AI disruption in software isn’t sudden, says former Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka

As the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) accelerates, concerns are rising across various sectors about its disruptive potential. Vishal Sikka, former CEO of Infosys and founder of AI startup Vianai Systems, asserts that the impact of AI in software has been developing over many years rather than emerging abruptly. In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), Sikka reflected on his extensive experience in both the software and AI industries, stating, "I have been in these two industries for 28+ years, and in AI since I was a student — so 'sudden' makes me smile." He pointed out that while AI is indeed causing creative disruption, the real issue lies in how unevenly it is transforming various aspects of work. Sikka highlighted the dual nature of AI's capabilities, referencing Melanie Mitchell's description of AI as a "jagged frontier." He noted that while AI excels at automating routine and clearly defined tasks, it faces challenges in areas requiring contextual reasoning. Furthermore, he emphasized that the proliferation of AI tools is allowing less experienced workers to manage many technical tasks, reducing the need for extensive technical knowledge. He explained, "This helps them do in real-time what they did before in slow, costly, complex ways, but go far beyond that and do things that simply couldn't be done before. And in the process, save massively in the cleanup of legacy systems.” Sikka concluded by stressing that as AI continues to disrupt industries, the focus should remain on integrating technology to enhance workflows, rather than replacing human creativity and critical thinking. AI should be seen as a tool to augment human insight and problem-solving capabilities.