Opinion
The great AI reboot: Educators, techies and leaders all need to adapt fast
Summary
- Artificial intelligence will have a seismic impact. Do tech firms need coders? Are colleges imparting outdated skills? Are leaders ready for job shake-ups? There’s no option but to grapple with the reality of an AI-driven world.
On 30 November 2022, technology started talking back. It was the day when OpenAI unleashed ChatGPT into the wild. It wasn’t just another tech launch—it was a cultural mic drop. The buzz spread faster than a meme, and before long, millions were typing their first ‘prompts,’ marvelling at this new digital oracle. It was as if the internet collectively leaned in and said, ‘Wait, it can do that?’
Unlike the slow burn of past innovations, artificial intelligence (AI) didn’t tiptoe onto the scene; it cannonballed into the deep end of human curiosity. Within five days, ChatGPT had a million users. By the end of December 2022, it had racked up 266 million visits.
More than two years later, where has AI taken us? From reshaping industries to redefining how we live, work and even think, AI has become the invisible architect of our daily lives. But what does this mean for the future? What opportunities and challenges lie ahead as we embrace this revolution?
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AI isn’t just a tech milestone; it is a paradigm shift. Much like the transition from bullock carts to automobiles or typewriters to personal computers, AI marks a leap in how humans interact with machines.
The implications were immediate and profound. AI democratized skills like coding and creative writing, while sparking debates about its impact on jobs and creativity itself. It challenged Google’s long-standing dominance of web-search and information retrieval, and ignited an AI arms race among tech giants like Microsoft and Google. In short, it didn’t just disrupt the tech industry, it has redefined it.
But let’s not forget: every revolution comes with its share of chaos. Critics worry about job displacement and ethical concerns around bias and misinformation. In many ways, AI is both a tool of empowerment and a lightning rod for controversy.
The tech sector has always been a harbinger of innovation, but it’s also ground zero for disruption—this time at the hands of AI. The once-bustling armies of coders, who meticulously built the digital scaffolding of our world, are now facing an existential reckoning. As AI tools evolve to write, debug and optimize code faster than any human could dream of, the demand for vast developer teams is evaporating. Infotech companies that once thrived on labour outsourcing are being forced to confront a stark reality: the era of coding as a mass occupation is drawing to a close.
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The implications are seismic. Many tech firms have begun trimming their developer headcounts, leaning instead on AI-powered tools that can churn out work with unprecedented speed and accuracy. In recent months, companies like Dropbox, Google and IBM have announced job cuts linked to the growing utility of AI, as businesses pivot toward automation and efficiency. Despite these layoffs, the World Economic Forum predicts that human roles in big data, fintech and AI will double by 2030, signalling a polarized job market where traditional tech roles decline while demand surges for AI-specialized skills.
At one end, a select group of elite engineers with AI expertise and business acumen will command premium salaries as they oversee AI-driven workflows. At the other end, smaller teams of mid-level engineers will wield AI assistants to manage projects that once required sprawling departments.
For educators in engineering schools, this shift raises urgent questions: Are we preparing students for yesterday’s jobs? The traditional curriculum focused on manual coding may soon be as outdated as teaching stenography in the age of word processors. It’s time for academia to pivot towards fostering skills in AI integration, system design and interdisciplinary problem-solving.
Meanwhile, infotech outsourcing firms must wake up and smell the coffee. The labour arbitrage model that fuelled their growth is under siege. A competitive edge no longer lies in hiring cheap talent, but in leveraging smarter tools. Companies that fail to adapt risk becoming relics of a bygone era.
The broader job market isn’t immune either. Goldman Sachs estimates that AI could replace 300 million full-time jobs globally, with tech roles among the hardest hit. While some argue that AI will create new opportunities—perhaps even entire industries—the transition won’t be painless.
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To add complexity, China’s AI ambitions have just turned up the heat and the world is feeling the burn. With the release of DeepSeek’s R1 model this January, it’s clear that China is no longer playing catch-up—it is setting the pace. India, with its vast talent pool and thriving infotech sector, has what it takes to become an AI powerhouse. Yet, the leap required looks daunting.
So here we are in 2025, at the crossroads of a new revolution—not one powered by steam engines or assembly lines, but by neural networks and generative AI. The workforce is being reshaped before our eyes, with AI automating not just tasks but entire professions, leaving millions to grapple with an uncomfortable truth: it’s not just jobs that are evolving, but the very nature of work.
One thing is undeniable: AI is no longer a glimpse of the future; it’s the force shaping our present. The question now isn’t whether we can keep up—it’s whether we’re ready to redefine what work means in a world driven increasingly by smart software.
The author is managing partner, Thoth Advisors and ex-CEO, BARC India.
