Study finds 197 million Indian workers at automation risk, 46 million stand to gain

A paper released by the Chief Economic Adviser to the Government of India, authored by experts from the Great Lakes Institute of Management and the Institute of Management Technology, analyses AI exposure across the country's labour market. It finds that 197 million workers occupy routine-task occupations that could be automated, representing 11.4% of the workforce, while 46 million workers in roles like healthcare professionals, teachers, scientists, engineers and managers may experience productivity gains, accounting for 7.6%.

Kerala leads with 14.4% of its workforce in AI-complementary jobs, followed by Haryana (11.5%), Maharashtra (11.1%) and Tamil Nadu (10.7%); in contrast, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh have low exposure and few such jobs. The study recommends state-specific reskilling initiatives, stronger AI literacy and broader access to training that blends technical and soft skills. It also urges creation of employment in sectors facing labour shortages where human interaction remains essential, and stresses that preparation should start before AI-driven job losses materialise.