Agentic AI to reshape over 10 million jobs in India by 2030: ServiceNow report
From payroll clerks to platform architects, roles across industries are undergoing a quiet revolution. What was once repetitive and rule-based is now being taken over by intelligent agents, allowing humans to focus on strategy, creativity and innovation. In a country with the world's largest youth population, this transformation spells not disruption but opportunity.
'India's AI journey is at a defining moment,' says Sumeet Mathur, SVP & MD, ServiceNow India. 'This is not just about automation, it's about reimagining work itself.'
Agentic AI isn't just automating, it's collaborating. Roles such as implementation consultants and system admins are seeing a boost, as AI augments human decision-making rather than replacing it. In fact, sectors like manufacturing (8 million), retail (7.6 million) and education (2.5 million) are expected to see the deepest impact, as AI drives efficiency and redefines workflows.
With three million new tech jobs projected in the next five years, India is leading the global charge in AI-led employment growth. Think software developers, data engineers, platform owners, the new heroes of an AI-powered economy.
The report also notes that 25% of Indian enterprises are already in the transformation phase, outpacing countries like Singapore and Australia. And with 13.5% of tech budgets now committed to AI, the message is loud and clear: AI is no longer a future experiment, it's today's execution priority.
But this acceleration comes with growing pains. Data security remains a top concern and 26% of enterprises are still unclear about the skillsets they'll need. The report urges companies to move beyond reviewing AI outputs and begin interrogating how AI decisions are made- transparently, ethically and collaboratively.
The future belongs to those who can adapt. With skills like prototyping, ERP, digital strategy and data pipeline management gaining currency, the emphasis now shifts to reskilling and role reinvention, turning help desk agents into digital transformation leaders and change managers into AI strategists.
India's Agentic AI moment isn't just about technology. It's about trust, talent and transformation. And if the data's anything to go by, this isn't just a turning point for India. It's a blueprint for the world.
(This article has been curated by Kaashvi Khubyani, who is an intern with The Indian Express.)
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