AI Summit 2026: Microsoft India Says AI Will Transform Roles but Continues Hiring Key Talent
Microsoft India commits to strategic AI hiring and investment, emphasizing demand-driven skills amid workforce shifts at the India AI Impact Summit 2026.
Microsoft India commits to strategic AI hiring and investment, emphasizing demand-driven skills amid workforce shifts at the India AI Impact Summit 2026.
As artificial intelligence continues to reshape business priorities, Microsoft India is maintaining targeted hiring for critical skill sets while acknowledging changing work structures within its global workforce. At the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, Puneet Chandok, President of Microsoft India and South Asia, emphasized that the company will keep investing in talent where demand is highest, even as roles evolve in the age of AI.
Strategic Hiring for Demand-Driven Skills
In recent years, Microsoft, like many tech giants, undertook workforce restructuring that included global reductions. In 2025, the company trimmed about 15,000 roles across the world, including in India, as part of broader optimisation efforts. However, Chandok stressed that Microsoft’s hiring focus in India is skill driven rather than headcount based, with continuous recruitment in areas where customers and the market are asking for expertise.
Rather than a blanket approach, recruitment is now tailored to support specific roles linked to AI adoption, cloud engineering, cybersecurity, and enterprise digital transformation. This reflects a broader industry trend where technical and AI-related capabilities are increasingly valued over traditional job titles. According to hiring trend data, AI skills now often outweigh experience in recruitment decisions, with many organisations prioritising digital fluency and AI literacy.
AI’s Impact Is Reshaping Jobs, Not Eliminating Them
At the summit, Chandok also shared his perspective on AI’s impact on the labour market. He explained that while AI tools will transform how work gets done, they are not simply replacing jobs. Instead, AI is unbundling roles by automating repetitive and transactional tasks, which creates opportunities for professionals to focus on higher-value work requiring creativity, judgement, and deep problem-solving skills.
This mirrors commentary from senior leaders across industry who view AI as a productivity amplifier rather than a replacement for human labour. As one report notes, many workers are now using AI tools in their roles, and organisations increasingly value AI proficiency even among non-technical professionals.
Investment and Infrastructure to Support AI Ecosystem
Microsoft is not just hiring; it’s also investing heavily in India’s AI future. The company has committed $17.5 billion (approximately ₹14,477 crore) to accelerate AI and cloud infrastructure between 2026 and 2029, on top of previous investments. This funding aims to build hyperscale data centres, expand cloud regions, and support sovereign digital infrastructure including local AI systems that meet data sovereignty requirements.
This strategic investment builds on earlier commitments, including a $3 billion pledge announced in 2025, indicating that Microsoft sees India not just as a market but as a key innovation hub for AI and cloud technologies.
Skills Gap and Upskilling Focus
With this technology transformation comes a pressing need for upskilling. Chandok highlighted that jobs are changing, and professionals must adapt by learning to work with AI tools and frameworks. As AI tasks become embedded across business workflows, individuals will need to rethink their roles and develop skills that complement intelligent systems rather than compete with them.
LinkedIn and Microsoft research has shown that a large share of workers are already using AI tools in their daily roles, with employers increasingly favouring candidates who possess digital fluency and AI awareness. This shift is reshaping hiring dynamics: businesses often prefer AI-capable candidates even if they have less traditional experience.
India as an AI Growth Engine
India’s role in the global AI landscape is becoming more prominent. Domestic efforts to develop AI training and infrastructure are gaining momentum, reflected in policy initiatives and educational reforms. India’s AI ecosystem is supported by strong talent pools, startup activity, and platforms designed to broaden access to AI skills at scale.
Microsoft’s ongoing investments and hiring patterns in India align with these trends, reinforcing the country’s position as a pivotal centre for innovation and technology development in the broader Asia-Pacific region.