Clerical and repetitive jobs at risk
Berry specifically addressed concerns about AI replacing jobs in economies with heavy reliance on the service sector. “We have to ask what kinds of jobs will be at risk and those are clerical jobs, repetitive jobs,” he said. He said that while job displacement is a concern, the service sector in the rich-read developed world-faces major challenges due to AI.
“Frankly, the rich world has more to worry about than the services sector,” Berry said. “If they have reacted badly to the elimination of manufacturing jobs, now that poses a threat to a much larger scale of employment, because an economy like the US, I think, is about 80% services. And if they can be exported or made more productive by using labor in India, that is a more important theatre.
Also read: AI is a ‘big tailwind’ for India’s progress towards a developed India, says NITI Aayog vice-chairman.
Change in thinking from jobs to livelihood
Berry said it is extremely important for India to move away from traditional jobs and focus on the concept of emerging livelihoods. He pointed out that the pace of technological change driven by AI requires a more flexible and dynamic approach to employment.
“We all need to shift our thinking away from Japanese salaried jobs to developing livelihoods – partly the self-employed, but also entrepreneurial people,” he said.
According to Berry, this change will require India to continuously learn and adopt skills to ensure that its workforce remains adaptable despite rapid technological advancements.
skills for the future
Berry said there is a desperate need for skills to prepare India’s workforce for the jobs of the future. He pointed to the success of community colleges in the United States, which allow individuals to upgrade their skills throughout their lives, as a model India can learn from.
“In America, community colleges give you the opportunity to advance your skills throughout your life,” Berry said. “I think we need to start thinking about inevitable obsolescence. The pace of change in the AI world is going to accelerate, and so we should prepare ourselves for it.
Also read: India is also among the countries most worried about robots taking away jobs.
He also stressed the need for training programs in line with the demands of emerging technologies. “…people in our ITIs are not trained in internal combustion engines. They should learn how to service EVs, EV batteries etc,” he said.
Entrepreneurship in the age of AI
Berry pointed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of promoting entrepreneurship and startups as a way to create new opportunities in a rapidly changing world. “The Prime Minister is a visionary in that he sees the world of employment in the future not necessarily being the same as it has been in the past. That’s why he always emphasizes on startups, individual entrepreneurship etc.,” said Berry.
Preparing for an AI-powered future
Berry’s comments illustrate the importance of adaptability and innovation in preparing for the future of work. By focusing on growing livelihoods, continuous learning and entrepreneurship, India can transform the challenges of AI-driven disruption into opportunities for growth and development.
“The pace of change in the AI world is going to accelerate,” Berry said. “We must prepare ourselves for this by rethinking how we approach employment, skills and livelihoods in the years to come.”
Also read: India is also among the countries most worried about robots taking away jobs.
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