AI's Disruption: Cognitive Work Under Siege

AI challenges cognitive roles, posing a risk of job automation for white-collar professionals. MeitY Secretary highlights the shift from manual to cognitive work replacement. Despite risks, AI boosts productivity and presents new job opportunities, emphasizing the importance of reskilling and collaboration amongst stakeholders.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is redefining the landscape of professional employment by placing roles that depend on cognitive skills in jeopardy of being automated, according to S Krishnan, Secretary of MeitY.

During FICCI's AI India Conclave, Krishnan elucidated that AI is uniquely targeting cognitive labor, making white-collar professionals the most susceptible to automation.

Krishnan conveyed that unlike previous industrial revolutions, which primarily mechanized manual labor, AI is encroaching on jobs requiring mental skills. Despite this, AI is expected to significantly enhance productivity, especially in developing nations like India, and to generate new employment opportunities through targeted reskilling initiatives.

(With inputs from agencies.)