'Last generation to have stable long-term careers': Microsoft India head Puneet Chandok

Artificial intelligence (AI) is set to fundamentally reshape the structure of professional life, creating a "portfolio" career model and making the traditional, stable, long-term job obsolete, according to Puneet Chandok, Microsoft’s President for India and South Asia.

Speaking at the recent Microsoft AI Tour, Mr Chandok sought to reassure workers, arguing that the common fear of AI "stealing" jobs is misplaced. Instead, he posited that AI will "dissect and unbundle" existing roles by automating specific, routine tasks within them. This unbundling means that elements requiring creativity, human judgement, and complex domain knowledge will remain the domain of human workers, while repetitive administrative tasks are handed over to automation.

The 'Last Generation' Warning

A core part of Mr Chandok’s message was the dramatic shift in career longevity. He warned that today's workforce is likely the last generation to enjoy stable, single-field careers lasting decades. Future workers, he stated, will need to be adaptable, managing multiple skills and roles across their working lives. “You and I are the last generation to have stable, long-term careers,” he said, further adding that the next generation "will do a portfolio of things.”

He stressed that continuous learning is the most critical defence for workers in the AI-driven economy. "The real pink slip in this new AI era is not automation... the real pink slip is refusal to learn," he asserted, urging people to continually update their skill sets to remain relevant as AI adoption accelerates.

Data is the Strategic Asset

The company's global Chief Executive, Satya Nadella, also addressed the tour, reinforcing the strategic role of data. While AI models are becoming increasingly common, Mr Nadella highlighted that a company's real competitive edge will come from the ability to use its proprietary data effectively and contextually within these AI systems.

While critics contend that AI has already resulted in visible job displacement and question whether upskilling alone can absorb the number of workers affected, Microsoft’s leadership maintains a firm position: The challenge is one of evolution and adaptation, not eradication.