NEW DELHI: Artificial intelligence is not a threat but a catalyst that will elevate practical skills into premium assets, offering income, dignity and transforming factory work into long-term relevance and a lucrative gold-collar profession, Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra said on Wednesday.

In his New Year message to employees of the group, he disagreed with the fear of disruption that many people have as AI reshapes industries.

“When technology amplifies skilled hands, those hands can become as rewarding, if not more rewarding, than traditional white-collar work. AI can turn blue collar into gold,” Mahindra noted.

As AI reshapes industries, he said, “Many fear disruption. I respectfully disagree. I believe AI is an accelerator, not a threat”.

Elaborating his point, Mahindra said, “As intelligent systems take over routine tasks, practical skills, accelerated by AI, will become premium assets, offering income, dignity and raising blue collar work to a new level of long-term relevance”.

“AI will bring about a fundamental shift in the value of ‘hands-on’ skills: a technician who can work confidently alongside AI, a machinist who understands digital tools, and a craftsperson whose intuition is enhanced by data will change the world of shop floor work.”