Voice AI is changing call centres even as hiring grows in India. While the industry employs over a million people, bots now handle many basic customer calls. This shift forces freshers to seek new skills, as complex tasks replace the simple roles that once helped many workers start their careers.

Voice AI is driving call centres even as hiring grows, but the shift towards complex tasks leaves freshers scrambling for a new career ladder.

For decades, a headset and basic English skills offered aspirational workers from tier-2 and tier-3 cities a foothold in the services economy, joining endless rows of agents answering calls at the offices of multinationals. Now, those conversations may not always need a human. India's $5 billion call centre industry, which employs an estimated 1.1-1.3 million people in pure voice processes, is adopting artificial intelligence to answer customer