AI not leading to joblessness but augmenting capability: Centre to Rajya Sabha

Chandrasekhar added that AI might result in automating some routine jobs but would also result in job creation in various data science and data curation fields.

The ministry of state for electronics and information technology (Meity) told Parliament on Friday that the growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is not creating any joblessness and is instead expected to increase India’s annual growth rate.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar (Hindustan Times)

The comments come at a time of growing uncertainty on how AI-based tools, such as the chatbot ChatGPT and automated recruitment applications, will affect the job market, given that many present-day white collar jobs could potentially be automated.

In a written reply submitted in Rajya Sabha, Rajeev Chandrasekhar said: “The advent of Artificial Intelligence is not leading to any job losses instead it is being used as a tool for augmenting capability. AI is expected to raise India‟s annual growth rate by 1.3% by 2035, which amounts to an addition of USD 957 billion, or 15% of current GVA (gross value added) to India‟s economy.”

Chandrasekhar added that AI might result in automating some routine jobs but would also result in job creation in various data science and data curation fields. “This will require reskilling and upskilling, for which Meity has initiated ‘FutureSkills PRIME’ a programme for Re-skilling/Up-skilling of IT Manpower for Employability in 10 new/emerging technologies including Artificial Intelligence,” he said.

The minister’s submissions came on a question by Rajya Sabha member Sushil Kumar Modi, who asked “whether the government has evaluated socio-economic impact of generative AI on job losses.”

Chandrasekhar also said, “AI is a kinetic enabler of the trillion-dollar digital economy and innovation ecosystem. National Program on Artificial Intelligence – India AI is being implemented with the objective to establish a comprehensive program for leveraging transformative technologies to foster inclusion, innovation, and adoption for social impact.”

He addressed ethical concerns like IPR, copyright, the bias of algorithm, transparency, and potential risks associated with AI and said that the various central and state government departments and agencies have begun efforts to standardize responsible AI development, use and promote the adoption of best practices.

“Meity has constituted seven working groups to evaluate all aspects of Al ecosystem,” the minister responded to the query about the government’s plan of action on AI.