AI is Coming for Middle Managers First: Anupam Mittal’s Stark Warning for India’s Workforce

Anupam Mittal’s AI warning: Tech entrepreneur predicts middle manager's risk; urges upskilling in India

AI is Coming for Middle Managers First: Anupam Mittal’s Stark Warning for India’s Workforce

In a world buzzing with AI hype, everyone’s worried about robots taking over factory floors or chatbots writing their emails. But tech entrepreneur and Shark Tank India judge Anupam Mittal has dropped a truth bomb that’s making corporate India sit up straight: AI is not coming for the coders first. It’s coming for the middle managers.

Mittal’s recent, blunt commentary on LinkedIn has sparked a fierce debate. He argues that the traditional “knowledge premium”—the value seniority and information-hoarding once commanded—is evaporating faster than ever, thanks to intelligent AI agents. This isn’t just a prediction; it’s a trend already visible in the strategies of global tech giants.

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Mittal’s Middle Manager Meltdown

Anupam Mittal didn’t mince words. In his now-viral post, he stated, “Managers will hate me for saying this… AI is not coming for coders first. It is coming for middle managers.” His core argument is that in the past, a manager’s power often stemmed from their control over information flow—being the conduit between the top brass and the ground troops .

Today, AI agents can analyze market data, generate reports, manage project timelines, and even draft strategic recommendations. This automation directly undermines the primary function of many middle-management roles. Mittal points to startups achieving sales of 300-1000 crore with teams of just 50 people, a feat made possible by AI handling the heavy operational and analytical lifting .

The Death of the “Knowledge Premium”

What exactly is this “knowledge premium”? In business, it refers to the added value an employee brings simply by possessing specialized, hard-to-access information or institutional knowledge . For decades, middle managers were the gatekeepers of this premium. Their experience and network gave them an edge.

However, AI democratizes access to this knowledge. A junior analyst with the right AI tools can now access insights that previously took a VP of Operations years to compile. As Mittal puts it, this premium is “rapidly evaporating” . The value is shifting from merely knowing to doing and creating. The new premium is on execution, innovation, and uniquely human skills like empathy and complex problem-solving.

Big Tech’s Blueprint: Flattening the Hierarchy

Mittal’s warning isn’t happening in a vacuum. It’s a direct reflection of a major structural shift already underway in Silicon Valley. Companies like Google and Amazon are actively flattening their organizational hierarchies, and AI is a key driver .

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has been explicit about restructuring to reduce layers of middle management, giving employees more direct responsibility—a move some analysts believe is also a perfect fit for a Gen Z workforce that often seeks to avoid traditional managerial burnout [[12], [16]]. Between 2023 and 2024, layoffs at Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon disproportionately impacted mid-level executives, signaling a clear strategic pivot away from bloated management structures .

One report even suggests that by 2026, 20% of organizations will use AI to flatten their structure, eliminating more than half of current middle management positions . This “Great AI Flattening” is not just about cost-cutting; it’s about agility and speed in a hyper-competitive market.

Why India Needs to Upskill Now

For India, a nation with a massive and growing white-collar workforce, this is a critical wake-up call. Our education system and corporate culture have long celebrated the path to a managerial title as the ultimate career goal. But if that role is being automated, what’s next?

Mittal’s core message is one of urgent action: upskilling. Professionals can no longer rely on their job title or years of service. They must develop skills that AI cannot easily replicate:

  • Critical Thinking & Strategic Foresight: Moving beyond data analysis to asking the right questions and envisioning future scenarios.
  • Emotional Intelligence (EQ): Leading teams, managing conflict, and building trust—areas where AI remains fundamentally limited.
  • Cross-Functional Collaboration: The ability to work seamlessly across different departments and disciplines, a necessity in a flatter organization.
  • AI Literacy: Not just using AI tools, but understanding their capabilities and limitations to leverage them effectively for decision-making.

This is a chance for India to leapfrog old models and build a workforce that is not just large, but truly future-ready.

Future-Proofing Your Career in the AI Era

So, if you’re in a middle-management role, should you panic? Not necessarily. But you should act. Here’s your survival guide:

  1. Shift from Controller to Coach: Stop being the information bottleneck. Become a mentor who empowers your team to use AI tools and make decisions.
  2. Embrace Lifelong Learning: Dedicate time every week to learning new skills, whether it’s through online courses or hands-on projects. Explore resources on [INTERNAL_LINK:future_of_work] and [INTERNAL_LINK:ai_literacy].
  3. Focus on Outcomes, Not Processes: Your value will be measured by the results you drive, not the meetings you chair. Use AI to automate the process and focus your energy on the outcome.
  4. Build Your Personal Brand: Showcase your unique human skills—your creativity, your leadership, your vision—on professional platforms.

The future belongs to those who can work with AI, not against it or under its shadow.

Conclusion

Anupam Mittal’s warning about middle managers AI is not a dystopian fantasy; it’s a clear-eyed view of a technological and economic shift already in motion. The era of the information-hoarding manager is ending, replaced by a new paradigm that values agility, humanity, and direct contribution. For India’s ambitious professionals, this isn’t just a threat—it’s a massive opportunity to redefine their value and lead in the next era of business. The time to upskill, adapt, and evolve is now.

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