Artificial intelligence (AI) and its applications cannot fully replace people, Nandan Nilekani believes. And that’s because “mechanistic” process is unable to replicate “uniquely human” qualities, the Infosys co-founder said.
Speaking to Moneycontrol at an AIMA event, Nilekani stated that AI will never replace human skills such as collaboration, creativity, empathy and leadership — no matter how advanced the tech becomes.
Nandan Nilekani: Focus on What AI Cannot Replicate
Nilekani told the publication that while AI will begin automating more and more tasks, human qualities will become more valuable, and the focus should shift towards prioritising and cultivating these.
“You can have all the AIs in the world, but if you can’t get five people to work together and collaborate, then you cannot go anywhere. Instead of chasing technical skills that may become obsolete, people should focus on what AI cannot replicate,” Nilekani said.
“AI is more mechanistic in its approach. Being able to go back to first principles and analyse something is something AI cannot do,” he added. First-principles thinking is the process of taking a step back to question assumptions and restart from the beginning.
He also called creativity uniquely human. While AI can mimic, it cannot create “truly original ideas” and thus this should be prioritised by our education system, Nilekani said.
On the Future of AI and AI in Jobs
On AI impacting jobs, Nilekani called himself “optimistic” but acknowledged that some jobs will be affected, but “few jobs” will be entirely eliminated. “I see AI as an opportunity, though I tend to be optimistic about everything. Yes, some jobs will be affected—certain tasks will be automated—but very few jobs will be entirely eliminated,” he stated.
He also noted the opportunities that AI could provide. “AI will make humans more productive and create new jobs we haven’t even thought of yet. India has shortages of teachers, doctors, and skilled workers. AI can amplify human capabilities, making education and healthcare more accessible. It all depends on how you architect it—AI can be extractive (where a few control all the data and profit from it) or inclusive (where it benefits everyone). DPI is fundamentally about inclusion at scale, and AI should be too,” he added.
Nilekani also shared his thoughts on the creation of AI models, and said there could be some significant progress on the domestic front over the next year. “The government is focused on the India AI Mission and I think we will see in the next one year, some very significant models coming from India,” he felt.