AI will boost entry-level jobs globally, Cognizant CEO says
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES — Artificial intelligence (AI) is often feared as a job killer, but Cognizant Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ravi Kumar believes AI will not only expand opportunities for workers but also create a new wave of entry-level jobs, making corporate employment more inclusive and dynamic, according to a report from Fortune.
How AI expands entry-level opportunities
Kumar, who leads Cognizant’s 350,000-strong global workforce, told Fortune, “AI is an amplifier of human potential. It’s not a displacement strategy.”
Unlike past technological disruptions that automated human tasks, Kumar argues that AI can empower more people to join the workforce more quickly by reducing barriers to expertise.
“I think we’ll need more school graduates in the AI era,” he said. “That pyramid is going to be broader and shorter, and the path to expertise is going to be faster.”
He added that Cognizant is now hiring more school graduates than ever before, giving them AI tools that “allow them to punch above their weight.”
This strategy, Kumar explained, is not just about filling roles—it’s about redefining who gets a chance to participate in the digital economy.
The company has launched apprenticeship programs across 30 United States states and partnerships with organizations like Merit America to help workers transition into technology-driven careers without leaving their current jobs.
Hiring for human skills in the AI age
Kumar’s approach also marks a shift from the traditional STEM-only hiring model. He believes the future of work will increasingly rely on liberal arts graduates and problem solvers from non-technical disciplines.
“If I’m a historian, I could blend it with computational skills and become a futurist,” he said. “If I am a biology major, I could crack drug development cycles and disease using computational skills.”
Cognizant is already recruiting graduates from liberal arts schools and community colleges to develop “interdisciplinary skills” that blend creativity, analysis, and technology.
According to Kumar, “Applying intelligence is the asymmetry” in the AI era, not specialization.
AI’s impact on outsourcing and the digital workforce
Kumar’s optimism signals a potential shift in the outsourcing landscape. As AI tools become embedded in business processes, companies like Cognizant are reimagining global talent pipelines—not just to cut costs, but to cultivate a wider, more adaptable workforce.
In emerging outsourcing hubs such as India, the Philippines, and South Africa, this strategy could spark a fresh wave of inclusive employment, where entry-level digital roles become the new foundation of economic growth.
By positioning AI as a partner rather than a replacement, Cognizant’s model may redefine what it means to start a career in the age of intelligent automation—turning technology into a tool for empowerment rather than exclusion.
The company was previously ranked #7 in the OA500 2025, an objective index of the world’s top 500 outsourcing companies.
