At the India Today AI Summit 2026, industry leaders discussed the implications of artificial intelligence (AI) on employment. During a session titled 'Is AI Displacing More Jobs Than Creating?', experts including Sunil Gupta from Deloitte India, Amrit Acharya from Zetwork, and Reju Dutta from Cashfree Payments shared their insights. They argued that rather than posing a significant threat to jobs, AI is expected to provide substantial benefits and create new employment opportunities, emphasizing the importance of upskilling and reskilling workers.

Sunil Gupta pointed out that while certain sectors like call centers and software coding may see a decrease in manpower due to automation, this does not equate to a net job loss. He asserted that many jobs will evolve, with a need for personnel to build and manage AI systems, suggesting that the technology will not entirely replace human roles. The experts agreed that certain tasks would become automated, requiring a transformation in job understanding, and encouraged businesses to focus on the reskilling of their employees in light of these changes.

The discussion made it clear that the integration of AI into various industries could lead to innovative job creation rather than elimination. The general sentiment from the experts was one of cautious optimism; while acknowledging the disruption caused by AI, they maintained that with proactive reskilling strategies, workers could adapt to the new job landscape, ensuring that AI serves as a complement to human labor rather than a substitute.