Numerous research reports and expert opinions have been published on the impact of the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) on the entry-level workforce, suggesting that it will affect this segment more severely than any other globally. However, Richard Lobo, the Chief People Officer at Tech Mahindra, believes that the entry-level workforce is best suited to gain from this technology, provided they learn and adapt quickly. This holds true even for mid-level talents. Adaptability and learning, according to Lobo, are not restricted to any particular group of people in these rapidly evolving times. In a free-wheeling conversation with Varun Jain, Lobo discussed the country's AI readiness, the benefits of AI, the future of jobs, and his latest book. Edited excerpts:

What is your assessment of the AI-ready workforce in the country?

AI is a continuum in the evolution of technology. India is well-positioned to build on its existing achievements. However, if I delve deeper and respond to your question, I would categorise AI talent into three levels. Level one, level two, and level three. India likely has a good supply of level one - people who understand the usage of AI and can effectively utilise it in their work. It is developing level two talent who can actually program and build further in numbers. Then you have level three, who are actually at the forefront, developing solutions that are at the next level. If India is to maintain its advantage, it must definitely focus on building level two and level three, as well as increasing the number of AI talent in the level one category.

How do we achieve this categorisation that you spoke about?

With the current system, both the investments companies make, and the educational investments institutions make, we will have an adequate supply to meet our needs. Therefore, levels two and three are where we need to focus and build upon them, which would require a partnership, both within the industry and between those who train people, so that we do what is right.

Multiple reports suggest that AI will have the most significant impact on entry-level jobs. How do you look at this observation?

I am very optimistic because, in my experience, when a new technology emerges, people at the early stages can adapt and learn more quickly. I don't believe that entry-level is a barrier. That is, the very enthusiastic group can learn rapidly. They have an advantage in developing their skills more quickly, provided companies and others are willing to invest in their training and development. Now, any other talent in the tech industry has also developed through the same route, right? Nobody has directly come into the middle level without going through the paces and at every stage of evolution. AI is not going to be different in the sense that people who are fresh and can learn well will adapt faster. It doesn't mean others won't. Mid-level individuals and others will also quickly learn, ultimately realising that adaptability is not something unique to a particular group of people. I take a very optimistic view that entry-level positions are well-positioned to take advantage of what is going to happen rather than assuming that only experienced individuals or those who have worked in this field will benefit.

What makes you so confident that entry-level job seekers won't find it difficult to navigate the future job market?

We should remember that technology is getting easier to understand and learn. There is a set of areas that, of course, require a very high level of programming and expertise; many other things are not that difficult to learn. Now, let's take, for example, our work. If we were to use AI, both of us could do it without much challenge. So, it's the same as any other technology. So, unless I'm getting into a very narrow area that requires a lot of specialised knowledge, much of it is becoming easier to do so. This is not a question of whether entry-level employees will face a larger challenge. It's a question of whether people are willing to adapt and learn. Will I be able to do it? If you have a barrier in your mind that you don't want to do, then you will always find it a challenge.

Could AI generate as many jobs as it replaces in the long run?

I believe that it will generate jobs, which we cannot foresee today. There will be new uses for AI. There are new opportunities to explore that will generate jobs, which we are not yet aware of. It's very difficult to predict what job will be of use 10 years down the line. It's challenging to see the future if you had asked me 10 years ago what would happen. It's much easier to connect the past, right? Many interesting things are currently at an experimental stage. They are nowhere near reaching a level of maturity, but there are already people thinking of new ways to utilise AI, and that is what will happen. Now, what those jobs are? I don't know. I don't want to guess because it will probably be wrong, but there will be new things to do.

Additionally, it is essential not to overlook the fact that it enables us to perform our current jobs more effectively. For example, if I were to put this interview through an AI after speaking with you, I'm sure it would provide a much better flow of answers than I'm offering you as a person and the same as you would as an editor. I'm sure we get a much better output. Our existing jobs will improve, allowing us to do more things, including more interesting ones.

How has your job role evolved in the last few years? Do you see a significant shift in your leadership approach?

I would be wrong to say it is not. It is evolving. It is evolving to a stage where the focus is more on developing human skills, which we probably wish to strike a balance between technical, human, and other aspects. Now, the focus is shifting more towards your human skills, specifically how you manage teams across different countries. How do you get people to lead teams? How do you train people to get better at some of the like, for example, communication or talking to people, interactions? How do you build your network? I spend more time on this aspect than on many of the other things, such as analysing a set of data and drawing inferences. This is not something I spend a lot of time on now, as the system can do it much more efficiently and quickly. Therefore, the human aspect, adaptability, and the value of spending time with people and forming connections have become more important than some of the other areas. I'm spending more time on the skills that are unique to me as opposed to those that a program or a machine can do.

Talking about Tech Mahindra, where you have a massive workforce, how are you building AI capabilities within your setup?

It's a three-pronged approach for Tech Mahindra. The first one is AI and new technology, which is very directly connected and related to client requirements. So, you work on requirements that can benefit both in terms of quality of output, productivity, and ease of doing things. That's the first key focus, where the requirements of client projects largely lead your technology and AI development. The second approach is in terms of experimental space. So, we have created a lab space. We call it the Maker's Lab and other similar areas where people can experiment with new technology, develop innovative ideas, and see how AI can make an impact. Therefore, it serves as a learning space. It is a creative space. It is a place where we allow people to experiment, to fail, to succeed, and everything in between. The third approach, of course, is training. We are already in the process of investing heavily in rebuilding our training infrastructure so that we can train others in new technology. So, approximately 45,000 people are already trained in these new technologies, and we'll train more. This is the approach we have taken, and we are confident that it is the right way to go.

Your book, Human at Work, could not have come at a more appropriate time when the entire workforce is grappling with uncertainties across various levels. Can you explain to our readers how the book helps leaders develop a human-centric approach to the changing dynamics of the workplace?

The work, the workplace, and the workers are all undergoing pivotal shifts. This book came about in response to many questions I would get from young professionals about what would happen to my role. How do I keep myself current? How do I be more efficient? How do I stay healthy, and so on? So, the work workplace and workers are all going through shifts. So, when this happens, more than anything else, we need to see how we want to navigate the world of the future. Secondly, how do I leverage what is unique to me as a human characteristic to do better? And third, is how much of what you call our collective knowledge can be used together to use what is happening in the world around us. A combination of these factors led me to write this for young professionals, primarily to help them navigate what is to come. It is not about giving answers to some of these questions. There may not be clear answers, but it is more to show the direction in which it will go and which you need to be aware of. That was the entire reason behind my writing of Human at Work.