Barriers for Women in AI: 65% of Female Engineers Cite Time Constraints for Upskilling

A joint study released on February 26, 2026, by Scaler and CyberMedia Research (CMR) has revealed a staggering “AI confidence–capability gap” within India’s tech workforce.

While 89% of software engineers claim they are ready for the AI revolution, a mere 19% possess the skills to actually build AI and Machine Learning systems.

This data suggests that while Indian engineers are comfortable using AI tools, they lack the deep, execution-led expertise required to architect the underlying systems.

Structural Barriers to AI Upskilling

The report highlights that this gap is not caused by a lack of interest but by systemic hurdles.

Nearly 55% of engineers cited high work demands as the primary reason they lack time to upskill, while 49% pointed toward high financial costs as a barrier to quality training.

Abhimanyu Saxena, Co-founder of Scaler, noted that this disparity threatens India’s tech leadership.

He emphasized that the market no longer rewards surface-level familiarity but demands “vital builders” who can drive practical innovation.

The Recruitment Crisis

The disconnect is creating friction in the job market. 86% of recruiters reported immense difficulty in finding genuinely AI-ready talent.

Consequently, companies are shifting away from self-reported skills on resumes, moving instead toward rigorous technical validation, including real-world projects and advanced problem-solving tests.

A Growing Equity Risk for Women Entering AI Space

The study also brought a concerning gender disparity to light. Women in engineering face much steeper barriers to entry in the AI space:

• 65% report that work-life balance pressures severely limit their learning time.
• 56% cited a lack of AI mentors or role models as a primary obstacle. These factors risk widening existing gender gaps as AI becomes the industry standard.

The Path Forward

Prabhu Ram, VP at CMR, described the situation as a “paradox of signal versus substance.”

To translate India’s massive engineering scale into actual capability, the study calls for a strategic reset.

The findings advocate for project-based, structured learning and deeper collaboration between the government and the private sector to build a more inclusive, future-ready workforce.

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