New Delhi, October 29, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Zoho co-founder and Chief Scientist Sridhar Vembu has warned that artificial intelligence (AI) poses a growing risk to jobs involving computer-based work, while also arguing that falling costs could allow more businesses to access software engineering and digital marketing services.
In a post on X, Vembu said AI tools were increasingly enabling a single worker to perform tasks that previously required much larger teams. He cautioned that this shift could trigger a difficult economic adjustment as businesses adapt to changing workforce requirements.
“Any job performed on the computer” faces the possibility that one person using AI could do the work of 10 people, he observed, adding that the risk was becoming increasingly real.
However, Vembu said this did not necessarily mean that 90 per cent of people working on computers would become redundant. Instead, he argued that lower costs could open up new opportunities for businesses that had previously been unable to afford software engineers or digital marketers.
He said the economy would have to undergo a painful rebalancing and stressed the importance of acknowledging the changes ahead and preparing for them.
Vembu’s comments come amid broader uncertainty over the financial impact of AI on the software industry. Earlier this month, he said Zoho had reduced its marketing budget and advised employees not to expect the usual salary increases this year.
He attributed the company’s cost pressures partly to a sharp rise in server prices required for data centres, noting that the growing use of AI was pushing expenses higher and forcing the company to focus on controlling costs.
In May, Vembu had also raised concerns about the soaring valuations of major technology companies amid investor enthusiasm for AI, warning that the market was showing characteristics of a bubble that could surpass the dot-com boom.
His latest remarks highlight the dual impact of AI on the economy: the potential displacement of existing jobs alongside wider access to technology and specialised services for businesses that previously could not afford them.
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