Reference Article: https://slate.com/technology/2023/08/chat-gpt-artificial-intelligence-jobs-economy-employment-labor.html