Artificial Intelligence (AI) will change the way people work, but it will not take away jobs completely. This is what Puneet Chandok, President of Microsoft India and South Asia, said while speaking at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi. He explained that AI will mostly change how work is done, not replace workers entirely.
He said “AI will not kill jobs. AI will unbundle jobs… Your job is a bundle of tasks. What AI will do is it will unbundle it,”
Jobs are made of tasks and bundles
Puneet Chandok said that most jobs are made up of many small tasks. AI can handle some of these tasks, especially the repetitive ones. But work that needs human thinking, creativity, emotions, and judgement will still need people.
In simple words, AI will not “remove” jobs. Instead, it will change them. Some parts of a job may become automated, while new responsibilities may be added. Because of this, learning new skills will become very important.
AI wave is different from internet or mobile wave!
Puneet Chandok also said artificial intelligence is unlike previous technology waves, such as the internet, mobile or cloud computing, because it represents the ability to “manufacture intelligence” at scale.
“We have potentially, for the first time in humankind, the ability to manufacture intelligence,” he said. “Intelligence is the most valuable commodity on the planet.”
He said that it has been roughly three years since the “ChatGPT moment,” yet progress in model capability has been rapid. “The models that you’re seeing today, the capabilities that you’re seeing today, are unlike anything we’ve seen even a few months ago,” he said.
India is in a strong position
According to Puneet Chandok, India is in a good position to benefit from AI. Many Indian professionals are already using AI tools at work. A large number of companies are also exploring AI systems to improve productivity and efficiency.
He also mentioned that India’s strong digital systems, like Aadhaar and UPI, show how quickly the country can adopt new technology. With government support and private investment, AI could become a major growth driver for India.
Microsoft has also announced big investments to expand its data centre infrastructure in the country, showing confidence in India’s digital future.
AI as a workplace assistant
Puneet Chandok described AI as more than just a tool. In the future, AI systems could act like digital assistants or teammates. They may be able to understand tasks, make decisions, and complete work with minimal supervision. However humans will still be in control
Learning is the key
Puneet Chandok made one important point very clear that people must keep learning. Those who understand and use AI will grow in their careers. Those who ignore it may struggle in the future.