In today’s rapidly changing technological landscape, the importance of mastering artificial intelligence tools is becoming increasingly clear. Altman, in a recent interview on the Stratechery podcast with Ben Thompson, noted that the conventional path of learning coding after graduation is now being overshadowed by the necessity of becoming proficient in AI tools.
“The obvious tactical thing is just get really good at using AI tools,” Altman expressed, as reported by the Financial Times.
“When I was graduating from high school, the clear tactical move was to become skilled at coding, and this has now evolved into a new focus,” he added.
During the AI Impact Summit 2026 held in New Delhi, Puneet Chandok, president of Microsoft India and South Asia, echoed this sentiment. He explained that while AI will “unbundle” operational tasks, continuous learning and skill enhancement are essential for thriving in the modern job market.
Chandok emphasized the importance of adapting to AI-driven changes, stating, “AI won’t eliminate jobs; it will reconfigure them. It will separate routine tasks that may seem necessary, yet do not truly add value.”
He further underscored the need for workers to enhance their skill sets as AI modifies job roles. “As AI disaggregates tasks, we must reassemble our skills more effectively; ongoing education will be our lifeline. If we aren’t learning about AI daily, we risk becoming obsolete,” Chandok cautioned.
Aligning with this perspective, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna also highlighted the need for upskilling, while acknowledging that job displacement will likely accompany the emergence of new opportunities. In an interview with Bloomberg, he identified call center roles as particularly vulnerable in the face of accelerating AI adoption.
“I believe that 50% of call center jobs, straightforward document-matching roles, and positions in internal help desks like IT and HR will diminish,” Krishna stated.
“There will be some level of job displacement, with predictions of 5 to 10 percent,” he noted.
Krishna emphasized that companies must take the initiative to reskill those affected by these changes. “It is our responsibility to ensure that we provide them with alternative skills—be it upskilling or reskilling—so they can transition into more productive roles,” he remarked.
“This doesn’t account for the surge in new job creation. There will be significantly more hiring and enhanced productivity, but some displacement is inevitable,” added the IBM CEO.
