India not behind in AI, building foundation models not the holy grail: Indeed exec Madhu Kurup - The Economic Times

India is not lagging in the AI revolution but is strategically pivoting away from the prohibitive costs of building foundational models toward leveraging and fine-tuning open-source solutions. This approach allows local enterprises to focus on practical applications and specific use cases, democratizing access to advanced technology and enabling rapid catch-up without the massive infrastructure investments required by Western markets. The narrative that AI will replace jobs is fundamentally flawed; instead, it acts as a force multiplier that increases productivity and expands overall usage, much like the evolution of telecommunications. Because AI systems still require human oversight to correct hallucinations and errors, human expertise remains indispensable, ensuring that employment shifts toward more strategic roles rather than disappearing entirely. This technological shift is visibly reshaping hiring patterns, with AI specialization now a critical requirement across diverse sectors, from traditional engineering to healthcare. The market is seeing a sharp decline in entry-level and traditional IT roles, contrasted by surging demand for AI and cybersecurity talent. Consequently, success now depends on adaptability and skill acquisition through non-traditional pathways, highlighting the importance of open data in matching dynamic workforce capabilities with evolving industry needs.

Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
Published on 2025-12-16

India not behind in AI, building foundation models not the holy grail: Indeed exec Madhu Kurup - The Economic Times

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