Will AI Really Take Your Job? What Is the Reality Beside the Panic

Will artificial intelligence (AI) take away jobs from ordinary people— this question is now everywhere, from offices to tea stalls. However, multiple international and Indian surveys from 2025-26 indicate that the reality is as complex as it is alarming— while AI is indeed reducing certain types of jobs, it is simultaneously creating new kinds of work, and the most significant impact is on changing the nature of work, not completely eliminating jobs.

According to the World Economic Forum's 'Future of Jobs Report 2025', by 2030, technological, economic, and demographic changes will create approximately 170 million new jobs worldwide, while about 92 million jobs will be lost. In other words, the net increase will be around 78 million jobs. The report is based on data from over 1,000 employers across 55 countries.

However, the real change is hidden beneath these numbers. The forum's report states that by 2030, about 22% of jobs will undergo significant changes. The fastest-growing roles will be AI and machine learning specialists, big data analysts, cybersecurity experts, and software developers. Conversely, the most affected will be clerical and routine office jobs— such as data entry workers, bank cashiers, and postal workers.

According to an analysis by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), nearly 40% of jobs worldwide will be affected by AI in some way. However, the organization noted that while this rate is about 60% in advanced economies, it is comparatively lower in developing countries— around 40% in emerging markets like India, and about 26% in low-income countries. This means the impact is not uniform across all countries.

What does the picture look like for India? The most detailed survey was conducted by ICRIER (Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations), with support from OpenAI. The findings of this survey, conducted on 650 IT companies in 10 cities between November 2025 and January 2026, indicate that generative AI is not leading to mass layoffs in India's IT sector. Rather, the nature of work is changing.

However, layoffs are not entirely absent. According to staffing agency TeamLease, by May 2026, approximately 10,000 to 15,000 employees in India's tech sector have lost their jobs through 'silent layoffs'— meaning staff reductions have occurred without public announcements. Another agency, CIEL HR Services, estimates this number to be around 12,000. Some industry experts predict that throughout 2026, the number of positions in India's tech sector could decrease by 25,000 to 35,000. However, these layoffs are not solely due to AI; experts have indicated that corrections from excessive hiring post-COVID and restructuring of companies are also significant factors.

A crucial piece of information has been provided by the Harvard Business Review. Based on a survey of 1,006 global executives conducted in December 2025, the report from January 2026 states that only 2% of companies reported significant layoffs due to actual AI implementation. The rest are reducing staff or slowing hiring mainly due to concerns that AI will change job demands in the future— meaning that in many cases, the layoffs are not a direct result of AI now, but rather a precautionary measure in anticipation of AI's arrival.

On the flip side, demand is also increasing. According to job portal foundit, AI-related hiring in India could grow at an annual rate of about 32% in 2026, potentially reaching around 380,000 positions. The largest share will be in IT and software (37%), followed by banking and insurance (approximately 16%).

Consulting firm PwC's 'Global AI Jobs Barometer 2026' highlights another aspect. Analyzing over a billion job advertisements, the firm claims that companies that use AI the most are about 40% more productive than those that use it less— and these companies are also rapidly increasing salaries and employee numbers. However, at the same time, the skills required for AI-dependent jobs are changing more than twice as fast compared to AI jobs.

Will AI take jobs— this debate is not new. The same concerns have arisen during every major technological revolution, from the advent of computers to automation. A significant portion of experts suggests that the impact of AI should be viewed in two parts— which 'jobs' are being completely eliminated, and which 'tasks' are being handled by AI. In most cases, it is not entire jobs that are disappearing, but rather some routine tasks within jobs that AI is taking over, resulting in a change in the nature of work.

Another urgent aspect in the context of India— the informal sector. According to the International Labour Organization's (ILO) 'Global Employment and Social Trends 2026' report, 80 to 90% of workers in India are engaged in informal or semi-formal work, where most lack written contracts, paid leave, or social security. The direct impact of AI on this vast segment is not as intense as in IT or white-collar jobs, but experts believe that in the long term, the touch of automation and robotics could also affect blue-collar jobs.

Almost all reports highlight a common recommendation— upskilling. According to the World Economic Forum, by 2030, about 39% of current skills will change or become obsolete. As a result, those who learn to use AI as a tool are gaining opportunities; while those who remain stuck in routine tasks are facing increased pressure.

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