Anupam Mittal, the founder of Shaadi.com and a judge on Shark Tank India, has raised concerns about how India is moving forward with artificial intelligence (AI). In a detailed LinkedIn post, he urged the country not to blindly follow the global trend of adopting deep-tech like AI without first focusing on solving its job crisis.
What Did He Say?
Mittal shared a picture of an elderly woman wearing a BlinkIt delivery jacket and sarcastically wrote,
“Maybe she should learn Python. Perhaps she can fine-tune an LLM too, while delivering your groceries.”
His point? India’s growing obsession with AI is ignoring the harsh realities faced by millions of workers, especially in the gig economy.
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The Main Message
Mittal said that while companies like Google, Meta, and Microsoft are using AI to automate many jobs, they also have strong systems in place to reskill their employees. These countries have smaller populations and high levels of formal employment.
But in India, most people are self-employed or part of the gig economy. There’s no system that helps them learn new skills when new technologies arrive. He says our current training infrastructure is “dangerously out of sync” with our ambitious AI goals.
Key Points from His Post:
- India should create jobs and support skilling before rushing into deep-tech.
- The gig economy has helped millions, and we shouldn’t ignore it while promoting AI.
- We must balance high-tech innovation with job creation for the less-skilled.
- Simply copying what works in the West won’t work in a country with 1.4 billion people.
Final Thoughts
Mittal is not against AI. He believes India has brilliant minds who can build world-class tech. But he insists we must also support those who don’t have access to high-level education or tech training. His message is clear: India needs both jobs and deep-tech, not just one.
