AI poses a threat to many programming jobs, we need a strong policy around this, says Zoho's Sridhar Vembu

Zoho CEO and co-founder Sridhar Vembu has been vocal about the potential impact of AI on the workforce, warning that it may cause disruption and pose a threat to many individuals.

The rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly the recently developed conversational AI platforms ChatGPT and GPT4, is posing a threat to the workforce, particularly programmers, said Sridhar Vembu, CEO and co-founder of Zoho.

“I had been internally saying this for the past 4-5 years that ChatGPT, GPT4 and other AI being developed today will first impact the jobs of many programmers," he said.

1/ I will summarize my concerns about AI. I won't focus on the technology itself but on the economic consequences.

First of all, if AI were to eliminate all jobs, it means AI is able to produce all the goods and services humans need and want without human labor. — Sridhar Vembu (@svembu) March 31, 2023

Vembu has been vocal about the potential impact of AI on the workforce, warning that it may cause disruption and pose a threat to many individuals.

"I have seen the potential for automation in software development and all the low code platforms are early indicators of this ChatGPT and GPT4 which is a risk, " he added.

Also read: Zoho continues to invest in rural India with plans for new tech hubs in Tirunelveli, Madurai and Uttar Pradesh

While there are positive use cases, the depth and complexities of AI is what is a worry, according to Vembu.

Vembu cited a Goldman Sachs report that estimated 300 million jobs are at risk worldwide.

Zoho's Vembu has submitted a proposal to the Central Government, along with Rajiv Kumar, former Niti Aayog vice chairman, and Sharad Sharma, co-founder of iSPIRT Foundation. The proposal aims to establish an AI policy that prioritizes openness and transparency.

"Today three of us have submitted an open letter calling out the Indian government to start AI research so we can catch up on this booming tech and we do not allow monopolies to develop here," he said.

"Broader implications of this technology can be dangerous. That is what  I'm worried about. The economic disruption and posing danger to employees," he added.