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    The Indian Eye
                                            BUSINESS & TRADE                                                                                38
                                                                                                                         JULY 10, 2026

                      How AI is emerging as a growth

             engine for India’s economy and skills

             From creating new jobs and boosting exports to transforming industries, artificial intelligence

            is increasingly being viewed as an opportunity rather than a threat for India’s economic future.

            OUR BUREAU                                                                                                India’s public relations industry,
                                                                                                                  for example, expects AI to become a
            New Delhi / Mumbai
                                                                                                                  major growth driver over the coming
                  rtificial intelligence (AI) is rap-                                                             years. According to the Public Rela-
                  idly reshaping India’s economy,                                                                 tions Consultants Association of In-
            Awith fresh studies and industry                                                                      dia (PRCAI), the sector is projected
            assessments suggesting that the tech-                                                                 to  grow  to  Rs  4,500  crore  by  2030
            nology  is  creating  new  employment                                                                 from Rs 3,230 crore in FY26.
            opportunities,  driving  business  inno-                                                                  AI investment across the indus-
            vation and helping companies move                                                                     try has already increased from just 2
            up the value chain instead of simply                                                                  per cent of revenues three years ago
            replacing workers.                                                                                    to 7 per cent in 2026 and is expected
                While concerns over automation                                                                    to reach 10 per cent within the next
            and job displacement continue to                                                                      three years.
            dominate global debates, the emerg-                                                                       Research, intelligence gathering,
            ing narrative in India is more optimis-                                                               content  creation  and  meeting  sum-
            tic.  Technology  leaders,  economists                                                                marisation are among the most com-
            and industry bodies argue that AI’s                                                                   mon AI applications, allowing firms
            biggest  impact  could  be  improving                                                                 to improve efficiency while enabling
            productivity, creating new categories   Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly attends Kanuni’s India debut and AI cricket innovation   professionals  to  focus  on  strategic
            of jobs and enabling Indian compa-        showcase at the Jio World Convention Centre recently in Mumbai (ANI)  advisory roles.
            nies  to  remain  globally  competitive                                                                  “PRCAI SPRINT 2026 reveals
            in an increasingly digital economy.                                                                   that  there  is  no  longer  a  single  sto-
                                                 “Employees need the skills and   across India’s IT sector.
                                              confidence to make AI part of how    “There is a lot of pivoting, there   ry defining the Indian PR industry,”
                                                                                                                  said PRCAI President Kunal Kishore.
            A new LinkedIn survey illus-      they  work  every  day,  which  is  why   is a lot of restrategising that all the   “The profession must sharpen its stra-
            trates the pace of this trans-    closer collaboration between CTOs   firms will need to do. But this panic   tegic  capabilities,  adopt  emerging
                                              and talent leaders has become essen-
                                                                                and paranoia about massive job loss-
            formation. According to the       tial,” he said.                   es is something which I think is at this   technologies  responsibly,  and  rein-
                                                                                                                  force its role as a trusted business
                                                  The report also found that 92 per
            report, 79 per cent of Indi-      cent of executives believe continuous   stage and time,” Mishra said.  partner.”
                                                                                    His assessment is supported by
                                                                                                                      PRCAI Chief Executive Officer
            an Chief Technology Officers      skill-building  is  essential,  while  93   India’s robust services exports, which   Deeptie Sethi added that AI is help-
            (CTOs) believe AI is creating     per cent said their primary respon-  continue  to  expand  despite  rapid   ing transform public relations into a
                                                                                technological advances.
                                              sibility is now helping organisations
            entirely new roles that did not   prepare for the future of work.      “Even in the month of April, ser-  broader  strategic  business  function
                                                                                                                  rather than simply a communica-
                                                  That shift is encouraging compa-
            exist just a few years ago. At    nies to invest heavily in employee de-  vices export growth was 15 per cent   tions service.
                                                                                in dollar terms. So it is growing faster
                                                                                                                      Experts  caution that AI’s ben-
            the same time, 84 per cent say    velopment. More than half of tech-  than GDP,” Mishra noted.        efits  will  depend  on  responsible
                                                                                    Instead  of  shrinking  opportu-
            their responsibilities are being   nology  leaders  surveyed  identified   nities,  AI  appears  to  be  changing   implementation. LinkedIn’s report
                                              stronger collaboration between tech-
            redefined in real time as busi-   nology and human resources depart-  where value is created.         found that 81 per cent of executives
                                                                                                                  face pressure to deploy AI faster
                                                                                    Mishra said Indian IT compa-
            nesses accelerate technology      ments as the key to building an AI-  nies would need to reskill workers   than they can effectively measure its
                                              ready workforce. Nearly 89 per cent
            adoption.                         already  report  working  closely  with   and rethink their business strategies   impact, while maintaining employee
                                              HR teams to manage the transition.  as some traditional outsourced work   trust has become one of the biggest
                The  findings  suggest  that  AI  is   Economists believe these devel-  shifts to in-house technology teams.   leadership challenges.
            changing the nature of work rather   opments  could  strengthen  India’s   However, he expects fresh oppor-  The  PR  industry  also  highlight-
            than simply eliminating it.       position as one of the world’s leading   tunities  to  emerge  in  higher-value   ed concerns over AI-generated mis-
               “As AI adoption moves from ex-  digital services hubs.           functions  including  product  design,   information and deepfakes, with 80
            perimentation to scale, success de-   Neelkanth Mishra, Executive   user interface (UI), user experience   per  cent  of  respondents  identifying
            pends as much on people as it does   Director-designate  at  the  World   (UX), software deployment and   them as significant reputational risks
            on  technology,”  said  Malai  Laksh-  Bank and Chief Economist at Axis   AI-enabled services.        and 85 per cent expecting formal AI
            manan,  Head  of  India  Engineering   Bank, dismissed fears that AI would   The benefits are extending well   governance  frameworks  to  become
            at LinkedIn.                      trigger  widespread  unemployment   beyond the IT sector.           mandatory.

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