Learn the fundamentals and to spot problems

The rise of artificial intelligence is not just another technology cycle; it is a platform shift that is fundamentally changing how people build, work and think. For students and young professionals, this moment offers a rare opportunity to reshape careers early, if they are willing to adapt. As Rafee Tarafdar, CTO of Infosys, told us during a recent webinar, “Every time we see a big platform shift like AI, it changes the stack, the way we interface, and the way we work.”He compares this moment to the arrival of the internet and later the cloud, both of which created entirely new industries. “We are at a similar stage with AI. This is a great time,” he said, stressing that opportunities are not limited to coders alone. For young people, the first major shift is the democratisation of creativity. “Today, I can create a visual, a video or a prototype quickly using simple language. Creativity is now accessible to everyone without depending on experts,” Tarafdar noted. Tasks that once required teams of specialists can now be prototyped individually using AI tools. This means students should focus less on waiting for perfect skills and more on experimenting with ideas.The second opportunity lies in entrepreneurship. “The pace at which you can build applications has reduced significantly. If you have an idea, build it, launch it, test it, improve it and repeat,” he said. For Indian talent in particular, he sees a chance to move beyond services and build global software products at speed.For those from technical backgrounds, AI expands what is pos-sible. “We can now solve problems that were earlier too difficult to tackle,” he explained. But he is clear that not everyone needs to go deep into low-level systems. Students must decide their path: either become experts working on chips, CUDA and models, or focus on building solutions. “You do not need to be an expert in everything, but you must understand the basics well enough to use the technology correctly,” he said.Beyond building, entirely new roles are emerging. These include model engineers who finetune AI systems for industries, data engineers who prepare and generate training data, and specialists in AI evaluation who test for bias, accuracy and security. There is also rising demand for performance engineers who optimise systems, and professionals focused on responsible AI to ensure compliance and ethics. “Opportunities are emerging across all these areas within AI,” Tarafdar said.However, technical knowledge alone will not future-proof a career. When asked what skills or traits a company like Infosys values most when hiring new candidates, Tarafdar said they look for people who understand fundamentals and can break down problems clearly. Equally important is the ability to identify problems independently. “It is not enough to execute tasks. You should be able to spot what is not working and take the initiative to fix it,” he added.Continuous learning is also nonnegotiable. “You cannot define yourself by a single skill like being a Java programmer. Technology is evolving too quickly,” he said, urging young professionals to keep adapting. This also requires a mindset shift. “You must be ready to unlearn and learn constantly if you want to stay relevant,” he added.Interestingly, he believes AI makes human thinking even more valuable. With the rise of agents and automation, execution can be scaled by machines, but “designing work and applying fundamental thinking should remain with humans,” he said. In simple terms, students should focus on understanding problems deeply, while using AI to execute faster.Another skill gaining importance is storytelling. “You must be able to simplify complex ideas and explain them clearly so that even a child can understand,” he said. In an AI-driven world, the ability to communicate ideas may matter as much as building them.Ultimately, building a futureproof career in AI is less about chasing specific tools and more about developing a way of thinking. Start small, apply AI to everyday problems, and build consistently. “Do not always look for big breakthroughs. Focus on doing small things well and building habits of excellence,” he advised.