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Adaptability Is Antidote to AI Fear, ETS CEO Says
Many young people, called Gen Z, are worried that artificial intelligence, or AI, might take their jobs.
A company called ETS made a big report about what workers think.
It found that 63% of young workers are afraid they might not be needed anymore.
This fear even has a name: FOBO, which means 'fear of becoming obsolete.'
The report looked closely at workers in India, where nearly 65% of people are younger than 35.
Workers in India are seeing more changes at work than workers in most other countries.
But many are also working hard to learn new skills so they can keep their jobs.
Some jobs that are simple and repeatable are more at risk from AI, while jobs that need human judgment are safer.
The head of ETS says being adaptable is the best way to stop being scared of AI.
He says companies and workers should share the job of learning new skills together.
The ETS Human Progress Report 2026 finds 63% of Gen Z workers fear becoming obsolete (FOBO) due to rapid technological change.
Indian workers report some of the highest workplace disruption globally, with 86% facing significant changes versus a 67% global average.
Despite disruption, 89% of Indian workers are actively developing new skills, and only 30% feel unprepared for future jobs compared with 49% globally.
ETS Global CEO Amit Sevak says adaptability is 'the antidote to FOBO' and calls upskilling a shared responsibility of workers and employers.
Indian workers stay optimistic despite AI anxiety: 67% worry about obsolescence and 69% fear AI disruption, but 88% are thinking about future-proofing their careers.
- Who
- Amit Sevak, Global CEO of ETS, and Janet Garcia, President of ETS, along with Gen Z and Indian workers surveyed for the report.
- What
- The ETS Human Progress Report 2026 finds widespread AI-related anxiety among young workers, including fear of becoming obsolete (FOBO) and concerns about skill recognition.
- Where
- India is the focus, with comparisons to global averages.
- When
- Findings come from the ETS Human Progress Report 2026; a specific release date is not stated in the article.
- Why
- Rapid AI-driven technological change is creating uncertainty about job security, and ETS leaders say adaptability and upskilling are needed to protect India's demographic dividend.
Key facts
- Report
- ETS Human Progress Report 2026
- Gen Z workers fearing obsolescence
- 63%
- Indian workers facing workplace disruption
- 86% (global average: 67%)
- Indian workers developing new skills
- 89%
- Indian workers feeling unprepared for future jobs
- 30% (49% globally)
- Indian workers fearing AI job disruption
- 69%
- Workers worried about proving their skills
- 74%
- India's population under 35
- Nearly 65%
Quotes
Amit Sevak
Global CEO of ETS
“"Support systems through upskilling and reskilling programmes need to be accessible for workers."”
NDTV
“"Adaptability is, in many ways, the antidote to FOBO because it replaces fear with agency."”
NDTV
Janet Garcia
President of ETS
“"What this tells us is that workforce resilience isn't determined by the pace of change alone."”
NDTV
Sources
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