TNI Bureau: OPCC president Bhakta Charan Das, quoting Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, said the AI revolution has arrived, bringing both threats and opportunities for India. He warned that the IT and services sector — described as a shining pillar of the economy — is at risk, and thousands of software engineers and professionals could lose their livelihoods if the country fails to prepare adequately.

Referring to Gandhi’s remarks, Das said thousands of Odisha’s youth are building careers in the IT sector, and without timely preparation, artificial intelligence could lead to job losses and skill obsolescence. He urged the Central Government to urgently introduce clear policies and AI-focused skill development and training programmes to safeguard jobs and secure the future of the youth.

Speaking in Parliament, Rahul Gandhi said data is the petrol that fuels the AI engine and that India’s greatest asset lies in its brilliant people and the enormous amount of data generated by them. He said the upcoming AI Summit hosted by the government should have been an opportunity for India to assert leadership and demonstrate how a country of 1.4 billion people can shape the global AI future on its own terms.

However, Gandhi alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has surrendered to US pressure through a trade deal under the pretext of “clearing barriers to digital trade,” which, he said, would oppose any move to use India’s data for its own benefit.

He further stated that large foreign companies already enjoy a near monopoly over Indian data through platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, Amazon and Android. According to Gandhi, the deal would make it difficult for India to safely store citizens’ data within the country, ensure transparency in source codes and algorithms, and tax profits generated using Indian data.

Gandhi termed it unfortunate that India’s prime resource has been handed over to a foreign power.