Why IIT-Madras Director Kamakoti believes AI disruption will be a blessing in disguise for core engineers

Prof V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras

• AI will push engineers back to core fields like civil and biotech
• Routine IT jobs are at risk as AI automates mundane tasks
• AI courses are being added to engineering education

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Artificial intelligence (AI) will correct years of talent drift away from core engineering by pushing graduates back into disciplines such as civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering, a shift that will ultimately strengthen India’s engineering base, said V Kamakoti, describing AI disruption as a “blessing in disguise” rather than a threat to jobs.

Kamakoti, who was recently awarded a Padma Shri, said the type of IT jobs that attracted non-computer science graduates are increasingly vulnerable as AI automates routine and mundane work.

This will force engineers trained in core disciplines to reskill and apply AI within their own fields rather than move away from them, Kamakoti said in an interview to Moneycontrol on the sidelines of India AI Impact Summit.

"If we invest heavily in training a biotech or mechanical engineering student and that talent moves into generic IT work, it is a waste of national resources," he said, pointing out that public investment in non-computer science engineering education is significantly higher than in computer science.

AI-driven automation will naturally direct such graduates back into core engineering roles.

He described the shift as a "blessing" rather than a threat, saying India will need large numbers of core engineers as it moves toward its long-term development goals.

On concerns around job losses, he said technological disruption historically replaces repetitive work with higher-value roles.

"As AI takes over mundane work, engineers will have to move to more intelligent jobs where judgment, domain knowledge and problem solving become critical," Kamakoti said.

Kamakoti further added that engineering education is already adapting to this transition.

AI-focused courses are being introduced across disciplines, including AI for biotechnology, chemistry and physics, enabling students to use AI tools within their core fields.

"At IIT-Madras, large-scale online programmes in data science and programming are meant to equip students from all disciplines to effectively use AI in their core fields," he said.

The net effect, he said, will be a rebalancing of talent toward core engineering, stronger alignment between education and national needs, and more meaningful career paths for engineers over the long term.