Paytm to Go ‘AI-First’, Says Founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma

Highlights

Vijay Shekhar Sharma says AI will replace routine roles but create new tech jobs, as Paytm shifts to an AI-first model.

Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma has expressed confidence that artificial intelligence (AI) will transform not just businesses, but the very nature of work itself. Speaking at Shiprocket’s Shivir: AI Commerce Edition, Sharma emphasized that AI is set to become deeply integrated into daily operations, even taking on leadership roles like Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

"We must learn to use AI not just as a tool, but as a co-worker, or even an executive," Sharma said, according to a report by the Economic Times. He believes that while AI will automate many routine human tasks, it will also unlock new career paths in emerging technology fields.

Sharma also revealed that Paytm is undergoing a strategic transformation to become an "AI-first" organization, embedding machine intelligence across its core operations. As part of this effort, the company is currently piloting an innovative AI-powered passbook that turns monthly spending data into personalized rap tracks — a unique blend of financial insight and creativity. Though there’s no confirmed launch date yet, Sharma noted that the feature is in development and will be available to users soon.

Despite the growing role of AI, Sharma clarified that recent workforce reductions at Paytm were driven largely by external regulatory factors. During the March 2024 quarter, Paytm’s sales team shrank by around 3,500 employees — a consequence of restrictions imposed by the Reserve Bank of India on Paytm Payments Bank. This brought the company’s total headcount down to 36,521.

In its continued push into AI, Paytm had earlier partnered with Perplexity, an AI-driven search engine startup, to integrate conversational search capabilities within its app. These moves mark a larger strategy to enrich user experience with intelligent technologies.

Across the tech sector, 2025 has already seen over 100,000 job cuts worldwide. Companies like Meta, Google, and Intel are reducing their workforce as they restructure around AI-led operations and grapple with economic challenges such as inflation, rising interest rates, and tighter corporate budgets.

Yet, this isn’t simply about cost-cutting. Businesses are fundamentally reorganizing their teams — phasing out traditional roles while hiring specialists in AI, machine learning, and data science. AI is now central to business innovation, redefining how companies operate and scale in an evolving digital ecosystem.

As Sharma puts it, embracing AI is no longer optional — it’s the next step for companies looking to stay competitive and forward-thinking.