New Delhi, Feb 17 (NationPress) The session titled “Global Dialogue on AI Usage – Data for Labour Market Resilience”, conducted on the second day of the India AI Impact Summit 2026, emphasized that enhancing labour market resilience during the AI era necessitates improved evaluation of technology adoption, proactive governance, and synchronized investments in skills, social protection, and institutional capabilities. This approach is crucial for ensuring that productivity advancements yield widespread economic and social advantages.

The session delved into the evolving nature of work and employment situations amidst rapid artificial intelligence integration, alongside the policy decisions needed to navigate this shift.

Utilizing emerging global insights, the conversation noted varying effects across different age demographics, sectors, and regions. Preliminary trends suggest that younger workers in positions with greater AI exposure may face employment challenges.

The panelists highlighted that the absence of comprehensive, comparable data across nations hampers governments' capacity to implement timely, targeted solutions.

The discussion underscored the necessity of advancing adaptive policy frameworks, even in the face of incomplete information, while reinforcing social protection systems and broadening reskilling options.

It was emphasized that tailored strategies for sectors like services, agriculture, and public service—backed by international collaboration and collective learning—are vital to ensure that AI adoption fosters inclusive growth.

Shamika Ravi, a member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, stated, “India exhibits one of the highest firm-level AI adoption rates, characterized by both openness and optimism. While we are still assessing productivity impacts, AI in India is poised to address longstanding challenges—especially in health, education, and services—where last-mile connectivity issues have historically impeded progress.”

Ambassador Philip Thigo, Kenya’s Special Envoy for Technology, remarked, “Preparing for AI-induced transitions necessitates more than just reskilling and upskilling; it requires robust social protection frameworks. In nations like Kenya, which has a youthful population alongside older workers in vital sectors such as agriculture, policy must encourage innovation while ensuring protection for all generations during this transition.”

Hector de Revoire, Director of Responsible AI Public Policy at Microsoft, noted, “The majority of the evidence we currently possess regarding AI’s impact on employment is sourced from a few countries, especially the United States. In numerous other regions, including developing economies, data is still scarce, complicating our ability to draw definitive conclusions and highlighting the urgent need for systematic global data collection on adoption and employment.”

Yoshua Bengio, a professor at the Université de Montréal and a renowned global AI authority, opened the session by asserting that the trends observed in AI over the past five years will continue to significantly affect the job market.

Access to AI will become a competitive edge, whereas countries lacking it will find themselves at a disadvantage. Therefore, international collaboration is essential to mitigate adverse effects and guide AI toward beneficial outcomes for all. Alliances must be forged, and dialogues initiated.