‘20% of all product manager jobs are…’: Expert says jobs in AI need a ‘completely different technical vocabulary’

The debate surrounding the impact of artificial intelligence on the job market continues, yet experts at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 unanimously agree on one point: AI will transform the employment landscape significantly. Notably, Akash Gupta, a product management expert, revealed that approximately 20% of all product manager positions listed on LinkedIn are now specifically for AI product managers. This statistic translates to around 10,000 roles out of 50,000 total listings. Gupta pointed out a concerning trend where traditional companies like FedEx, UPS, and Target are reducing their product management teams, while tech giants such as OpenAI, Meta AI, and Amazon Bedrock are actively recruiting. He emphasized that these roles demand a distinct set of technical skills, including terms like context engineering and orchestration, which are becoming essential in the AI field. Highlighting the broader implications, Gupta mentioned Shopify's approach to integrating AI into performance evaluations, illustrating that teams must demonstrate that AI cannot fulfill specific tasks before they can request additional personnel. Since 2022, Shopify has reduced its workforce by a third while selectively investing in AI engineers, often at higher salaries. This pattern appears to be prevalent across the industry, with companies shifting their focus from the question of whether to adopt AI to why they haven't done so yet. Gupta predicts that the share of AI product manager roles could surge to 60% in the near future, underscoring the growing necessity for professionals to adapt quickly. During a panel discussion on the future of employment in the age of AI, Vineet Nayar, founder and former CEO of HCL Technologies, stressed the profit-driven nature of Indian companies, cautioning that expecting job creation from them may be unrealistic. Meanwhile, Sanjeev Bikhchandani, founder of InfoEdge, urged young professionals to enhance their skills by learning 5 to 15 essential AI tools to remain competitive. Puneet Chandok, President of Microsoft India and South Asia, provided insights on how AI will not eliminate jobs but rather redefine them by breaking down tasks into smaller components. He remarked that AI will handle transactional responsibilities, freeing up employees to focus on more meaningful work, emphasizing that upskilling is crucial in navigating this evolving job landscape.