What do Bhuj, Ooty, Jabalpur, Thalassery, Bengaluru and Rowta have in common? Each of these locations is home to budding Artificial Intelligence (AI) talent. At last count, IIT Guwahati’s online BSc (Honors) in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence had learners from over 500 Indian cities, towns and taluks – from the city of Bhuj in Gujarat, to Rowta, a village in Assam.

Digital connectivity and the mobile revolution have opened up flexible ways for Indian students – even in remote areas – to build AI and digital skills online. With a more level-playing field, AI talent is rising from every corner of the country. This comes at a moment when AI is revolutionising the nature of work and creating new types of jobs. EY estimates Generative AI (GenAI) could add $1.2-1.5 trillion to India’s GDP over the next seven years, with upskilling as a critical driver.

If crores of young Indians could build skills for emerging AI and digital roles, it would be a game-changer. Focusing on three key areas could inclusively improve access to these in-demand skills.

Knocking down location barriers

Career opportunities have historically been linked to job hubs. But what if new graduates didn’t have to relocate for their dream job? Students and professionals are leaning into a promising trend – the ability to learn from anywhere and work from anywhere. They are building skills online for rising digital jobs that can be done remotely. By 2030, the World Economic Forum estimates remote digital jobs will increase 25 per cent globally, to around 92 million roles. The remote work revolution will open up growth opportunities across the wage spectrum, from high- to low-income digital jobs.

Industry micro-credentials and online specialisations created by employers like Google, Meta and IBM, are helping Indian learners flexibly learn skills online for these remote roles. Data Analytics and Cybersecurity — skills employers are scouting for globally — are among the top choices for learners here. More Indian women are also going online to build digital skills. Research shows women’s learning choices are impacted by factors such as mobility, safety and family obligations. By learning online, Indian women are overcoming these barriers to prepare for remote digital jobs that are higher-paying and fit their lives.

If graduating students could develop valuable AI and digital skills from anywhere, it would lead to other advantages too. Talent pools could be geographically dispersed. AI jobs that are growing rapidly could be decentralised, powering tier-2 and -3 Indian cities as AI innovation hubs.

Developing made-in-India AI talent

AI will not replace people, but people who use AI will replace those who don’t. As the International Labor Organization reports, GenAI is “more likely to augment than destroy jobs by automating some tasks rather than taking over a role entirely.” As AI transforms work, the challenge will be to ensure young Indians have the skills to become and remain employable. Students and professionals are showing how this can be done impactfully, by upskilling online. Learners in India are among the most proactive globally in future-proofing their skill sets, especially for GenAI skills.

India has all the makings of a global AI talent hub. It has the highest growth in AI talent concentration, according to the Stanford AI Index 2024. Giving students wide access to AI skills would build capacity to strengthen these talent advantages. Odisha is a microcosm for such transformational skill development. The State has doubled down on upskilling its youth on AI and digital skills through programmes like NUA Odisha. Its emerging skill ecosystem is aimed at making Odisha a global skills hub.

Driving inclusive skill development

Imagine an India where institutes like the IITs or BITS Pilani trained lakhs of people online, instead of a few thousand students. This year, IIT Madras’ online BS Degree in Data Science and Applications saw a record number of applications, driven by interest in AI and Data Science.

As the demand for AI skills surges among students and employers alike, talent development will need to be a team sport. Governments, universities and businesses will have to work together to create new learning and career pathways for emerging AI jobs. Greater institutional collaboration can help public and private organisations nurture the ecosystem needed for broad-based digital skill development. In the next decade, India is poised to be the largest source of human capital for the world. Enabling students and India’s next generation of workers to develop AI skills will be a sure path to bring equitable growth in the future.

The writer is Managing Director, India and Asia Pacific, Coursera

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