India has witnessed an 11 per cent surge in demand for artificial intelligence (AI) professionals over the past six months, fueled by an increasing need for talent across sectors such as IT, retail, telecom, banking, financial services, insurance (BFSI), and advertising/market research, according to a recent study. This highlights the growing need for AI expertise in the country.
The IT sector is at the forefront of AI job creation, accounting for 29 per cent of positions, with the advertising, market research, and PR sectors contributing 17 per cent, and retail contributing 11 per cent.
Sekhar Garisa, CEO of foundit, remarked, “Emerging technology like ChatGPT has revolutionized the tech landscape. While concerns about job losses due to AI persist, the technology is expected to generate new roles and expand employment opportunities.”
However, the increasing demand for AI-related positions is not without its challenges. A scarcity of talent in the market has resulted in a hiring bottleneck, as professionals with specialized skills are in short supply.
Garisa explained, “Despite the influx of new talent, companies are struggling to find candidates with the right skill set for their needs.”
The top 10 sought-after roles and skills include software engineers, data engineers, data scientists, Python developers, marketing analytics consultants, AWS data architects, machine learning engineers, AI product managers, BI developers, and content curators/proofreaders.
Contrary to popular belief, AI and automation are currently functioning as catalysts rather than threats to professionals in the industry. To stay relevant in this rapidly evolving job market, Garisa emphasized the importance of continuous learning.
“Every role becomes outdated over time without new learnings. As such, upskilling is a long-term investment for career growth,” Garisa advised.
As India’s AI job market continues to flourish, it is crucial for professionals to adapt and acquire the necessary skills to remain competitive and succeed in this dynamic landscape.
