India’s IT sector is set to witness a significant surge in AI-related hiring, with projections indicating a 35-45% increase in AI roles in FY26.
This growth comes as artificial intelligence adoption accelerates across industries, driving demand for machine learning engineers, generative AI developers, data scientists, and AI product managers.
Despite a broader slowdown in tech hiring, AI roles continue to expand, fueled by client investments in AI-first strategies, automation, and cloud technologies.
Industry experts predict that India will have 2.3 million AI jobs by 2027, highlighting the sector’s rapid transformation.
AI Hiring Trends and Talent Shortages in IT Sector
The annual growth rate of AI-related roles has been 15%, and industry demand will accelerate further in FY26.
However, experts caution that talent shortages persist, with companies struggling to find qualified professionals for niche AI positions.
Key roles experiencing high demand include:
- Machine Learning Engineers
- Generative AI Developers
- Natural Language Processing (NLP) Engineers
- AI Research Scientists
- AI Product Managers
Many of these roles have seen up to 50% year-on-year growth, reflecting the industry’s AI-first vision and increased client investment.
Salary Trends and Compensation Hikes
The demand for AI professionals has led to significant salary hikes, particularly for niche roles.
- Generative AI specialists are seeing up to 50% salary increases.
- Lateral AI/ML engineering hires are receiving 20-30% pay hikes.
- AI solution architects are commanding salaries between ₹35-60 lakh per annum, making them among the highest-paid AI professionals.
IT Services vs. Global Capability Centers (GCCs)
While IT services firms are selectively hiring for AI roles, Global Capability Centers (GCCs) will likely outpace them in AI hiring.
- GCCs are projected to add nearly 180,000 AI professionals in FY26.
- GCCs are offering 20-25% higher salaries for AI roles compared to IT services firms.
IT Sector Industry Perspectives on AI Hiring
Experts believe that AI hiring will be driven by:
- AI-led automation and cost optimization programs.
- AI-first delivery models, integrating AI into core business functions.
- Client-facing AI consulting and domain-integrated AI roles.
Despite the broader slowdown in tech hiring, AI remains a priority investment area, with companies aligning their talent strategies to meet growing AI demand.
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