Cognizant and Pearson released findings from their joint study, The AI Workforce Pulse: The Adaptability Imperative, highlighting how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming India’s entry-level workforce at a faster pace than the global average, while simultaneously creating new career pathways and urgent skilling challenges.
Based on a survey of 750 HR leaders across the US, UK and India, the study finds that 37% of entry-level tasks in India are already performed by AI, compared to a 33% global average, with 18% of HR leaders reporting that AI now handles half or more of entry-level work, signalling accelerated disruption in one of the country’s largest workforce segments.
The findings point to four interconnected shifts shaping the AI workforce ahead:
Roles are Being Reinvented
The study finds that entry-level roles are evolving as organisations increasingly shift from task execution toward working alongside AI systems.
· Nearly all (96%) HR leaders expect entry-level roles to evolve into positions where employees supervise or manage AI systems within the next five years.
· Nearly all HR professionals (94%) expect AI will generate new entry-level roles in the next five years that didn’t exist before.
· More than 90% of respondents say middle managers are instrumental to redefining job roles as AI changes the day-to-day work of team members.
· Nearly all HR professionals (98%) are increasing focus on AI skills even for non-technical roles.
Employees in these roles are increasingly expected to manage AI outputs, validate decisions, interpret results and apply human judgment.
In India, 80% of organisations report that AI is enabling employees to focus on higher-value work, compared to 77% globally, reflecting the growing shift toward more strategic responsibilities.
Human and Interdisciplinary Skills Are Increasingly Important
As AI takes on routine work, organisations are placing greater emphasis on human capabilities and adaptability.
·Nearly all (97%) report soft skills matter more than ever, reflecting a need for adaptability, problem-solving, and human judgment.
·Two in three HR professionals (67%) report they value liberal arts degrees more than they used to in light of AI advancements.
·Nearly 7 in 10 (69%) HR professionals say broad, interdisciplinary backgrounds are more important for early-career talent than deep, specialized skillsets or focused degrees, with 65% of HR professionals in India reflecting this shift.
In addition, 91% of organisations in India place greater value on AI skills for non-technical roles, signalling a broader redefinition of what “job-ready” talent looks like.
Demand for AI Skills Is Rising, but Readiness Is Uneven
While demand for AI capabilities is accelerating, organisations are not fully prepared to meet it.
· 91% of HR professionals report increased employee demand for AI training over the past 12 months.
· 60% say their L&D programmes cannot keep pace with how quickly AI is transforming jobs, with India reporting a similar challenge at 63%.
· 54% of HR professionals say their organizations proactively arrange AI upskilling in anticipation of future roles evolving, while 46% say their organizations are not proactively arranging this training.
At the same time, India shows relative strength in how organisations are approaching learning:
· 63% of organisations in India have allotted time for AI training, higher than the U.S. (49%).
However, 61% of organisations in India report challenges finding the right talent, reflecting the pace at which skill requirements are evolving.
Middle Managers Are Critical to AI Adoption
Middle managers play a central role in enabling AI adoption and translating strategy into execution.
· 95% of HR leaders say middle managers are critical to ensuring employees use AI effectively.
· 92% say middle managers play a crucial role in redefining job roles as AI reshapes day-to-day work.
Mr. Rajesh Varrier, President – Global Operations and Chairman & Managing Director, Cognizant India said, “India is at the forefront of how AI is transforming entry-level work, with organizations already embedding AI into day-to-day operations at scale. We are seeing a fundamental redesign of roles, where early-career talent is expected to work alongside AI and focus on higher-value outcomes. This shift underscores the necessity for extensive reskilling and improved managerial effectiveness, both of which are key in an economy increasingly shaped by AI.”
“AI is reshaping the talent landscape and exposing the limits of traditional talent and learning models,” said Ms. Kathy Diaz, Chief People Officer, Cognizant. “With the fundamental shift in entry-level tasks and skill requirements changing rapidly, organizations must rethink how they hire and develop talent at pace.”
The new findings build on Cognizant’s earlier New Work, New World 2026 study, which found that AI is already impacting 93% of jobs, underscoring the urgency for employers to prepare for changing role expectations. Cognizant sees early-career talent as increasingly important in an AI-enabled workforce. After hiring 20,000 fresh graduates in 2025, the company expects to exceed that number in 2026, reflecting its continued investment in early-career talent and skill development as work evolves.
“As work evolves, the most successful organizations will focus less on replacing tasks and more on building the capabilities that help humans and AI work together. That starts with early-career talent,” said Ms. Ali Bebo, Chief Human Resources Officer, Pearson. “The future belongs to organizations that combine AI innovation with a deep understanding of how people learn, develop and apply new skills in the real world.”
Through their partnership, Cognizant and Pearson are working together to help recent graduates, apprentices and mid-career professionals build skills in AI, cloud and digital technologies. Pearson supports Cognizant’s existing workforce development programs, including Synapse and its Immersive Learning Center in Chennai, to help create stronger development paths for the workforce.
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