The Dark Side of AI Upskilling in Indian IT

Indian IT firms are racing to declare their workforce “GenAI-ready,” but the reality behind these upskilling programs paints a starkly different picture. A former Infosys employee revealed that many generative AI training initiatives are outsourced to smaller firms offering superficial, entry-level courses.

“Most of these programs involve clicking ‘next’ on slides and answering multiple-choice questions, the answers to which can easily be found on Google,” the source told AIM.

While big-tech partnerships with companies like NVIDIA and Microsoft promise structured training, progress is slow, with firms taking years to make their workforce truly AI-ready. The focus often lies on ticking boxes rather than fostering real expertise. “Even though 900,000 employees have been trained, the depth and quality are questionable,” a user shared on X, highlighting the disappointment among professionals.