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Guide · AI and careers

Will AI take my child's job? What Indian parents should know

By Gaurav Channagiri · · 7 min read

The short answer: for most careers, AI will change the work rather than remove it. The International Labour Organization's 2025 study concludes that transformation, not replacement, is the most likely effect of generative AI on jobs. Routine desk work is changing fastest; hands-on, care and people-facing work is changing slowest; and demand for people who can build and use AI is rising. The best preparation is a field that fits your child's nature, plus skills that AI makes more valuable, not a race to the "safest" job.

What does the research say about AI and jobs?

Three recent reports are the most useful starting points:

  • World Economic Forum, Future of Jobs Report 2025. Employers surveyed expect about 170 million jobs to be created and 92 million displaced worldwide by 2030, a net gain of 78 million, and nearly 40% of the skills used at work to change (WEF).
  • International Labour Organization, 2025. About one in four workers worldwide is in a job with some exposure to generative AI, and clerical work remains the most exposed (ILO index). The ILO's view is that most jobs will be transformed rather than made redundant (ILO).
  • NITI Aayog, Roadmap for Job Creation in the AI Economy (October 2025). It sets out scenarios for India's technology and customer-service workforce. Entry-level support and testing roles are most at risk, while the number of technology jobs by 2031 could fall or grow depending on how well India builds AI skills (NITI Aayog).

These are forecasts and scenarios, not certainties. They agree on direction more than on numbers.

Which jobs are changing fastest?

According to the WEF report, the roles employers expect to shrink fastest include cashiers and ticket clerks, administrative assistants and secretaries, printing workers, and accountants and auditors (WEF jobs outlook). The common thread is routine, rules-based work on screens and paper.

That does not mean a child interested in accounting should give it up. It means the routine part of the job is shrinking, and the judgement, advisory and client-facing part matters more.

Which kinds of work are hardest for AI to replace?

The same reports point to three groups:

  • Hands-on work. Tasks that need physical skill are far less exposed to generative AI, and the WEF expects farmworkers and construction workers to be among the largest growing groups of jobs.
  • Care and people work. Nursing, social work and counselling, personal care and teaching are among the roles the WEF expects to grow most in number.
  • Building and steering technology. Big data specialists, AI and machine learning specialists, software developers and security specialists are among the fastest-growing roles worldwide, and the Government of India's IndiaAI summary of the report names big data, AI and machine learning, and security specialists as the fastest-growing roles in India.

No source calls any career "AI-proof". Growing demand is the better signal.

How can parents help a child prepare?

  1. Start from your child's nature, not a ranking of safe jobs. A child who loves the work learns faster and adapts better, which is what an AI-shaped job market rewards.
  2. Value skills AI makes more useful: clear writing and speaking, reasoning with numbers, working with people, judgement and taking responsibility.
  3. Encourage hands-on use of AI tools for learning, with honesty rules at home: use AI to understand, never to hand in someone else's work.
  4. Keep options open in Class 11 and 12. Mathematics in particular keeps many technology, economics and data routes open, even outside Science.
  5. Revisit the plan every year. The job market is moving quickly, and so is your child.

Where does DharmaCode fit in?

Every career suggested in a DharmaCode Full Report comes with a plain-words note on how AI is changing it, alongside the colleges and the first step to take this year. You can see how this looks in the sample report, or browse 20 careers with their AI outlook for free.

Frequently asked questions

Will AI take away jobs in India?
Some jobs will shrink, especially routine clerical and entry-level support work, while new jobs grow in technology, care and skilled trades. The ILO's view is that most jobs will be transformed rather than made redundant, so the bigger change for most people is in how the work is done.

Which jobs are safe from AI?
No job is completely safe, but work that needs physical skill, care for people, or complex human judgement is changing slowest. Nursing, teaching, counselling, skilled trades and construction are among the roles expected to grow.

Should my child avoid careers like accounting or law because of AI?
Not necessarily. The routine parts of these jobs are being automated, but advice, judgement and client trust still need people. A child who fits the field and learns to use AI tools well can still build a strong career in it.

Should my child study AI or computer science to be safe?
Only if it fits them. Demand for AI and software skills is growing fast, but a child who dislikes coding will struggle to compete. Basic AI literacy is useful in every field; a computer science degree is not required for that.

When should we start thinking about AI and careers?
Class 9 or 10 is a good time, before the stream choice. Look at how AI is changing the fields your child is drawn to, rather than choosing a field only because it seems safe.

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