AI Revolution Set to Reshape Jobs in India’s Manufacturing, Retail, and Education Sectors by 2030

National Times Bureau, July 31: India is on the brink of a sweeping transformation in its employment landscape as agentic artificial intelligence (AI) technologies begin to disrupt core sectors like manufacturing, retail, and education. A new report released by ServiceNow on Wednesday projected that over 1.8 crore jobs across these three sectors will be impacted by 2030.

Manufacturing is expected to bear the brunt of the shift, with 80 lakh jobs likely to be affected as AI systems begin automating operational and administrative processes. Retail comes a close second, with 76 lakh roles at risk, while the education sector could see nearly 25 lakh jobs undergo changes due to emerging technologies.

The report categorised the job transitions into two main groups. High-automation roles such as change managers and payroll clerks are being rapidly overtaken by AI agents that handle routine coordination and administrative work. Meanwhile, high-augmentation roles like implementation consultants and system administrators are evolving in tandem with AI systems, shifting from competition to collaboration.

Concerns over AI-driven job displacement have grown in recent months, particularly after Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), India’s largest IT services firm, announced a reduction of 12,000 positions. The company attributed part of the cutbacks to AI-related efficiencies.

Despite these challenges, the report emphasized a significant upside. ServiceNow India’s Managing Director, Sumeet Mathur, highlighted that agentic AI could also create over 30 lakh new technology jobs by the end of the decade. “India has a generational opportunity to lead globally by developing AI-ready talent and redesigning workflows,” Mathur said.

The findings underline the urgent need for workforce reskilling and proactive adaptation to AI-driven shifts, particularly in sectors that employ millions of Indians.