At the Times Now Summit 2025, Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma discussed how artificial intelligence (AI) will affect jobs. He stated that AI will replace a few jobs while also creating new job opportunities in the world in the coming years.
When asked if AI would eliminate more jobs, Sharma stated that job displacement is unavoidable but pointed out that it is a normal process of technological evolution. Taking the example of STD and PCO businesses, which once thrived but have since faded due to the increased use of smartphones and digital communication.
“Well, it’s no secret. If you look at it, for example, the STD and PCO businesses are no longer popular. At one time, people used to rely on them, but their jobs changed. Many jobs have changed like this and some of us didn’t even realise it. Now you’re expecting some jobs to go away and the answer is yes, this is the natural order of things,” Shamra stated.
“It will happen. It’s inevitable. And it will happen for the better. The new will inherit the skills, abilities and qualities of the old and move forward with them. That’s why it’s good for people,” he added.
He also claimed that the current state of AI is comparable to the early days of the internet in the 1990s. Back then, the internet was text-based, just as AI is now focused on text generation. However, because the new LLM models can create images, videos, and other advanced content, he believes AI has the potential to become as indispensable as the internet and smartphones.
Speaking of trends, Sharma noted that the global AI race is currently booming, and India has a unique opportunity to develop its own AI models. The most difficult challenge is keeping up with the rapid pace of AI innovation, which is constantly evolving.
“AI is evolving faster than any other technology. India must act quickly to lay a solid foundation and lead in this space,” he added.
