A recent study by ServiceNow has shown an estimated report that AI could generate approximately 2.73 million jobs by 2028, creating new opportunities across various sectors, including retail, manufacturing, education, and healthcare amid ongoing debates over artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential impact on job displacement ServiceNow in partnership with Pearson suggests that AI could drive substantial employment growth in India.
AI Driven Jobs in Significant Sectors
The study reveals that AI-driven advancements in sectors like retail, manufacturing, and healthcare will lead to a surge in demand for skilled professionals. Retail alone is expected to contribute an additional 6.96 million roles, with significant potential for reskilling in areas like software development and data engineering. Manufacturing is forecasted to add 1.5 million new jobs, while education and healthcare are set to generate 840,000 and 800,000 positions, respectively, driven by technological growth and economic expansion.
A Contrarian Perspective on India’s Workforce
However, some experts argue that India’s demographic dividend—the youthful workforce once viewed as an economic advantage—could become a challenge if enough jobs are not created. Shankar Sharma, investor and founder of the AI company Gquant, expressed his skepticism in an opinion piece for Moneycontrol, stating, “India’s demographic dividend may have been beneficial at some point, but economic policies have eroded that advantage over time.” Sharma also warned that as AI advances, it will increasingly replace jobs across services sectors, such as IT, finance, and legal services. According to Sharma, “AI can outperform humans even at high-level roles, potentially affecting job security in these areas.”
High-Value Opportunities and Demand for Skilled Roles
Despite these concerns, ServiceNow’s senior vice president and managing director, Sumeet Mathur, remains optimistic, stating, “AI will be a key catalyst for job creation across India’s growth engines, especially in roles that require advanced technical skills.” He emphasized that AI’s impact will create high-value roles and sustainable digital careers, providing professionals with opportunities to grow.
The study forecasts strong growth in tech-related roles across industries. Software application developers lead the demand with an anticipated 109,700 new roles, followed by systems software developers and data engineers, with projected additions of 48,800 and 48,500 positions, respectively. Other growing fields include web development, data analysis, and software testing, each expected to add tens of thousands of jobs.
Increased Productivity Through GenAI Integration
The report also highlights productivity gains driven by generative AI (GenAI), with roles such as systems administrators seeing significant task automation. Systems administrators may save up to 6.9 hours per week through GenAI-enabled tools, while AI systems engineers and implementation consultants will benefit as repetitive tasks are automated, allowing more time for strategic projects.
