Artificial intelligence (AI) may not eliminate entry-level jobs across India, but it could change how workers gain the experience needed to progress into senior positions. A white paper from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras' Centre for Responsible AI (CeRAI), titled How AI Is Reconfiguring Work in India, examines how the technology is reshaping tasks, responsibilities and career development.

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The study highlights a growing distinction between jobs disappearing entirely and roles being transformed by automation. In business process outsourcing, for example, AI tools can handle routine tasks such as password resets, basic account enquiries and appointment registrations. Human employees may still be needed to manage complicated requests, resolve unusual problems and deal with customers who require personal assistance.

This shift could improve efficiency, but it also raises questions about how new workers develop practical skills. If AI takes over routine assignments traditionally given to junior employees, workers may have fewer opportunities to build the experience required for more complex responsibilities. Over time, this could weaken the career ladder connecting entry-level positions to senior roles.

The paper recommends continued AI adoption alongside stronger research into India's labour market and structured transition pathways for affected workers. Reskilling programmes, it argues, should be connected to realistic alternative jobs rather than offering training without clear employment outcomes.

Responsibility for funding this transition is another important issue. Employers, policymakers and training institutions need greater clarity on who will pay for reskilling and how workers can access relevant opportunities.

The broader message is that AI's impact on employment cannot be measured only by counting jobs lost or created. India must also consider how technology changes everyday work, skill development and long-term career progression. Supporting workers through these changes will be essential to making AI adoption more inclusive.