Karnataka Urged to Shift from IT Skills to Innovative Imagination Workforce

Bengaluru's transition is essential for Karnataka, as industry expert and authority in Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality (AVGC-XR), Biren Ghose, emphasized the need to evolve from a traditional IT workforce into one that fosters imagination. During his address at the Bengaluru Skill Summit, a three-day event held from November 3 to 5, he advocated for a strategic pivot towards nurturing a workforce with creative capabilities to stimulate growth in the state’s orange economy.

Sector Growth and Workforce Potential

Ghose highlighted that since 2005, the AVGC sector has created job opportunities for over 25,000 artists and technicians. He argued that a new economic phase in the state should be propelled by intellectual property rooted in human creativity. “Is it feasible to cultivate a talent pool of 100,000 professionals in the orange economy within a few years? Absolutely,” he asserted.

The Future Beyond IT

Engaging an audience that included educators, policymakers, and industry professionals, Mr. Ghose remarked that while Karnataka's initial economic revolution was guided by Information Technology (IT), its future trajectory lies in intellectual property. He pointed to the swift evolution of Artificial Intelligence, which is redefining the workplace by making conventional coding and content creation highly automated and cost-effective.

The Value of Creativity

In this evolving landscape, Ghose underscored that the most scarce resources now are human imagination, judgment, taste, and the nuanced skills needed to transform innovative concepts into tangible value. He also critiqued the existing educational framework, arguing that schools and training institutions are preparing students for software and tools that may become obsolete before they complete their education. He urged a fundamental shift from basic certifications focusing on tools to a deeper emphasis on foundational skills.

Local IP Development

Advocating for greater local creative output, Ghose stated, “Instead of primarily servicing global intellectual property, we should focus on generating original Indian intellectual property.” He proposed an ambitious initiative dubbed the Karnataka Creative Skills Mission or the Karnataka Imagination Mission, which would incorporate a multi-faceted strategy to achieve this goal.

A Vision for 2030

His vision includes establishing 100 creative laboratories connected to classrooms and various creative sectors by 2030. Additionally, he proposed creating 10,000 apprenticeships that would integrate talent with emerging technologies, alongside the development of 1,000 locally produced original intellectual properties aimed at translating imagination into commercial ventures.