ELI - 543 | AI Won't Replace You - It Will Upgrade You | Akash Karnik (1Point1 Solutions)

In this episode, Priya Ranjan Mohanty speaks with Akashanand (Akash) Karnik, Global COO & Whole Time Director of 1Point1 Solutions Limited - a BSE-listed, AI-powered Business Process Management (BPM) company operating across 9 delivery centers on 5 continents.Akash shares how India's BPM industry, once built entirely on labor arbitrage, is being transformed by AI. But his take is refreshingly human: 'It is not about human elimination - it's about upgrading the human to solve problems faster.' He walks us through 1Point1's growth via 3 strategic acquisitions in 3 years, how their AI platform handles multilingual CX across continents, the real impact of AI on jobs (reskilling vs. replacement), and why the company chose to go public on BSE. A candid conversation about the intersection of AI, people, and global business process delivery.Chapters:00:00 - Introduction & BSE Listing Congratulations00:45 - What Does 1Point1 Solutions Do?03:50 - Growth Strategy: M&A + Organic Sales04:55 - India's BPM Industry & the AI Disruption Question08:30 - Building an AI-First Tech Stack10:43 - AI for Multilingual Customer Support13:45 - AI's Real Impact: Cost Savings for Clients16:15 - Will AI Replace White-Collar Jobs?17:23 - 'It's Not About Elimination, It's About Upgrading'21:00 - Human-in-the-Loop: AI + People Working Together24:00 - AI in Customer Service: Real-World Examples27:27 - 'Upgrading the Human to Solve Problems Faster'29:05 - Closing Remarks---About ELI Podcast:ELI (Entrepreneur's Live Interviews) brings you inspiring stories from India's startup ecosystem. Real founders, real journeys, real insights.Website: https://eli-podcast.com