The rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping the job market, and mastering AI has become essential for future employment, according to renowned educationist Jayaprakash Gandhi. Speaking at the Vazhikatti - a Dinamalar Career Guidance program in Puducherry, Gandhi underscored the growing importance of AI proficiency and its impact on various industries.

The Need for AI Education in India
Gandhi noted that while Indian students are eager to learn AI, the country still lacks indigenous AI tools and structured AI curricula at the undergraduate level. He pointed out that institutions such as IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, and Anna University had yet to incorporate AI as a core subject in their undergraduate programs. He mentioned that the real challenge was not just learning AI but understanding its practical applications.

Drawing parallels with the early 2000s, when computer literacy became indispensable across professions, Gandhi emphasized that AI knowledge had now become fundamental, regardless of one's field of study.

Emerging Global Trends and Industry Shifts
Discussing global AI trends, he highlighted that while India was making strides in AI and data science, other nations were advancing rapidly in technologies such as Organized Intelligence (OI) and synthetic data science. These innovations were expected to drive significant changes in the job market over the next decade. He predicted that by 2030, 80% of coding practices would evolve, 70% of jobs would become digital, and 72% of current technical skills would be obsolete.

The integration of AI-driven robotics, virtual reality in healthcare, and next-generation financial technologies was already transforming industries. Gandhi pointed out that technologies like IR-based money transfers, widely used in the U.S., demonstrated the future of digital transactions.

Career Prospects in an AI-Driven World
As the demand for AI expertise grows, fields such as computer science, cybersecurity, electronic communications, electrical electronics, and biomedical engineering would be as promising career choices. Students needed to align their education with industry trends to remain competitive in the evolving job market.

With a global technological shift on the horizon, students must acquire AI skills and adapt to industry demands to secure their future.

--Jayprakash Gandhi, Education Counsellor