Sonipat, Dec 24 (NationPress) During a pioneering symposium aimed at exploring the impact of AI on Human Capital in India and emerging economies, O.P. Jindal Global University, in collaboration with The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), gathered prominent academics, thought leaders, market specialists, legal experts, and other professionals to develop a framework that will significantly shape policies, people, and national development, especially in higher education.

The upcoming summit, scheduled for February 16-20, 2026, will concentrate on strategies that can empower India and its policies regarding human capital across the primary, secondary, and tertiary sectors, alongside the operations of both central and state governments, to pursue the vision of Viksit Bharat @ 2047.

The pre-summit discussions included an inaugural session followed by two panel talks specifically focused on understanding the necessary policy frameworks for ensuring that the benefits of AI diffusion reach both formal and informal sectors, particularly impacting rural and low-income communities. Furthermore, they examined how national skilling initiatives and educational systems can align with the shifting requirements of an AI-centric economy.

Discussions also addressed how AI can be utilized to boost productivity without worsening inequality or displacing vulnerable workers. Various models such as cooperatives, agri-tech collaborations, and public data commons were explored to democratize access to AI tools. The panelists considered who should be accountable for retraining and redeployment—be it employers, the state, or educational institutions—and how India’s AI strategies can incorporate global best practices while addressing local socio-economic conditions.

On this significant occasion, Professor (Dr) C. Raj Kumar, the Founding Vice-Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University, expressed his support for the fruitful organization of the pre-summit event on the impact of AI on Human Capital in India and Emerging Economies in partnership with AICTE.

He noted that for a nation like India, with its unique demographic profile and developmental goals, the primary challenge lies not just in adopting new technologies, but in ensuring that artificial intelligence is integrated responsibly to strengthen human capital, increase productivity, and foster inclusive and ethical growth.

Professor Kumar emphasized the necessity for discussions that channel AI’s transformative potential through regulatory foresight, responsible deployment, and consistent investments in reskilling and institutional capacity, particularly in light of India’s vision for Viksit Bharat @ 2047.

He also highlighted the crucial role universities play in shaping the future of AI governance and capacity building. At O.P. Jindal Global University, specifically through the Cyril Shroff Centre for AI, Law and Regulation at Jindal Global Law School, the institution is dedicated to promoting interdisciplinary research, education, and dialogue that connect law, technology, public policy, and social sciences.

Discussing the shifting dynamics of India’s workforce and skill requirements, Professor Dabiru Sridhar Patnaik, the Registrar at O.P. Jindal Global University, remarked, “The deployment of AI holds transformative potential for every sector of the economy, enhancing productivity and output. However, it also presents challenges regarding skill development and redundancy. In the tertiary sector, the effects of AI are already visible, with job cuts and layoffs impacting the IT and ITES, education, accounting, audit, legal, and allied services industries. As work structures and skill requirements are reshaped across multiple sectors, AI deployment offers both opportunities and adaptive challenges. It possesses the potential to assist India in reaching its goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047. However, it is imperative that India ensures equitable distribution of this technology and takes measures to mitigate severe workforce displacement. This Pre-Event Summit aims to explore the anticipated impact of AI on human capital across all sectors of the Indian economy.”

The pre-summit discussions commenced with an inaugural session involving leading academics from JGU. The first panel discussion concentrated on AI and Human Capital in the Primary, Manufacturing, Accounting, BFSI Services Sector, and Capital Markets, examining how AI-based systems in agriculture, manufacturing, accounting, audit, and BFSI sectors can enhance productivity, efficiency, and sustainability while considering implications for labor and livelihoods.

Notable discussants included Dr. Charan Singh (CEO Egrow Foundation & Former Chairman Punjab & Sind Bank), Dr. Amarjit Chopra (Director, Tata Power Trading, Member BoG, MDI Gurugram, Former President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, Member NFRA & Ex-Chairman, NACAS)- Online, Sushil Agarwal (Chairman & Managing Director Avro India Ltd.), Dr. Dinesh Tyagi, IAS (Retd.) (Chairman SODES), Sumit Mathur (Director Gen AI-NatWest Group), Prof (D.) Nandita Bhan (Professor & Vice Dean- Academics- JSPH), Dr. Chavi Asrani (Associate Professor-JSBF), Prof Mayank Dhaundiyal (Professor & Dean- JGBS), Prof. Dayanand Pandey (Professor & Dean- JSBF), and Prof. R. Sudarshan (Professor & Dean- JSGP).

It was acknowledged that AI-powered automation is gradually revolutionizing industry operations, creating new opportunities for safer and more efficient workflows. However, this transformation also increases the demand for roles requiring digital and technical skills. Simultaneously, these shifts can displace routine jobs and widen skill gaps, particularly for smaller firms, including MSMEs, that face challenges in adopting new technologies. The goal is to leverage AI to enhance productivity while assisting workers in adapting through reskilling and ensuring that the advantages are distributed among the manufacturing workforce.

The second panel addressed AI and Human Capital in Healthcare, Education, Legal Education, IT, & IT-enabled Services. It analyzed how AI-driven automation and analytics are reshaping employment, skills, and the service sector's structure, focusing on areas such as education (STEM & Liberal Arts), legal education & services, IT-Enabled Services (ITES), e-governance, public services, and healthcare. This panel also discussed the effects of AI on the manufacturing sector, where AI-enabled robotics, intelligent automation, and data-driven production systems are altering workforce requirements.

This panel considered the technological changes across both service and manufacturing sectors that are redefining job roles, skill requirements, and organizational practices, examining their implications for the future of human capital in an AI-integrated economy. Participants included Dr. Abhilasha Gaur (CEO-NASSCOM IT-ITeS SSC), NSN Murty (Partner & Leader, Government and Public Services, Technology and Transformation, Deloitte India), Sanjay Kumar Rakesh, IAS (Former Addl. Chief Secretary, Govt. of Tripura, Ex. Jt. Secretary, MeitY, Govt of India), Prof. (Dr) Nitesh Bansal (Professor & Vice Dean JSPH, Dean OOPSS), Sandeep Arora (Vice President- Capgemini), Akashdeeep (IPoS-Post-Master General- India Post Gurugram Region), and Satwik Mishra (Public Policy Manager - AI and State Management - Google).

This panel also explored how AI-driven automation and analytics are reshaping employment, skills, and the structure of the services sector – particularly in realms such as education (STEM & Liberal Arts), legal education & services, IT-Enabled Services (ITES), e-governance, public services, and healthcare.

The discussions aimed for substantial outcomes, striving to create a dialogue platform for policymakers, industry leaders, experts, technologists, and academics to explore the changing landscape of AI. The focus was on placing human capital at the center of India’s AI journey towards Viksit Bharat @ 2047, facilitating an open exchange on the ethical, legal, and economic challenges posed by AI on human capital in primary, manufacturing, and tertiary sectors, and discussing strategies for preparing India’s workforce to adapt to the AI-driven economy with an emphasis on reskilling, education, and inclusion.

Participants also examined global skill development approaches due to AI integration, from the EU to the U.S., to derive insights relevant for India. They aimed to foster multi-stakeholder collaboration, ensuring governance models are not only legally sound but also socially responsible and technologically feasible, while encouraging dialogue on establishing India as a global AI hub and exporter of talent, positioning it as a leader in AI-integrated education and a global benchmark in AI skilling and research.