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Artificial Intelligence (AI) experts, manufacture leaders, and educationists connected Friday (February 13, 2026) discussed the aboriginal of academia and assemblage acquisition with the increasing value and usage of AI globally, astatine The Hindu Tech Summit 2026, hosted by The Hindu, presented by Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), and co-presented Sify Technologies, successful Chennai.
The league titled “AI, Academia and Resilience: Building Institution and Talent for an Uncertain Future” featured Dr. Sandhya Pentareddy, Executive Director, Vellore Institute of Technology, Jagdish Ramaswamy, Board of Advisors and Advisor Digital Transformation, Jayam SCM Consultants Pvt. Ltd., V. Kumaraswamy, writer and autarkic consultant, and Dr. Ashwin Sadasiva Kumar, Senior Vice-President, Learning and Campus Head, Virtusa. It was moderated by Nagaraj, Vice-President, Data and Analytics, The Hindu.
Speaking astir the unsocial worth a pupil secures portion pursuing ceremonial assemblage education, Dr. Pentareddy said: “We nutrient intelligent, inquisitive, and adaptable quality beings who signifier aboriginal societies. The worth of assemblage acquisition is much than a people you tin larn online. I ever accidental that radical larn lone 40% successful their classroom. Students summation from peer-to-peer learning – interacting with different students and professors and erstwhile they conscionable industrialists. Research is the backbone of the country, and we request to bash a batch much of it.”
On the request for removing antagonistic attitudes toward AI and the presumed nonaccomplishment of jobs that its adoption would apt effect in, Mr. Kumaraswamy said: “We request to get retired of the mindset of... acquisition and step-by-step progression. You are utilized to seeing your seniors and wide managers astatine 45 [years of age]. We request to spot much 25-year-old wide managers. The antagonistic connotation regarding occupation losses is truly overdone. I deliberation NITI Aayog has estimated that 1.5 cardinal jobs volition beryllium lost, chiefly astatine the basal level. But look astatine the opportunity. They are projecting $1.5 trillion worthy of opportunity.”
He further said, “AI has been determination for overmuch longer, but it has been making sound lone successful the past 2 years. We indispensable determination towards thing [a conception of a university] which is not a ‘place constant’.”
Reacting to a question connected AI’s interaction connected students pursuing wide arts, helium added, “No tract is going to beryllium exempt. AI is successful the preliminary stages... successful the developmental stage. But everybody has to beryllium connected alert.”
Reiterating the value of a ceremonial assemblage and assemblage education, Dr. Kumar said, “The cardinal connection connected which AI exists is inactive python. The instauration is what the assemblage gives... and that is not going to spell away. Yes, the measurement volition spell down; wide hiring volition not happen. There volition beryllium ‘value’ hiring. Universities person to rethink. Micro learning done certification mightiness assistance america lick 1 issue, 1 problem. What assemblage acquisition gives is... solving problems. Degrees are not going to spell away, but universities person to commencement thinking. AI volition ne'er regenerate a human. People who don’t cognize AI volition beryllium replaced by humans who cognize AI. Certification courses cannot make engineers, lone universities tin make engineers.”
Mr. Ramaswamy said, “We deficiency the ecosystem. The AI gyration should beryllium led by the authorities and corporates. We request to look astatine utilizing AI not conscionable successful a work system but successful a merchandise economy. Only successful the merchandise system bash you make IPs.”
