AI will create new jobs, not eliminate them, Amitabh Kant said at the AI Summit 2026, arguing that every technological shift generates different kinds of employment.
India’s AI future depends on talent, skills, and computing power, Kant stressed.
He warned against unequal AI growth, cautioning that massive investments could create a highly unequal society if benefits are concentrated.
G20 Sherpa and former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant on Day 2 of the AI Summit 2026 dismissed concerns that artificial intelligence will lead to widespread job losses, asserting that technological revolutions historically generate new forms of employment rather than eliminate work altogether.
Addressing the summit, Kant emphasized that India’s AI ambitions will hinge on three critical pillars — talent, skill development and computing power. “Talent, skill, computing power are all very important,” he said, underlining the need for sustained investment in human capital and digital infrastructure.
Rejecting fears of automation-driven unemployment, Kant stated, “No technology ever leads to lost jobs. It creates new jobs, but of a different kind.” He argued that AI would spur demand for advanced technical expertise, including data scientists and machine learning specialists, as industries evolve alongside emerging technologies.
However, Kant cautioned that the current wave of massive global investments in artificial intelligence carries risks if the benefits remain concentrated among a handful of corporations or countries. “If we end up creating an inequal society... we have failed,” he said, warning that unchecked AI growth could widen economic disparities.
He stressed that the true measure of AI’s success should be its ability to improve lives, particularly in the Global South, rather than simply boosting the market valuation of large technology firms. According to Kant, inclusive systems and broader access to AI tools and infrastructure will be essential to ensure equitable growth.
Highlighting India’s growing role in the global AI ecosystem, Kant noted the country’s significant contribution to AI data usage. “If you look at OpenAI, ChatGPT, we are providing more data than the United States of America — 33% more data than what the United States of America do,” he said.
Kant’s remarks come at a time when governments and industry leaders worldwide are grappling with the social and economic implications of rapid AI adoption, particularly around employment, regulation and equitable access.
