Ola founder and chief executive officer (CEO) Bhavish Aggarwal believes India has the potential to become a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI), drawing parallels to China’s dominance in manufacturing. He highlighted India’s strengths, including the largest number of developers, silicon designers, and data, along with the world’s largest IT services industry. Aggarwal emphasized that India’s vast pool of IT professionals can become even more productive by embracing AI, creating a surge in AI-related jobs. He stressed that this shift won’t happen automatically, demanding proactive efforts to transform India into an AI powerhouse.
Aggarwal previously called for India to become a global AI hub, leveraging its large IT workforce. He envisions a future where Indian IT professionals contribute significantly to global clients, boosting productivity tenfold and creating a substantial number of new jobs in India. He believes embracing AI is crucial for achieving this economic transformation.
While acknowledging the potential for job displacement due to AI’s automation capabilities, Aggarwal also highlighted the creation of new opportunities in other areas. He predicts that AI’s immediate impact will be felt primarily in white-collar jobs rather than blue-collar roles.
In a separate commentary, Aggarwal criticized the growing influence of big tech companies and their promotion of ‘wokeism’. He expressed his disagreement with mandatory pronoun selection on platforms like LinkedIn, arguing that it forces users to engage with a political philosophy they may not subscribe to. He believes these companies are setting their own rules for the world, prompting concern about their growing power and influence.
