AI-related job roles are projected to grow by as much as 45% in FY26, significantly outpacing the broader slowdown in technology hiring, according to data from Quess IT Staffing. This surge is attributed to rising AI adoption across various industries, driven by increased client investments, a strong AI-first vision, and rapid deployment of technologies like generative AI and cloud computing.
AI Talent Surge Defies IT Hiring Slowdown, 2.3 Million Jobs Expected in India by 2027
Despite current growth rates of 15% annually, a talent shortage continues to challenge the sector. High-demand roles include machine learning engineers, generative AI developers, data scientists, NLP engineers, AI research scientists, and AI product managers, many of which have seen up to 50% year-on-year demand growth.
Overall, India is expected to host 2.3 million AI jobs by 2027. This growth comes even as broader IT hiring faces pressure, with a 20% sequential decline in demand reported between January and March 2025 due to global economic uncertainties. However, niche roles in AI are an exception, as IT service providers see them as strategic levers to enhance efficiency and manage costs in a challenging economic climate.
AI Hiring Booms with 1200% Growth as Demand for Specialized Roles and Salaries Soar
According to Krishna Vij of Teamlease Digital, AI roles grew by over 1200% year-on-year, with further acceleration expected in FY26. There is a noticeable rise in client-facing AI consulting, domain-integrated AI applications, and pre-sales architecture roles. Aditya Narayan Mishra of CIEL HR noted a 10% quarter-on-quarter rise in demand for AI and cloud talent in early 2025, as companies focus on boosting productivity. Specialized roles such as GenAI experts are seeing salary hikes of up to 50%, while lateral AI/ML engineers are receiving 20–30% increases. Despite a general slowdown, AI remains a bright spot in the tech job market.
Summary:
AI jobs in India are set to grow 45% in FY26, with 2.3 million roles expected by 2027. Despite a tech hiring slowdown, AI demand is surging, driven by GenAI, cloud adoption, and productivity needs. Specialized roles see 50% salary hikes amid rising demand and persistent talent shortages.
