Real-Life Black Mirror: The Era Of Salaried Employment Is Over, Warns Saurabh Mukherjea

Since Black Mirror hit screens in 2011, it's made one thing clear: the near-future is unsettling. The show's tales on impact of artificial intelligence, automation and digital overload feel less like sci-fi and more like spoiler alerts. Now, market expert Saurabh Mukherjea is giving India's middle class a similar jolt: the stable, salaried life? It's on its way out, thanks to AI.

The dream of a steady paycheck, long considered the cornerstone of India's middle-class aspiration, may be nearing its end, according to the founder of Marcellus Investment Managers.

Speaking on the podcast Beyond the Paycheck: India's Entrepreneurial Rebirth, Mukherjea laid out a bleak forecast for salaried employment in India, arguing that the very structure that built the country's middle class is fast becoming obsolete.

"I think the defining flavour of this decade will be effectively the death of salaried employment, the gradual demise of salary employment as a worthwhile avenue for educated, determined, hardworking people," he said.

The warning is stark: white-collar jobs that once offered security, upward mobility, and social status are increasingly vulnerable in a rapidly digitising world. Mukherjea points to the rise of automation and artificial intelligence as the key disruptors.

"Much of what was supposed to be done by white-collar workers is now done by AI. Google says a third of its coding is already done by AI. The same is coming for Indian IT, media, and finance," he said.

The decline isn't just limited to new hires or entry-level roles. Mid-level career paths, traditionally considered safe and stable, are also feeling the heat. As organisations embrace AI-driven efficiency, the roles of middle managers are being hollowed out.

"The old model where our parents worked 30 years for one organisation is dying. The job construct that built India’s middle class is no longer sustainable," Mukherjea said.

Yet, amid the churn, Mukherjea sees opportunity—particularly in the form of entrepreneurship. India's digital infrastructure, shaped in part by the JAM Trinity—Jandhan (Yojana), Aadhaar, and Mobile—has created a launchpad for aspiring business builders from all socioeconomic backgrounds.

"If applied with the same intellect and grit we brought to corporate careers, entrepreneurship can be the new engine of prosperity," he said.

But to make the shift from employment to enterprise, Mukherjea believes a deeper cultural transformation is required—one that redefines what success means in Indian society.

"We're a money-obsessed society. We define success by paychecks. That has to change," he said. "We should be solving for happiness and impact—not just monthly income."

"Families like yours and mine must stop preparing kids to be job-seekers. The jobs won't be there," he said.

The era of the salaryman, as Mukherjea calls it, is drawing to a close. What comes next could be chaotic, but also transformative, if the country can reorient itself toward building rather than waiting to be hired.