India beats global average as AI takes over 37% of entry-level jobs
Cognizant-Pearson's report reveals that 37% of India's entry-level jobs are already handled by AI. As AI reshapes workplaces, freshers will need new-age skills, AI literacy, adaptability, and human-centric abilities to stay relevant.
In an era where layoffs and concerns around AI replacing jobs have become frequent headlines, a new report by Cognizant and Pearson has emerged as a wake-up call for Indian youth and traditional colleges.
The joint report, titled “The AI Workforce Pulse”, highlights that entry-level jobs in India are shifting towards AI adoption at a much faster pace compared to several developed countries.
According to the report, 37% of entry-level jobs in India are now being handled by AI, compared to the global average of 33%. The survey included responses from 750 HR leaders across the US, UK, and India.
The findings suggest that AI is no longer a distant concept but is already transforming how companies operate and hire.
AI TAKES OVER A LARGER SHARE OF FRESHER-LEVEL WORK
The report reveals that 18% of HR managers believe AI is already handling half or more of the work typically assigned to freshers in their organisations.
However, the shift is not only about replacing human effort. Around 80% of Indian companies believe AI is helping employees move away from repetitive and time-consuming tasks, allowing them to focus on more strategic and high-value work.
If you think AI is only impacting computer engineers or technology-related jobs, think again. HR leaders believe the future workforce will need a completely different set of skills to succeed in an AI-driven workplace.
The report states that 96% of HR leaders believe entry-level roles will be completely transformed within the next five years.
Future employees will not just perform tasks but will increasingly supervise AI systems, validate machine-generated decisions, and apply human judgment where technology may fall short.
AI LITERACY TO BECOME ESSENTIAL ACROSS ALL CAREERS
The report highlights that AI skills will no longer be limited to technical roles.
Around 98% of HR professionals consider AI fluency or AI literacy essential even for non-technical fields such as marketing, legal, sales, and operations.
At the same time, 94% of experts believe new entry-level roles will emerge within the next five years that do not exist today.
This means students preparing for their careers may need to focus beyond traditional degrees and develop skills that help them work alongside AI.
COMPANIES VALUE SKILLS BEYOND TRADITIONAL DEGREES
The Cognizant-Pearson report suggests a major shift in what employers look for while hiring young professionals.
Companies are increasingly moving away from only prioritising specialised degrees and are placing more value on interdisciplinary knowledge and adaptable skill sets.
Around 97% of employers believe soft skills such as problem-solving, collaboration, communication, and human judgment are becoming more valuable than technical expertise alone.
The report also highlights the growing importance of diverse academic backgrounds. Nearly 67% of HR professionals said they are giving more importance to candidates with liberal arts and humanities backgrounds.
Meanwhile, 65% of Indian HR leaders believe a multidisciplinary background is better than deep expertise in a single subject, as it helps employees adapt to changing technologies.
THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE
While companies are embracing AI, the report raises concerns about whether employees are receiving enough training to adapt.
According to the findings, 91% of employees have requested AI training, but 63% of corporate learning and development programmes in India are not keeping pace with this rapid change.
As a result, 61% of Indian companies are still facing difficulty finding the right talent.
Rajesh Varrier, President – Global Operations and Chairman & Managing Director, Cognizant India, said India is at the beginning of a major transformation, where the nature of entry-level jobs is being redesigned. He highlighted that young professionals will need to learn how to work with AI, making reskilling and adaptability essential.
Amid these changes, Cognizant has assured freshers that AI adoption will not mean an end to hiring. After recruiting 20,000 fresh graduates in 2025, the company aims to surpass this number in 2026.
The message for young professionals is clear: the future will belong to those who can adapt, reskill, and learn to work effectively alongside AI.
In an era where layoffs and concerns around AI replacing jobs have become frequent headlines, a new report by Cognizant and Pearson has emerged as a wake-up call for Indian youth and traditional colleges.
The joint report, titled “The AI Workforce Pulse”, highlights that entry-level jobs in India are shifting towards AI adoption at a much faster pace compared to several developed countries.
According to the report, 37% of entry-level jobs in India are now being handled by AI, compared to the global average of 33%. The survey included responses from 750 HR leaders across the US, UK, and India.
The findings suggest that AI is no longer a distant concept but is already transforming how companies operate and hire.
AI TAKES OVER A LARGER SHARE OF FRESHER-LEVEL WORK
The report reveals that 18% of HR managers believe AI is already handling half or more of the work typically assigned to freshers in their organisations.
However, the shift is not only about replacing human effort. Around 80% of Indian companies believe AI is helping employees move away from repetitive and time-consuming tasks, allowing them to focus on more strategic and high-value work.
If you think AI is only impacting computer engineers or technology-related jobs, think again. HR leaders believe the future workforce will need a completely different set of skills to succeed in an AI-driven workplace.
The report states that 96% of HR leaders believe entry-level roles will be completely transformed within the next five years.
Future employees will not just perform tasks but will increasingly supervise AI systems, validate machine-generated decisions, and apply human judgment where technology may fall short.
AI LITERACY TO BECOME ESSENTIAL ACROSS ALL CAREERS
The report highlights that AI skills will no longer be limited to technical roles.
Around 98% of HR professionals consider AI fluency or AI literacy essential even for non-technical fields such as marketing, legal, sales, and operations.
At the same time, 94% of experts believe new entry-level roles will emerge within the next five years that do not exist today.
This means students preparing for their careers may need to focus beyond traditional degrees and develop skills that help them work alongside AI.
COMPANIES VALUE SKILLS BEYOND TRADITIONAL DEGREES
The Cognizant-Pearson report suggests a major shift in what employers look for while hiring young professionals.
Companies are increasingly moving away from only prioritising specialised degrees and are placing more value on interdisciplinary knowledge and adaptable skill sets.
Around 97% of employers believe soft skills such as problem-solving, collaboration, communication, and human judgment are becoming more valuable than technical expertise alone.
The report also highlights the growing importance of diverse academic backgrounds. Nearly 67% of HR professionals said they are giving more importance to candidates with liberal arts and humanities backgrounds.
Meanwhile, 65% of Indian HR leaders believe a multidisciplinary background is better than deep expertise in a single subject, as it helps employees adapt to changing technologies.
THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE
While companies are embracing AI, the report raises concerns about whether employees are receiving enough training to adapt.
According to the findings, 91% of employees have requested AI training, but 63% of corporate learning and development programmes in India are not keeping pace with this rapid change.
As a result, 61% of Indian companies are still facing difficulty finding the right talent.
Rajesh Varrier, President – Global Operations and Chairman & Managing Director, Cognizant India, said India is at the beginning of a major transformation, where the nature of entry-level jobs is being redesigned. He highlighted that young professionals will need to learn how to work with AI, making reskilling and adaptability essential.
Amid these changes, Cognizant has assured freshers that AI adoption will not mean an end to hiring. After recruiting 20,000 fresh graduates in 2025, the company aims to surpass this number in 2026.
The message for young professionals is clear: the future will belong to those who can adapt, reskill, and learn to work effectively alongside AI.
