TLDR: Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma has announced a significant strategic shift for the company, aiming to transform it into an ‘AI-first’ organization. This move involves deep integration of artificial intelligence into daily operations, exploring new AI-powered products like a rap-generating passbook, and a broader vision for AI’s role in the workforce and India’s tech landscape.
New Delhi, July 11, 2025 – Vijay Shekhar Sharma, the visionary founder of Paytm, has declared a pivotal strategic redirection for the digital payments giant, announcing its evolution into an ‘AI-first’ company. Speaking at Shiprocket’s Shivir: AI Commerce Edition in New Delhi today, Sharma articulated a future where artificial intelligence is not merely a tool but an integral part of the organization’s core fabric.
Sharma emphasized the inevitability of AI’s pervasive influence on the future of work, stating, ‘Sooner or later we will have to start using AI as an employee or even as a CFO.’ He further elaborated on this transformative view, remarking, ‘We must learn to use AI not just as a tool, but as a co-worker, or even an executive.’ This vision underscores a profound shift in how Paytm intends to leverage machine intelligence across its operations.
The Paytm founder acknowledged that AI is poised to automate many routine human functions, thereby allowing companies to sharpen their focus on core product development and innovation. However, he also offered a balanced perspective, asserting that while AI will replace certain jobs, it will simultaneously catalyze the creation of new roles within emerging technological domains.
In line with this ambitious AI-first mandate, Paytm is already piloting innovative applications. A notable initiative is an AI-powered passbook designed to convert users’ monthly expenditure patterns into personalized rap songs, a quirky yet engaging feature that will utilize Paytm’s vast data. This product is expected to be accessible to customers soon. Furthermore, Paytm has previously forged a partnership with AI startup Perplexity to integrate AI-powered search capabilities into its app, aiming to provide users with AI-driven intelligence for mobile payments and financial decision-making.
Addressing recent changes in the company’s workforce, Sharma clarified that a reduction of approximately 3,500 sales staff in the March 2024 quarter, bringing the total headcount to 36,521, was primarily a consequence of the Reserve Bank of India’s restrictions on Paytm Payments Bank, rather than solely AI-driven automation.
Also Read:
- Google Deepens AI Integration in Indian Advertising Market with New Tools and Generative Search Ads
- Indian IT Majors Embrace Startup Collaborations to Drive Generative AI Innovation
Beyond Paytm’s internal transformation, Sharma also shared his broader perspective on India’s position in the global AI landscape. He advocated for India to strategically position itself as the ‘AI use case capital,’ rather than solely focusing on building large foundational AI models like Large Language Models (LLMs). Citing the high entry costs and infrastructure limitations, Sharma believes India’s strength lies in developing highly relevant, use-case-driven AI models tailored to local needs and challenges.
