Tech jobs to see highest growth: Report

NEW DELHI: Traditional jobs such as farmworkers, delivery drivers, construction and food processing workers and salespersons are expected to see the highest growth in absolute numbers over the next five years, although in percentage terms, it will be the tech jobs with AI and machine learning (ML) being the most sought-after skills, said a new report released on Wednesday.

The World Economic Forum's (WEF) Future of Jobs report concluded that clerical and secretarial workers could see the largest decline in absolute numbers with health workers and education seeing robust rise. In India, specialists in Big Data, AI and ML, and security management are seen to be in demand.

The report said that structural factors - from broadening digital access to higher cost of living, climate change mitigation, demographic shift and geopolitical fragmentation - could displace 8% or 92 million of the current workforce, but they will also create around 170 million new jobs, which is 14% of the current workforce.
In India, increased digital access, geopolitical tensions and climate-mitigation efforts are seen to be the primary trends shaping the future of jobs. The report said that Indian companies are heavily investing in AI, robotics and autonomous systems, and energy technologies with employers looking to outpace global adoption in technologies such as semiconductors and computing technologies and quantum and encryption to transform their operations.

The WEF study said that the US and India are seeing the highest enrolment for AI skills with corporate sponsorship playing a significant role in boosting GenAI training uptake in the country.

"Analytical thinking remains the most sought-after core skill among employers, with seven out of 10 companies considering it as essential in 2025. This is followed by resilience, flexibility and agility, along with leadership and social influence," the report said on the global outlook.

While identifying skill gaps as the biggest block for businesses, the report said: "On average, workers can expect that two-fifths (39%) of their existing skill sets will be transformed or become outdated over the 2025-2030 period."

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/tech-jobs-to-see-highest-growth-report/articleshow/117068575.cms#:~:text=Traditional%20jobs%20such%20as%20farmworkers,also%20create%2014%25%20new%20jobs.

India must prioritise frontier AI research to drive innovation: Nadella

During his visit to India, Nadella announced strategic partnerships with the Government of India and industry leaders to advance cloud and AI transformation.



NEW DELHI: India must prioritise frontier research in artificial intelligence (AI) and develop foundational models to drive innovation, Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella said on Wednesday.

However, he noted that major investment is required to overcome the entry barrier and a single groundbreaking mathematical discovery can revolutionise the entire AI landscape.

“There is no reason why India can’t do frontier work, but you can even define frontier pretty unique. For example, I don’t think the last known big breakthrough in AI frontier has happened. I always say we are one mathematical breakthrough away from that entire edifice being thrown out and being going after something else,” said Nadella

During his visit to India, Nadella announced strategic partnerships with the Government of India and industry leaders to advance cloud and AI transformation. This comes on the heels of its plan to invest $3 billion in cloud and AI infrastructure in India over next two years, including establishment of new data centres.

Microsoft has partnered with RailTel to advance digital, cloud, and AI transformation in the Indian Railways and public sector space. As part of this five-year partnership, Microsoft will support RailTel in establishing an AI center of excellence (CoE).

The company has also joined forces with the Mahindra Group to transform automotive, farm and financial services with AI. Additionally, it has partnered with Apollo Hospitals to co-innovate, jointly develop products and drive digital transformation in the healthcare sector. The partnership will also focus on research in areas such as disease progression and genomics.

Furthermore, Microsoft has entered a strategic partnership with Bajaj Finance to enhance digital transformation and deliver seamless experiences for Bajaj Finance’s customers. The company has signed a MoU with India AI, a division of Digital India Corporation, to collaborate on advancing AI and emerging technologies in India.

Source: https://www.newindianexpress.com/business/2025/Jan/09/india-must-prioritise-frontier-ai-research-to-drive-innovation-nadella

Cornell transfers accessible, affordable anemia detecting tech to Indian government

BATHINDA: AnemiaPhone, a technology developed by Cornell University researchers to accurately, quickly and cheaply assess iron deficiency, has been transferred to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for integration into its programs for anemia, women’s health, and maternal and child health throughout the country.
In a press release on Wednesday Cornell University has stated that AnemiaPhone will enable access to rapid screening and diagnosis of iron deficiency at the point of need. Iron deficiency is the leading cause of anemia, a condition which can cause a range of symptoms, from fatigue and shortness of breath to multi-organ failure and death. Anemia affects 50-70% of pregnant women in India.

The technology, a test strip that can be coupled with small, portable wi-fi or Bluetooth-enabled test strip readers, was developed and tested in the laboratories of Dr Saurabh Mehta, David Erickson and Julia Finkelstein, founding director and co-directors of the Joan Klein Jacobs Center for Precision Nutrition and Health, and was formally transferred recently at no cost to India.
The technology requires a small finger stick, a drop of blood on a test strip similar to a COVID-19 home test, and a few minutes for the reader to assess. Then the information is uploaded to a clinical database via mobile phone, wireless tablet, or computer. Healthcare workers can interpret the test and provide guidance, triage and referral, or intervention on the spot.


Gold standards for biomarker assessments often have lab-intensive methodologies that much of the world cannot access or afford, said Finkelstein, whose lab in India validated the accuracy of the technology. AnemiaPhone can help bridge this gap, allowing iron deficiency to be quickly and cheaply diagnosed at home, in clinic, or during door-to-door healthcare surveys, reducing costs and speeding intervention.

“We’re not trying to replace traditional or reference laboratories, but in places where people don’t have access to laboratory and medical settings, this is a way to decentralize health care and extend the reach of central labs,” said Mehta. “It’s empowering across the whole system, enabling clinicians, community health workers and patients themselves to make real-time decisions and course corrections upon screening and diagnosis.”


AnemiaPhone has the potential to address current challenges in screening and diagnosing iron deficiency anemia within India’s Anemia Mukt Bharat programme, said Dr Bharati Kulkarni, the new Director of the Indian Council of Medical Research - National Institute of Nutrition and former head of ICMR’s Reproductive, Child Health and Nutrition Division.


“If scaled to its full capacity, it could play a pivotal role in India’s health care landscape where anemia remains a significant concern, particularly among women and children, offering new possibilities in combating this recalcitrant public health problem,” Kulkarni said.

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/cornell-transfers-accessible-affordable-anemia-detecting-tech-to-indian-government/articleshowprint/117061314.cms

Vaachan Sankalp Maharashtracha: 1st to 15th January 2025

 

Book Exhibition on 20th and 21st January 2025