In the bustling tea shops of Kathmandu and the buzzing IT hubs of Lalitpur, one topic keeps coming up: Will AI take my job?
It’s natural to worry, especially in a country like Nepal, where many livelihoods depend on manual labor, small businesses, and informal work. The rise of artificial intelligence has sparked fear that machines will replace human workers, leaving people without income or opportunities.
But what if we’re looking at this the wrong way?
Instead of seeing AI as a job destroyer, what if we saw it as a tool that could actually create new opportunities, boost productivity, and even help Nepal leap forward in the global economy?
Why the Fear Exists And Why It’s Misplaced
Let’s be honest: the fear isn’t unfounded.
In Nepal, over 70% of workers are in informal jobs, street vendors, small farmers, and daily wage laborers with little job security. When they hear about AI automating tasks in banking, manufacturing, or even customer service, it’s easy to panic. Will a robot take my place?
But here’s the thing: AI doesn’t replace entire jobs, it changes them.
Think of it like this: When calculators were invented, did they put mathematicians out of work? No. They just made complex calculations faster. Similarly, AI isn’t here to replace people; it’s here to assist them.
How AI Can Actually Help Nepal’s Workforce
Instead of fearing AI, what if we used it to solve some of Nepal’s biggest challenges?
Take farming, for example. Agriculture employs over 60% of Nepalis, yet many farmers struggle with unpredictable weather and crop failures. AI-powered tools can predict rainfall and droughts, helping farmers plan better. They can optimize irrigation, saving water and increasing yields. They can even detect plant diseases early, preventing losses. This isn’t about replacing farmers, it’s about giving them better tools to succeed.
Or consider education. In remote villages where schools lack teachers and resources, AI-driven apps can provide personalized learning for students, offer tutoring in local languages, and help teachers track student progress. This doesn’t eliminate teachers, it supports them.
Then there’s healthcare. With Nepal’s doctor shortage, AI can assist health workers by analyzing symptoms to detect diseases early, helping with diagnostics in areas with few specialists, and managing patient records more efficiently. Again, AI isn’t replacing doctors, it’s making their jobs easier and expanding access to care.
New Jobs, New Opportunities
AI isn’t just changing existing jobs, it’s creating entirely new ones.
Fields like data annotation, AI training, and machine learning are growing fast. In Kathmandu, some companies already employ young professionals to label images, transcribe audio, and train AI models for global clients. These jobs don’t require advanced degrees, just digital skills and attention to detail.
As Shailendra Raj Giri, President of AI Association Nepal AI, puts it:
"AI shouldn’t be seen as a job-taker, but as a tool to unlock human potential. For Nepal, this is a chance to build a workforce that competes globally."
Preparing for the Future
The real challenge? Making sure Nepal’s workforce is ready. That means upskilling workers, especially youth in digital literacy and AI basics. It means developing local-language AI training so knowledge isn’t limited to English speakers. And it means fostering government and private sector partnerships to invest in tech education.
Thankfully, groups like the AI Association Nepal are already working on this—hosting workshops, advocating for ethical AI, and helping Nepalis adapt.
The Choice Is Ours
AI isn’t going away. The question is: Will Nepal fall behind, or will we adapt and thrive?
Imagine a future where a farmer in Chitwan uses AI to predict the best planting season, a young graduate in Pokhara trains AI models for an international company, and a healthcare worker in Humla gets AI-assisted diagnostics to save lives. This isn’t science fiction, it's the possible reality.
The key? Not fearing AI, but preparing for it.
If we embrace this shift, Nepal’s workforce won’t just survive, it will grow stronger, more skilled, and more connected to the world.
So, let’s not ask, “Will AI take our jobs?” Instead, let’s ask:
“How can we use AI to build a better future for Nepal?”
The answer starts with us.
