As artificial intelligence reshapes the way businesses operate, questions around which jobs will grow, which will shrink, and how the workforce should prepare for this shift are becoming urgent. We spoke to four experts across recruitment, finance education, AV technology, and higher education to get their perspective.

Which jobs are likely to grow, and which are at risk?

Devashish Sharma, Co-Founder and CEO of Taggd, says AI will boost demand for roles that “build, govern and apply technology to business problems,” while work built around repeatable logic and routine execution will be “fundamentally redefined” rather than eliminated outright.

CFA Sanjay Saraf, Founder of Sanjay Saraf Educational Institute (SSEI), Kolkata, points to growth in AI, data analytics, cybersecurity, risk management, investment research and fraud detection, along with strong demand for professionals who combine domain knowledge with technology.

Roles at greater risk, he says, include routine data entry, standard reporting, reconciliation, and templated research. His sharper warning: the real risk isn’t AI replacing people — it’s professionals who use AI well replacing those who don’t.

Vijay Sharma, Managing Director of Optoma Technology (India), expects a considerable boost in demand for AI integration, automation, data science, cybersecurity, software development, and intelligent AV systems, while manual data entry, administrative functions and customer service will be automated to a large extent.

Dr. Lovi Raj Gupta, Pro Vice-Chancellor of LPU, frames it historically: every technological shift, from computers entering banks and railways, changed the nature of work rather than eliminating it altogether. The roles most at risk, he says, are those “built around repetitive and predictable work.”

Sidharth Thakur, Director, Grassik Search, says, “Professionals today need AI literacy, sound judgment to question AI’s often-flawed outputs, and strong human skills like relationship-building that AI can’t replicate.”

What skills should students and professionals build?

Sharma of Taggd lists AI and Generative AI, machine learning, data science, Python and SQL, cloud engineering, cybersecurity, and full-stack development as key technical skills but adds that critical thinking, judgement, adaptability, empathy and stakeholder management will increasingly determine effectiveness, since “AI can accelerate the process,” but “human judgement, context, and relationships will determine the outcome.”

Saraf identifies three capabilities for finance professionals: strong fundamentals in accounting and valuation, technology and data literacy including Excel, SQL, Python and AI tools, and independent judgement the ability to question assumptions and separate information from insight.

Vijay Sharma emphasises continuous learning over a fixed skill set digital literacy, AI competency, critical thinking and creativity, alongside communication and teamwork.

Dr. Gupta says the most valuable skill isn’t knowing how to use AI tools, but knowing how to apply them to real-world problems, alongside analytical ability, ethical judgment and business understanding.

He notes recruiters are increasingly assessing capability over credentials, favouring live projects, internships and portfolios over theoretical knowledge alone.

Thankur of Grassik Search says “CXOs must get hands-on with AI themselves, since it now touches strategy, capital allocation and customer experience all at once.”

He suggests three habits that could make a real difference: “Block real weekly time for hands-on learning, set up reverse mentorship with the youngest people in your organisation, and study how AI is being deployed outside your own sector; cross-industry pattern recognition matters more than depth in any single tool.”

How should governments, institutions and companies prepare the workforce?

“Sharma of Taggd points to companies mapping skill taxonomies to identify workforce gaps, and highlights TARA Insights, the talent intelligence layer within Taggd’s agentic AI recruitment engine, TARA, as helping bring visibility into talent supply, skill availability and emerging capability needs.”

Saraf calls for a three-way effort: governments investing in affordable reskilling and vocational training, institutions moving beyond exam-focused learning toward AI literacy and live projects, and companies redesigning entry-level roles to give young professionals earlier exposure to analysis and decision-making.

Vijay Sharma stresses collaboration on lifelong learning and modular credentialing, with governments funding subsidised training and companies embedding upskilling into regular workflows.

For the AV sector specifically, he flags network engineering, IoT cybersecurity and AI system integration as priority skills.

Dr. Gupta says curricula must stay dynamic through continuous industry engagement a practice he says LPU follows in line with the National Education Policy but adds that curriculum alone isn’t enough.

Students need internships, live industry projects and multidisciplinary exposure before graduation, with institutions treating employability “as a continuous process rather than a placement outcome.”

Thakur of Graphic Search says governments, institutions and companies must fast-track reskilling toward high-growth areas like AI/ML and cybersecurity, while building transition pathways for at-risk roles like entry-level coders, testers and BPO staff.

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With the deeper proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) and growing maturity over certain functions, these centers are now building products from the ground up, leading projects that are innovative, and taking a step ahead of ‘following instructions’ from the headquarters.

While global giants are experimenting with their talent strategy, they are also making a major tweak in their pay philosophy, all while they try to scout for the perfect talent mix.

Some of the most attractive sets of hires in the industry are the mid-senior talent, which has risen sharply from 63 per cent in 2023 to 77 percent in 2025, shows a recent analysis by CIEL Works, a recruitment and staffing  company.

For similar experience levels, GCC wage offers are generally greater than those of typical IT services companies, especially for such positions.

“The nature of work in the GCCs drives a 10-25 per cent compensation premium, which is not just due to a lack of skill. Positions with greater effect, such as product engineering, global platforms, and enterprise AI, are being filled by GCC companies,” Daniele Merlerati, Chief Regional Officer–APAC, Baltics & Benelux, GI Group Holding told ETGCCWorld.

Large IT services companies, at the same time, have purposefully slowed salary increases in recent cycles due to their lengthier transaction cycles and tighter margins, Merlerati added.

Premium for AI, cybersecurity skills

Recruiters and industry leaders say this is most visible in high-skill digital roles, where GCCs are paying a premium for specialised expertise as mandates expand.

GCCs are also prioritising skill density, by investing in fewer, mid-level specialised professionals rather than following the old pyramid model.

Nizar Ali Hamid, Chief Growth Officer, Taggd, sees a narrower but consistent premium in such compensation structures.

“Compensation patterns between GCCs and IT services are increasingly diverging. From what we see in the market, GCC compensation typically sits at 8-15 per cent above IT services for comparable experience. This is largely driven by the nature of work, global mandates, product ownership, and strategic accountability,” says Nizar Ali Hamid, Chief Growth Officer, Taggd.

Read the full story here.

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Every time we visit smaller towns, rural areas, or agriculture expos, we’re struck by how much talent and innovation is out there.”- Pushkar Limaye, Co-Founder and CTO of Carnot Technology.

Studies show that approximately 50% of the recognized start-ups in India are based out of Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. According to the report, many multinational companies are establishing and expanding their presence in non-tier 1 cities, showing that these areas are becoming increasingly attractive for entrepreneurs and businesses alike. In this article, we will explore the reasons behind this trend and what this means for job seekers.

Reason Behind the Shift from Metro Cities

For many years, Tier 1 cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru were seen as the epicenter of India’s corporate world. However, in recent years, non-tier 1 cities like Nagpur, Lucknow, Jaipur, Coimbatore, etc. are becoming increasingly attractive for business investments due to three major factors.

High cost of living: Most metro cities are experiencing extreme saturation in terms of space and population, while witnessing unprecedented pollution. Due to this, the cost of living has increased manifold. In contrast, non-tier 1 cities offer a more affordable living, allowing employees to maintain a better quality of life and an overall better work-life balance. A recent EY study indicates that the cost of living in Tier 2 cities is 10-35% lower than the living costs in Tier 1 cities.

Apart from employees, businesses also enjoy the advantage of lower operational costs and reduced competition, making such regions more conducive for long-term success.

Talent availability: The growing availability of untapped talent in Tier 2 and 3 cities, and the meteoric rise of such cities as centers for specialized talent. For instance, cities like Mangalore, Lucknow, and Pune are assuming growing importance to find employable talent for IT and BFSI talent.

Government efforts: The government’s active intervention through subsidies and interlinked programs has also played a key role in this transformation of rural areas as hubs of employment. For example, the Smart Cities Mission aims to promote sustainable and inclusive urban development in 100 cities across India. This has led to the creation of new infrastructure, such as roads, public transportation, and water supply systems, which has improved the quality of life and made these cities more attractive to employees and businesses alike.

Similarly, the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan launched in 2020 aims to promote self-reliance and domestic production in India, more so in rural regions, which encourages MSMEs to set up bases in such areas and generate local employment, thereby reducing outflow of talent to metros.

Popular Sectors for Employment in Non-tier 1 Cities

The Decoding Jobs 2023 India report highlights the growing trend of companies in different sectors hiring from non-tier 1 cities. The report shows that in the IT sector, the number of employed people in non-tier 1 cities is set to increase from 33% in 2022 to 47% in 2023. Similarly, the Internet Businesses sector is expected to see a 38% increase in new hires from non-tier 1 cities.

In the Manufacturing sector, about 60% of the workforce is expected to come from non-tier 1 cities in 2023. The report also states that nearly 66% of Global In-house Centers (GICs) are highly likely to hire from non-tier 1 cities in 2023.

Agnipath Trainees and Opportunities in the Corporate World

In a transformative step to fuel the growth of the armed forces, the Indian government introduced the Agnipath scheme in June 2022, which seeks to enlist young individuals into the Army, Navy, and Air Force for a four-year term.

The scheme has the potential to instill in young individuals certain values that cannot be effectively taught in a traditional curriculum. The rigorous training and experience gained through the program develops several high-value skills in terms of discipline, leadership, and team management, among several others, that can make Agnipath trainees high-potential candidates for India Inc once their four-year training is complete.

Furthermore, due to exposure of a large segment of such trainees to rural parts of India, they will be well-equipped with an understanding of how things work in these areas and can provide rich insights into local markets, helping businesses serve their target audience better.

According to Mr. Anand Mahindra, the chairman of Mahindra Group, “Large potential for employment of Agniveers in the Corporate Sector. With leadership, teamwork & physical training, Agniveers provide market-ready professional solutions to industry, covering the full spectrum from operations to administration & supply chain management.”

The Way Forward

In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “The future of India lies in its villages.” This quote rings true even today, as non-tier 1 cities and rural areas present a wealth of untapped potential for Indian corporations. With extreme focus on profit-driven growth, such regions offer a promising path for Indian corporations to achieve sustainable business growth and for employees to have a successful professional life while enjoying a healthy personal life in the long run.

About the Author

Pankaj Bansal is the Co-founder of Taggd and Work Universe (a Fund investing in jobs and work tech). He is a non-executive director at Karmayogi Bharat (Capacity building or Civil Servants) and many other startups. Follow him on Twitter at @pankajbansalPB.

By Pankaj Bansal

Co-founder of Taggd and Work Universe

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