As artificial intelligence reshapes the global workplace, the debate in India centers on whether it will eliminate jobs or create new ones. For Manikandan Ekambaram, Senior Vice President at RPS Consulting, NIIT Ltd., the answer lies in perspective. AI, he argues, isn’t a job destroyer but a catalyst for transformation—redefining roles, accelerating decision-making, and demanding continuous upskilling. In this conversation with CIO&Leader, Manikandan outlines the critical skills enterprises must cultivate, the promise of agentic AI as a digital colleague, and why microlearning and just-in-time readiness are key to building a resilient, future-ready workforce.
Senior Vice President
RPS Consulting, NIIT Ltd
CIO&Leader: AI is often described as both a job killer and a job creator. From your perspective, which side of the spectrum will India’s workforce feel more strongly about over the next five years?
Manikandan Ekambaram: AI is going to be a game-changer. It will bring significant changes and impact businesses across the board. From a jobs perspective, it holds immense potential. Throughout my three decades of experience, I have consistently observed both a hype cycle and a fear cycle every time a new technology emerges. Promoters of technology often exaggerate, which can create a skewed perception.
That said, AI is a powerful and transformative tool. It will redefine many areas, but I don’t subscribe to the belief that it will end jobs. We’ve seen similar cycles with cloud, mobility, and other technological shifts. AI will reshape the technology landscape in many ways. It isn’t entirely new, but its evolution and wider adoption—especially with developments like Agentic AI—have made it far more impactful. Still, I don’t believe it will eliminate jobs beyond a certain extent.
CIO&Leader: Enterprises are transitioning from pilot AI projects to large-scale adoption. What are the most significant skill gaps you see slowing this transition, and how can organizations realistically close them?
Manikandan Ekambaram: Two key aspects: First, adoption alignment is crucial. If you step back, you’ll see that markets like India are transitioning from conventional systems to digital, then cloud, automation, and now AI. This entire cycle needs seamless integration.
Regarding AI specifically, awareness is high; however, from an adoption standpoint, there are still gaps. The second area is dependency on foundational attributes. AI is heavily dependent on cybersecurity, and cybersecurity is heavily reliant on AI. These two domains are now deeply interlinked.
Additionally, in many organizations, AI adoption remains siloed. But AI needs to be leveraged enterprise-wide. Often, it’s viewed as a point solution rather than something integrated across the board. We’ve had “mobile-first,” “cloud-first,” and now “AI-first” approaches; however, these have often led to chaos if not managed well. AI may face similar complexity, so regulations and clear frameworks will be needed.
We’re still in the middle of the adoption cycle. While few experts believe we’re at the peak, we’re either at or just before that peak.
CIO&Leader: Agentic AI and autonomous agents are being hailed as the next frontier. Do you believe Indian enterprises are prepared for this leap, or is there still a risk of over-promising and under-delivering?
Manikandan Ekambaram: I wouldn’t call it over-promising, but we still have steps to walk before effectively adopting it globally and in India. We’re gearing up, but there are still many areas that need attention.
Agentic AI could act as a digital colleague. It helps people do their jobs more efficiently. Machines will likely handle mundane tasks, while humans will focus on tasks that require thought and decision-making. These two are interconnected—one won’t replace the other. So yes, agentic AI will bring change, but we still have some distance to cover.
CIO&Leader: The pandemic reshaped hiring and attrition trends. In today’s environment, are enterprises using upskilling more as a retention lever, a recruitment differentiator, or both?
Manikandan Ekambaram: It’s definitely both. Upskilling has always been essential, but now with evolving business cycles and tighter margins, it’s even more critical. Gone are the days of having ample bench resources. Companies want just-in-time, job-ready professionals.
Reskilling is key. The tech landscape is complex, with IoT, data-heavy applications, and evolving platforms, all of which require constant learning. Hiring is shifting from a volume-based to a value-based approach. It’s not just about having a degree anymore; it’s about having the right skills.
AI literacy will become a basic qualification. I’ve seen people learn AI on platforms like YouTube and transition into roles effectively. It’s not about what degree you hold anymore—it’s about the skills you bring.
CIO&Leader: With cloud, cybersecurity, and Gen AI topping CIO agendas, do you see enterprises chasing hype skills, or are they genuinely aligning talent development with long-term business strategy?
Manikandan Ekambaram: Long-term planning is a different ballgame, but businesses are definitely focused on impact. Security has become horizontal; it’s a core priority, not just a vertical anymore. AI, cloud, and cybersecurity are interdependent.
To leverage AI effectively, you need a strong cloud backbone. But you also need a robust security layer. Therefore, the scale, speed, and sophistication of your skilling efforts must match your transformation goals. Earlier, you had the luxury of 12–15-month skilling plans. Today, it’s about just-in-time readiness.
CIO&Leader: Rapid upskilling sounds appealing, but does compressing learning into short, customized formats risk compromising depth and long-term capability? How do you see enterprises striking the right balance?
Manikandan Ekambaram: I wouldn’t call it compression. It’s more like incremental or microlearning—picking up what’s relevant for the moment. It helps you stay fresh, project-ready, and impact-driven.
Today, organizations are no longer content with just building products; they are striving to become “frontier organizations.” The new ambition is to enable customers to innovate on top of their software—embedding intelligence, automation, and security into every layer of their systems.
But the journey isn’t simple. Market realities, including geopolitics, economic pressures, and evolving regulations, continually shift the ground. Add to that the challenge of technology debt—enterprises often fail to adopt one wave of innovation before the next arrives fully. Continuous skilling is no longer optional. The era when you could learn one system and build an entire career on it is firmly behind us.
AI makes this urgency even clearer. Here, technology debt and rapid evolution go hand in hand. Without a strong foundation of cloud and security, enterprises can’t truly leverage AI. That’s why microlearning and constant upskilling are becoming the lifeblood of the modern workforce.
This is where NIIT positions itself as a strategic partner in enterprise transformation. As Manikandan from NIIT emphasizes, the company’s mission is to be the preferred skilling partner for outcome-driven digital and technology programs. RPS Consulting is a part of NIIT Ltd, alongside the other units and subsidiaries – CoEs (Centre of Excellence), StackRoute, and recently acquired iamneo are focusing on transformation powered by OEM solutions. With more than 30 OEM partners, each charting its own AI journey, NIIT ensures their technologies are woven into seamless skilling frameworks.
What sets NIIT apart is its delivery agility, underpinned by in-house solution design and a strong SME base. Creating customized learning paths and rigorous assessments makes professionals project-deployable from day one. As technology continues to accelerate, this approach ensures enterprises don’t just adopt new tools—they adopt them effectively and ahead of the curve.
The message is clear: in the age of AI, learning is no longer a milestone but a constant. Those who embrace microlearning and transformation-oriented skilling will lead the next wave of frontier organizations.