As artificial intelligence transforms industries, a major debate has emerged: Will AI create more jobs or eliminate them—especially for software engineers and recent graduates? The divide is striking, with industry leaders offering sharply different visions of the future.
Cognizant’s Optimistic View: AI as a Tool for Empowerment
Cognizant CEO Ravi Kumar believes AI is a net job creator, not a destroyer. Speaking to Business Insider, he emphasized that rather than replacing engineers, AI will augment their capabilities, making even junior developers highly productive. According to Cognizant’s internal data, AI-assisted junior engineers outperformed senior engineers in productivity by 37%.
“AI becomes a ladder, not a lever for redundancy,” Kumar said, arguing that it helps democratize access to technical expertise, making it easier for new graduates to contribute quickly.
This model, Kumar says, supports hiring more fresh graduates, not fewer — because AI fills in experience gaps, allowing newer employees to handle more complex tasks early in their careers.
The Pessimistic Counterpoint: Job Losses Are Already Here
In contrast, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei paints a much more concerning picture. He has predicted widespread job losses across sectors like tech, finance, consulting, and law, potentially within the next 1–5 years. Amodei warns that:
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Governments and companies are downplaying the real threat.
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Unemployment could spike up to 20%, driven by automation.
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The disruption may be swift and deeply structural.
Supporting this concern is real data: Over 61,000 tech layoffs have already occurred in 2025 alone (source: Layoffs.fyi). Major companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta are shrinking their workforces while simultaneously expanding their AI capabilities. For instance:
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Microsoft says AI now generates 20–30% of its code.
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Google attributes 30% of new code to AI tools.
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Meta is working on AI models that can code at a mid-level engineer’s proficiency.
This shows a shift from augmentation to substitution, particularly at companies focused on maximizing efficiency.
The Middle Ground: Job Transformation, Not Elimination
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang offers a more balanced view: AI will change jobs rather than eliminate them entirely. His argument is that:
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Roles will evolve.
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Engineers will need new skill sets (e.g., prompt engineering, AI oversight, data fluency).
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AI may replace repetitive or entry-level tasks, but it opens up opportunities in AI design, ethics, security, and systems integration.
What's Actually Happening?
The outcomes depend on how AI is deployed:
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At Cognizant, AI is an enabler, helping junior talent scale up fast, which supports continued hiring.
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At firms like Meta or Salesforce, AI acts as a replacement, reducing reliance on human labour.
For New Graduates and Engineers:
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Upskilling is essential. AI is changing the skills that are in demand. Understanding how to work with AI — not compete against it — is now a critical career skill.
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Fields like AI governance, data engineering, and human-AI interaction design are becoming more valuable.
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Companies that use AI for augmentation (like Cognizant) may still offer entry-level roles, while others may focus hiring on AI-specific expertise.
Final Takeaway
The AI revolution isn't black and white. It’s not just about job creation or job loss — it’s about job transformation. The real winners will be those who adapt to the evolving landscape by continuously learning and aligning with how AI is being applied within their industries.
