Cognizant CEO Ravi Kumar is pushing back against predictions that artificial intelligence will devastate entry-level white-collar jobs, arguing instead that AI will create more opportunities for recent graduates.Kumar, who leads the 350,000-person IT services company, told Business Insider that his “whole thesis” contradicts Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei‘s theory that AI will slash entry-level jobs in half. “My argument is you probably need more freshers than less, because as you have more freshers, the expertise levels needed goes down,” Kumar said.The former nuclear scientist believes AI is fundamentally different from previous technology disruptions because it puts expertise, not just information, at workers’ fingertips.
AI levels the playing field for junior developers
At Cognizant, Kumar’s theory appears to be playing out in real-time. The company’s bottom 50% of developers have boosted their productivity by 37% using AI tools, compared to just 17% for the top performers, according to Kumar.This productivity leveling suggests that deep expertise is becoming less critical while interdisciplinary skills gain importance. Kumar argues that as AI lowers the barrier to entry, companies will need more junior talent to manage the expanded workload that becomes economically viable.“Tech disruptions so far put information on your fingertips,” Kumar explained to Business Insider. “This is a technology which is going to put expertise on your fingertips.”
Industry remains divided on AI’s job impact
Kumar’s optimism contrasts sharply with other tech leaders’ warnings. Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski recently echoed Amodei’s concerns, predicting AI could trigger a recession by replacing white-collar jobs. His company cut its workforce from 5,500 to 3,000 people over two years due to AI-driven productivity gains.However, Kumar acknowledges uncertainty remains. “I don’t know what’s the right answer, but I at least know that the model is going to change,” he said, emphasizing that multiple outcomes are plausible in the AI era.
