‘AI has made domain expertise crucial’

AI has democratised learning. Now, instead of memorising content, students can focus on understanding concepts and applying their knowledge to real-world problems. That’s what Sangita Singh, general manager of IT and ITES at Microsoft India, says.
Sangita says today’s students have the unique advantage of growing up with natural language interfaces like ChatGPT and can quickly adopt new technologies without having to unlearn outdated practices.
While it’s crucial to understand programming languages, Sangita stresses that technical skills alone aren’t enough in the modern workforce. “What really matters,” she explains, “is domain expertise.” Students need to develop a deep understanding of the industries they wish to work in, whether that’s healthcare, supply chain management, or finance. AI can assist in automating routine tasks, but professionals must be able to interpret and apply data-driven insights to specific contexts.

At Microsoft, Sangita and her team are leveraging AI to drive transformative projects across sectors. In healthcare, AI applications like cataract diagnosis bots are revolutionising patient care. In finance, AI is streamlining processes like cash collection and outstanding payments. Sangita encourages students to think about how they could contrib ute to these types of innovations by combining their technical skills with industryspecific knowledge.
Free online resources
Sangita highlights several resources available to students interested in AI and tech. She recommends Microsoft’s Azure platform, which offers $100 of free credits for learning and experimenting, and LinkedIn Learning, where students can take courses and earn certifications. She also mentions the GitHub Student Pack, a resource that provides students with tools to learn coding more effectively.