The Bengaluru Skill Summit took place from Nov. 4 to 6 at The Lalit Ashok, Bengaluru. Several ministers, industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators participated in the event, which was organized by the Department of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood (SDEL), Government of Karnataka.

On Nov. 5, Ravi Venkatesan, Chairman of the Global Energy Alliance and former Chairman of Microsoft India and the Bank of Baroda, delivered a talk on how Karnataka can “seize the AI moment” and thrive with artificial intelligence.

He stated that “all revolutions are disruptive,” citing examples from history where major technological advances initially caused upheaval — the Industrial Revolution, for instance, led to widespread job losses. Venkatesan noted that technological change often brings short-term risks as well as long-term benefits, adding that the “era of stable jobs” is over, with self-employment and gig work set to gain greater importance. “Adaptability will be the new employability,” he said.

Venkatesan also emphasized the importance of helping people learn digital skills, including AI, and added that companies should offer humane severance terms and reskilling opportunities. “AI is not something we should be fearful of,” he said, adding that Karnataka should show the way.

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Similar themes were discussed in a fireside chat featuring Atul Kumar Tiwari, former Secretary to the Government of India, and Jitendra Chaddah, Managing Director and Country Head of GlobalFoundries India. Tiwari stressed the need for a proactive, future-first policy with a strong focus on skilling. He also highlighted the importance of social security and measures to help laid-off workers re-enter the workforce, as well as mechanisms for industry and academia to collaborate.

Chaddah spoke about the role of innovative training programs, explaining how approaches such as video- and game-based modules can make learning easier and more effective.

Tiwari’s call for closer ties between industry and academia was echoed by Dr. P. B. Kotur, Global Head of the Global Engineering Academy, during a separate panel discussion. Dr. Abhilasha Gaur, CEO of NASSCOM IT-ITeS SSC, who was also part of the panel, emphasized the importance of continuous learning and “future-proofing.” She added that skilling initiatives should reach everyone, including women workers.

Later that day, an influencer and co-founder of MarkitUp delivered a talk on the “skills required to be unstoppable in the age of AI.”

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Another panel that discussed the impact of AI on work and how to collaborate effectively with the technology included Alokesh Das, Director at Mu Sigma Inc.; Rajeev Khushu, Director of GR Strategy and Corporate Affairs at Texas Instruments; Sandeep Magavi, Learning and Knowledge Management Leader at IBM; and Saurav Jha, President and CEO of Simnovus. The panelists emphasized human-AI collaboration and the need to learn the skills required to optimize the use of AI and work alongside it.

A fireside chat also featured Mish Eastman, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Vocational Education and Vice President at RMIT University and Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (MAICD), along with Roopashri Yadrami, Head of Learning and Development at Broadridge Financial Solutions. Eastman discussed the Australian system for skill development and ways the Indian framework could be improved.

Throughout the summit, a common theme emerged—the rising importance of skills. Adaptability and reskilling are now considered essential to thrive in the modern job market. While many view AI as a threat, most speakers at the summit agreed that it can serve as a tool for collaboration, provided people develop the skills needed to work alongside it.

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