Boards and the AI workforce shift: From oversight to action

While discussing AI and governance at a recent Boardroom Program, it became clear how rapidly artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping our world. For corporate boards, AI is no longer just another risk on the horizon. It is at the core of strategy. There was consensus that AI is going to significantly influence the structure and size of the workforce. And for India, with its youthful demographic and growing digital economy, the conversation inevitably comes back to one question: are we skilling our workforce fast enough for an AI-driven future?

India’s advantage has been its young talent pool. We are the youngest large economy in the world, with more than 65% of our population below the age of 35. AI is creating new roles as quickly as it is disrupting old ones, and boards must ensure that organisations are not just adopting AI but preparing their workforce to thrive alongside it. Reskilling has to become a priority for all organisations.

Already, AI is being seen as a “silicon-based colleague”. It is working with humans to augment productivity. Case studies show both the opportunities and the anxieties, from digital nurses supporting telehealth to “dark factories” operating with minimal human presence. Boards' responsibility is to ensure that people are equipped, reassured, and reskilled to embrace this transformation.

Understanding the shifts

To govern AI effectively, boards must also understand its emerging forms:

• Agentic AI: Systems capable of human-like reasoning and decision-making.
• Sovereign AI: Models reflecting national or cultural identity, built to preserve language and data sovereignty.
• Physical AI: Robots and machines reshaping industries with autonomous operations.

Each of these shifts carries implications for workforce design and reskilling.

The India context: regulation, infrastructure, and opportunity

AI adoption in India must strike the right balance—swift enough to seize opportunities, yet careful to comply with evolving regulations such as the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP) and the upcoming Digital India Act. At the same time, infrastructure readiness is critical. Growing demands on data centres, energy, and computing power will only intensify as AI becomes central to operations. Boards must ensure that enterprise strategies are aligned with national priorities and India’s broader digital transformation, drawing on insights from policymakers and experts when needed. In the end, the bigger risk is not in adopting AI, but in failing to adapt fast enough to the changes it brings.

What Boards must do

For Indian boardrooms, the agenda must go beyond risk oversight. It must include foresight on workforce transformation and infrastructure readiness. Here are some reflections and questions that Boards can ask themselves.

• How are we ensuring AI adoption does not create unintended biases in hiring, performance management, or promotions?
• Are we safeguarding employee trust and well-being as AI changes the nature of work?
• Are we building enough depth in AI-skilled talent to remain competitive?
• What partnerships (with academia, startups, or government) can help us build a stronger AI-ready workforce?
• Do we have metrics in place to track progress on AI-related workforce transformation?

Looking ahead

In an uncertain world, AI will test our ability to govern with courage and wisdom. For Indian boards, the greatest responsibility and the greatest opportunity lie in shaping the future of work. By making workforce skilling the cornerstone of AI governance, we ensure that adoption is not only resilient and responsible but also inclusive and growth-oriented. That is the role we must play as stewards of our organisations, our people, and India’s growth story.