Let’s take a look at what Anand G. Mahindra—Chairman of the Mahindra Group, Mahindra & Mahindra Limited, and Tech Mahindra Limited—has said about the transformative power of artificial intelligence (AI) and the future of skills in India. He has served on several influential bodies, including the Reserve Bank of India Board, UN Global Compact Board, Global Board of Advisors of the Council on Foreign Relations, and the World Bank Group’s Advisory Board for Doing Business. According to the Mahindra Group website, he has over 11 million followers on X (formerly Twitter).
Also Read: What They Said: Mukesh Ambani of Reliance, Jio on AI
Quotes from press releases, social media posts, and edited excerpts from various interviews and interactions are presented below.
What They Said: Timeline
July 2025:
At the Tech Mahindra Annual General Meeting (AGM), Mahindra emphasized that AI is a powerful transformative force that must be nurtured responsibly, not just treated as a tool.
According to a NDTV Profit report dated July 17, 2025, at Tech Mahindra’s AGM, Anand Mahindra outlined the company’s strategic approach to AI, calling for responsible implementation and a focus on measurable outcomes as the ultimate test of its potential.
"In this new world of uncertainty, trust is your company's currency, and a deep understanding of AI is its edge," he reportedly told the shareholders at the AGM.”
He emphasised that Tech Mahindra’s competitive edge lies in its ability to blend deep technological expertise with ethical deployment, ensuring AI delivers real value to both clients and society.
"Your company also has an edge in the area of AI, which is reshaping businesses and society. At TechM we have adopted AI not merely as a tool but as a powerful force. I like to think of AI as a brilliant child prodigy born in a library, with access to the entire world’s knowledge and an extraordinary capacity to collate and apply it. But like all prodigies, it needs to be nurtured and guided to achieve its full potential for good. Your company recognises its responsibility to apply AI to serve the best interests of our clients and the greater good of society. With its deep expertise and focus on tangible results, TechM is helping its clients harness the full potential of AI. The next frontier is clear: responsible implementation and measurable returns – the true test of AI’s promise."
Mahindra reportedly highlighted that responsible innovation and accountability-driven implementation would define AI’s next frontier, adding, “The true test of AI lies in its responsible use and its ability to generate tangible, measurable returns.”
"I would like to believe that our reliance on the twin pillars of trust and effective application of AI is a major contributory factor to the progress your company has made in garnering major logos."
He attributed the company's progress to the effective execution of the firm’s “AI Delivered Right” strategy, which involves strengthening leadership in key domains, investing in talent, and building future-ready capabilities through partnerships with institutions such as Mahindra University.
November 2025:
Social Media Post: Importance of Skilled Trades in the AI Era
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) dated November 17, 2025, Mahindra wrote, "We’re so busy fearing AI will wipe out white-collar jobs that we’re missing a far bigger crisis: the scarcity of skilled trades."
He referred to a recent podcast featuring Ford CEO Jim Farley, who revealed that the company currently has 5,000 mechanic roles lying vacant, many offering salaries of $120,000 a year.
“Ford CEO Jim Farley made a startling revelation in a recent podcast: Ford has 5,000 mechanic jobs unfilled, many paying $120,000 a year, and still no takers. Across the US, over a million essential roles in plumbing, electrical work, trucking and factory operations lie vacant,” Mahindra wrote.
He argued that while technology may automate office roles, trades that require physical dexterity, judgement and experience remain irreplaceable.
"This isn’t the future. It’s happening now. For decades, we pushed degrees and desk jobs to the top of the 'aspirational' ladder and quietly pushed skilled trades to the bottom. Yet these are the jobs AI cannot replace: they require judgment, dexterity, apprenticeship, and real-world expertise."
"So the real question is: Are we about to witness a reset in what society considers a dream career? Because if this trend continues, the biggest winners of the AI era will be the people who can actually build, fix, and keep the world running.
"Marx imagined workers rising through struggle. He never imagined they’d rise because they became too skilled, too scarce, and too essential to replace! A revolution not through violence… but through value-discovery," he posted.
December 2025:
Telangana Rising Global Summit
Speaking at the Telangana Rising Global Summit, Mahindra highlighted that the future belongs to “makers,” not just managers, and urged preparation of a workforce that thrives alongside AI. He noted the importance of skilled work that AI cannot replace — such as craft, intuition, and hands-on problem solving.
"We are living through a digital tsunami. Artificial Intelligence dominates global conversations, and it's often accompanied by fear. Fear of what AI and the future will bring. But I want to take a contrarian view as I believe that the more digital the world becomes, the more valuable the human touch will be," he said, according to multiple media reports dated December 9, 2025.
"We are preparing a workforce that is not threatened by AI but which is going to be indispensable despite AI," he added.
Highlighting the sustained impact of human touch even in the age of AI, Anand Mahindra reportedly said, "As AI inevitably absorbs the repetitive and the routine, value shifts to what machines cannot replace which is the skill of the hand, the intuition of the craftsperson, the empathy of the caregiver and the problem solving grit of the technician."
New Year Message: AI as a Catalyst, Not a Threat
In a year-end message to employees, Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra said artificial intelligence is not a threat but an accelerator, as it can raise the value and dignity of blue-collar jobs.
"As AI reshapes industries, many fear disruption. I respectfully disagree. I believe Al is an accelerator not a threat. 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."
"We will rediscover the value of people who can build, craft, repair and operate the real machinery of life. 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 said in his New Year address, explaining why “blue collar is the new gold collar.”
"I am proud that we are walking the talk in this domain. I recently accepted the role of Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Young India Skills University in Telangana, a pioneering institution designed to prepare our youth for a world where high-tech proficiency must be paired with vocational mastery. The Group is committed to strengthen the talent pipeline that the world needs — from the Mahindra Tractors Skill Development Centres to Tech Mahindra’s future-ready talent academies," he added.
This is a developing story, and more quotes and insights from Anand Mahindra will be added as they become available.
