AI won’t replace jobs, says PM Modi: Industry voice tells a different story

At the AI Impact Summit 2026 held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, PM Narendra Modi shared his views on Artificial Intelligence, while presenting a new mantra, “MANAV Vision” for AI. But when it came to the question everyone keeps asking, “Will AI take our jobs?” Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered an optimistic take. Also Read: AI Impact Summit 2026 extended by a day; Event now open till February 21

In his keynote, PM Modi compared AI to the early days of the internet. Back then, he said, nobody could have predicted the number of jobs it would create. The same, according to him, applies to AI. He suggested that the future of work is not fixed and will depend on how governments, industries, and societies choose to shape it. Instead of seeing AI as a threat, he described it as an opportunity, a phase where humans and intelligent systems work together. Also Read: India tightens content rules, tells global platforms to stay within constitutional limits

It was a confident message, but slightly contrasting to the statements that we have all been listening to about the AI threat to jobs.  Also Read: Sarvam Kaze Smart Glasses unveiled: India launch timeline, features, and what to expect

What tech leaders have said earlier?

Interestingly, this statement by PM Modi contrasts with what several global tech leaders have warned about in recent months. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has previously suggested that AI could replace up to 40 percent of jobs as systems become more capable. Bill Gates has openly said governments must prepare for job displacement, even while acknowledging AI’s benefits.

Vineet Nayar, former CEO of HCL Technologies, predicted that while AI may eliminate nearly half of current jobs, it could also create new ones in equal measure.

So yes, opportunity is part of the AI story, but so is disruption.

PM Modi’s view leans strongly toward the opportunity side. And while that optimism is encouraging, it does leave one question hanging in the air, what about the transition phase?

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History shows that technological revolutions create jobs, but not always for the same people, at the same time, or in the same places. The internet created millions of roles, but it also made some industries obsolete.