Rs 5,000 crore self-made man warns: Avoid EMI, AI won’t just kill IT jobs, no one is safe

In an era where AI is rapidly reshaping industries, two prominent voices—Zoho’s Sridhar Vembu and Thyrocare founder Dr A Velumani—have delivered a wake-up call to India’s workforce. As high-paying tech jobs face a looming threat from AI and automation, the message is loud and clear: prepare, adapt, or perish. Vembu warned software engineers not to take their salaries for granted, while Velumani added that disruption isn’t just limited to IT—it can hit any profession, anytime.

Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu recently posted a candid message on X, cautioning software engineers that their current salaries and roles might not last in the face of rapid AI advancements. He stressed that high-paying tech jobs are not a birthright and could easily be wiped out by a wave of productivity driven by large language models (LLMs) and automation tools.

“The productivity revolution I see coming to software development could destroy a lot of software jobs. This is sobering but necessary to internalise,” he wrote, quoting Intel’s former CEO Andy Grove: “Only the paranoid survive.”

Dr A Velumani reacts to Sridhar Vembu’s tweet

Responding to Sridhar Vembu’s warning, Dr A. Velumani offered a sobering financial reminder. “Not just in IT. In any job. Anytime it can happen. Not just due to AI,” he cautioned. Urging prudent living, he advised, “Avoid EMI. Be frugal. Be wise. Save well. Invest wisely. Secure family.” A stark reminder to prepare for uncertainty.



His final words, “Nazar Hatti...”, implied that the moment one drops their guard, reality could strike hard.