As generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini rapidly transform industries, growing concerns are emerging about their impact on the future of young professionals. These fears were a focal point during a recent panel discussion at the Oxford India Forum, where leaders and experts debated AI’s growing influence on society, work, and innovation.
The panel featured Rajeev Chandrashekhar, former Minister of State for IT; Sameer Chauhan, Director of the United Nations International Computing Centre (UNICC); and Vikram Doraiswami, India’s High Commissioner to the UK. The session was moderated by Prachetas Bhatnagar, Head of Strategy and Operations, Policy and Politics at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change.
One of the key concerns raised during the discussion was the anxiety among college students about how AI might affect their future careers. Addressing this, Chandrashekhar remarked, “AI is going to change the landscape of what we see as work. AI is changing the landscape of what we understand as innovation. (Earlier) I think search in many, many ways changed the dynamics and landscape of talent and who did well and who did not do so well at work.”
He emphasized that this technological shift would fundamentally reshape workplaces. “AI is going to take (change) to the next level. It’s going to be an extremely deep change in the workflows. And the concept of talent and skills at work is going to be reimagined in ways that we cannot today understand,” he said.
However, Chandrashekhar urged students not to be overwhelmed. “I always tell students, don’t underestimate the power of AI or how you will work and how you will succeed or fail. And don’t overestimate the hyperbole of AI and get threatened by it and see this as a challenge rather than an opportunity,” he advised.
The panel also discussed broader issues, including India’s trajectory in deep tech and AI, the importance of tech sovereignty, and the growing threat of misinformation fueled by AI. “If you think misinformation in the world of social media is a problem, that is going to look like a walk in the park when you see what’s going to happen down the road with AI,” warned Chandrashekhar.
The conversation highlighted the urgent need for balanced perspectives—recognizing both the risks and the vast opportunities that AI presents for future generations.
