Calling AI “the defining force of our generation,” Ravi Venkatesan, chairman of the Global Energy Alliance and former chairman of Microsoft India and Bank of Baroda, urged Karnataka to become “India’s AI skilling lighthouse” at the Bengaluru Skill Summit on Wednesday.
In a keynote address that traced technological revolutions from steam engines to silicon chips, Venkatesan said that while AI offers India a historic opportunity, it also carries deep risks. “All revolutions are disruptive,” he warned. “They create new winners and many losers. This time, we absolutely cannot afford to miss the bus; there is no Viksit Bharat without AI.”
Venkatesan noted that India’s success in the IT revolution was concentrated in a few cities, and said Karnataka must once again “lead the way and become a lighthouse for the rest of the country.”
He cautioned, however, that AI’s early impact is already being felt through job losses in the IT and services sectors. “AI is clearly beginning to impact entry-level jobs,” he said. “In the short and medium term, it will destroy more jobs than it creates.”
Emphasising the importance of adaptability, he said, “Adaptability is the new employability.” He outlined three “foundational bundles” of skills essential for the AI era: digital literacy, entrepreneurship, and human skills, including communication, leadership, and empathy.
On digital skills, Venkatesan stressed that every citizen should be able to utilise AI tools and critically evaluate their results. “We need to make this part of the curriculum in all schools, colleges, and ITIs,” he said, advocating partnerships between government and technology companies to scale training programs.
He also referred to entrepreneurship as “the super skill of the century.” “In the 21st century, entrepreneurship is not a career choice but a basic life skill,” he said. “India will win not by building its own chips or models but by using AI broadly in society to improve productivity and create new businesses.”
Highlighting the moral duty of businesses during technological transitions, he urged companies to support reskilling and humane severance policies. “It’s not right to expect people to fend for themselves,” he said. “We need safety nets and lifelong learning pathways.”
Concluding his address, Venkatesan called for a nationwide mission uniting citizens, markets, and government: “AI is the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Let’s make Karnataka the model for how India wins with it.”
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