'If only we are smart enough...': Narayana Murthy on how worried should we be about AI taking away jobs

Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy believes the fears about artificial intelligence (AI) taking away jobs are overblown. Instead, we need to discuss how this technology can amplify human labour. 

He compared the 70s when a set of tools called case tools or computer-aided software engineering tools burst on the software development scene and was widely believed to spell death knell for jobs in software development. 

“But it didn’t happen. Because the human mind found bigger problems to solve, and the code generator couldn’t keep up,” he said in an interaction with moneycontrol on the sidelines of Infosys Science Foundation (ISF) event. 

The software veteran believes one must welcome AI, tame it and use it as an assistive tool. 

Murthy said that India as a nation has upgraded itself to the orbit of applying ideas and concepts that are invented outside and do some innovation and become experts.

“What India today is a nation that is ready to seize the ideas that have been generated elsewhere and use it for our own betterment. For example, everybody talks about generative AI. Everybody talks about large language models (LLMs) and all that. Now we are talking about Omni. This is the first step. That’s a very good thing, what has happened. We were not like this 40, 50 years ago, but we have come here. After all, we are a young nation, just 77 years old,” he said. 

The IT doyen said that now our youngsters should invest new things. “It will happen. I am very positive it will happen. But it is a gradual process. It takes time. My own belief is that a youngster of today is at least 10, 20 times smarter than what I was at their age,” Murthy added. 

Speaking about AI, the IT veteran said that he has always been an optimist in technology, and we should learn how to tame the beast. “The important thing for us to remember is there are areas where AI will take away jobs from human beings. For example, autonomous driving, operating machines in hazardous situations like nuclear reactors, etc. The use of remote surgery and precision equipment is another area where AI will play a significant role,” he said. 

However, the smartness is to use AI as an assistive technology, and humans will have to think, how do I welcome this beast, make it my friend and use that wonderful beast to be even more productive. 

The Infosys founder also cited the example of case tools, which came in 1975 along with some programme generators. These were computer-aided software engineering tools that do some requirement definition, some database design, etc.  

“Everybody said this finishes the job opportunity for all youngsters in software development. It didn’t happen,” he said. “When that technology of case tools and programme generators got invented, human beings said we want to attack bigger problems, more complex problems and those tools couldn’t handle them.” 

Some used these tools as assistive technologies and the software industry exploded. “So, I think that concern about losing jobs should be replaced by the discussion, debate and thinking on how we use AI, generative AI, large language models and all of these to make human beings even more productive,” IT doyen said. 

Murthy added that mind is most powerful instrument ever invented by God.