New Delhi: NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang has predicted that the surge in AI data centres in India could unleash a massive job boom, mirroring the transformative employment wave triggered by the internet’s arrival in the country decades ago.
Speaking at a press conference during the 3DExperience World event in Houston, Huang described AI infrastructure — particularly large-scale data centres — as a powerful engine for job creation across multiple layers of the economy. He pointed out that constructing a single data centre could directly employ 5,000 to 10,000 workers, including electricians, plumbers, construction crews, and other skilled tradespeople.
Beyond direct jobs, Huang highlighted the “derivative workforce”— encompassing supply chains for materials like pipes and concrete, design, architecture, project management, ongoing operations, and even startups building applications on these platforms. “Look at the internet in India — it created wonderful jobs in both upstream and downstream. Artificial intelligence can do exactly the same,” he remarked, emphasising the broad economic ripple effects.
His optimistic outlook follows the Indian government’s Budget 2026 announcement of a tax holiday until 2047 for international firms setting up AI data centres using local facilities, a move aimed at attracting substantial investments.
Major tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon have already pledged billions for data centre projects in states such as Andhra Pradesh.
Huang also stressed the importance of India developing its own data centre capabilities alongside welcoming global players, viewing AI infrastructure as essential as utilities like water or electricity. With India’s push to become a global AI and data hub, experts see this as a pivotal moment for employment generation in both blue-collar and tech-driven sectors.