Artificial intelligence and generative AI are transforming the workforce landscape, altering roles and fostering new opportunities. These technologies are shifting skill sets, allowing engineers to reinvent themselves and take on more innovative roles.
That was the main message from HCLTech executives, who stated that the transition from tenure-based recognition to competency-driven careers will shape the next era of work.
“New engineers must come in as advanced beginners or competent professionals who can correct AI outputs and innovate,” said Prince Jayakumar, global head of talent acquisition and executive vice president at HCLTech. He described this as a chance for young professionals to leapfrog traditional career ladders and contribute from day one.
HCLTech leaders also predicted that responsible AI will emerge as a career track of its own, while companies invest heavily in training employees on generative AI and agent-based systems.
The remarks came during a webinar hosted by AIM Media House on Engineer’s Day, themed Engineering the Future: How AI & GenAI Are Redefining Careers? The panel featured Ananth Subramanya, executive vice president; Jayakumar; and Heather Domin, vice president and head of responsible AI.
Competency as the New Currency
Subramanya compared the current AI shift with India’s IT boom of the 1990s, when professionals from diverse academic backgrounds flourished by adapting quickly. “Suddenly, everyone, regardless of their traditional education, had to adapt to the skills that were relevant in the market. And the rest is history,” he said.
This time, too, success will be defined by agility. “In the future, we’ll assess people on competency and not on tenure. Your work in 10 years will not be relevant,” Subramanya said.
Universities may be lagging, he acknowledged, but he expects them to align within two years. Meanwhile, hyperscaler-driven learning platforms allow engineers to upgrade continuously. “The education system does not need to remain linear with the way technology is evolving,” he added.
AI Expands the Role of Engineers
For Subramanya, AI is not replacing engineering but enriching it. Tools for code generation, validation, and testing are accelerating software development, while AI-driven chip design is opening new opportunities at the hardware-software intersection.
He advised engineers to strengthen fundamentals while learning to leverage AI as a partner. “Creativity, abstract thinking, and a growth mindset are essential for thriving in the age of AI,” he said.
From Pyramid to Diamond
Meanwhile, Jayakumar outlined how AI is reshaping workforce structures. Instead of a broad base of entry-level jobs, the industry now demands a larger pool of mid-level professionals with deep technical and domain expertise. He likened this to a diamond-shaped talent pyramid.
He highlighted growth areas such as prompt engineering, robotics, computer vision, and data pipelines. At the same time, soft skills are becoming more valuable. “Collaboration, creativity, and communication are just as important for co-creation with customers,” Jayakumar said.
Rather than erasing opportunities, AI is elevating them. Fresh graduates now enter careers at a higher starting point, equipped to make meaningful contributions from the outset.
Recruitment with AI
AI itself is transforming how companies hire. Jayakumar explained that AI-generated job descriptions, resume analysis, and candidate matching are streamlining the recruitment process. Yet, human recruiters remain vital for empathy and judgment.
He also emphasised that while AI skills are in high demand, traditional expertise in Java, .NET, SAP, and embedded systems remains important. “It’s not about replacing one set of skills with another. It’s about layering AI fluency on top of strong technical depth,” he said.
Responsible AI as a Career
Domin turned her attention to ethics and governance, presenting responsible AI as an emerging career path. She outlined HCLTech’s framework, which is based on five pillars—accountability, fairness, security, privacy, and transparency. “Responsible AI is about the practices of developing, implementing, and deploying AI systems responsibly,” she said.
She emphasised fairness checks, bias mitigation, and transparent governance as critical skills. “The need for automated fairness checks and a governance committee to review decisions,” Domin said, is vital as adoption scales.
She predicted that regulatory compliance in AI will soon be as essential as data privacy laws. Engineers, she advised, should pursue certifications and contribute to ethics initiatives, positioning themselves for leadership in this emerging field.
Preparing Through the GenAI Skills Academy
HCLTech is proactively equipping its workforce with a GenAI Skills Academy. Subramanya explained that the academy offers training in prompt engineering, agent capabilities, and generative AI applications. Employees are encouraged to experiment with tools while preparing for client-facing projects as adoption grows.
The aim is to transition from competing on low-cost labour to competing on ideas. In sectors like business process outsourcing, this could redefine business models. “We want a workforce ready to lead adoption when customers fully embrace AI,” Subramanya said.
Engineering Careers Reimagined
The panel closed with a message of optimism. AI may automate routine tasks, but it is also creating opportunities for reinvention. Subramanya urged engineers to stay calm, focus on fundamentals, and adopt a growth mindset. Jayakumar encouraged young professionals to enter careers as innovators rather than novices. Domin highlighted that responsible AI is not just a compliance requirement but a career path with purpose.
The consensus: AI and GenAI are catalysts, not threats. They are transforming careers from linear progressions into dynamic journeys where adaptability, ethics, and creativity matter as much as technical skill.
For engineers, the challenge is not survival but seizing the chance to lead in a world where human ingenuity and machine intelligence evolve together.
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