Tata Group Chairman N Chandrasekaran, in his year-end note, shared that the group plans to create 5 lakh manufacturing jobs over the next five years and emphasised that the "group of companies are beginning to make the most of data, digital and AI." The note, addressed to Tata Group employees and shared on December 26, highlighted the progress of the group's companies, including TCS, Tejas Networks, Air India, and others, while emphasising the growth opportunities offered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology.
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The chairman mentioned that "TCS and Tejas Networks delivered the first indigenous 4G mobile telecom stack for BSNL, and stand poised for 5G." Chandrasekaran shared that he is "particularly excited by two areas where economic opportunity and social progress converge: AI and manufacturing."
The Age of AI
Speaking about the evolving relationship between science and technology, Chandrasekaran shared the prospects in AI and technology, saying, "A fundamental reversal is taking place. Historically, scientific progress has predominantly fueled technological progress. Consider how breakthroughs in quantum mechanics led to the digital age. Today, however, the opposite is happening: advancements in technology are leading to scientific discoveries."
"This year the Nobel Prize for chemistry went to developers of an AI model that predicts protein structures—a glimpse of how computational tools will revolutionise drug discovery. Previously, determining the 3D structure of a single protein typically took a year or more. Now AI tools can predict these shapes with remarkable accuracy in minutes," he explained.
Chandrasekharan further outlined that "AI can transform healthcare in other profound ways, not only enhancing how we understand and treat diseases but also how we diagnose them. Machine learning is being used more in environmental research, while large language models hold the potential to significantly expand access to clinical care. We will continue to see significant acceleration in the use of AI in fields like healthcare and mobility," he added.
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A Manufacturing Golden Age for India
"While AI-led breakthroughs in healthcare and mobility can help the whole of humanity, manufacturing has the potential to transform our economy in India," Chandrasekaran said, noting that the "group plans to create 500,000 manufacturing jobs over the next half-decade."
"These will come in part from the aforementioned investments in facilities across India—factories and projects that will produce batteries, semiconductors, electric vehicles, solar equipment and other critical hardware destined to play a central role in the economy of tomorrow. This is in addition to the many services jobs we expect to introduce across retail, tech services, airlines, and hospitality, among other sectors," said Chandrasekaran.
The plan to add 5 lakh jobs over the next five years 'give hope' to the one million youth entering India's workforce every month. "Manufacturing has powerful multiplier effects; indirect employment opportunities from sectors such as semiconductor manufacturing are substantial," Chandrasekaran said in the note.
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Hopeful Outlook
Chandrasekaran concluded his note in an optimistic tone: "After a year marked by loss, it is with a sense of hope and optimism that I look ahead to 2025." India's economy is strong, he said, and the great trends of the age are in India's favour. This "enormous pool of young talent will not only contribute to our nation's future—they will build it, literally, with their hands and with their minds."
