India’s hiring landscape is witnessing a major shift as companies increasingly look for artificial intelligence skills across sectors. A recent industry report revealed that nearly 14 percent of technology job postings in India in January 2026 mentioned AI-related skills, compared to less than 9 percent during the same period last year.
The report also showed that India ranked second only to Singapore among major global markets in the share of AI-linked job postings.
As businesses continue integrating AI into operations, companies are changing how they hire, train, and evaluate talent. Employers are now placing greater focus on practical AI capabilities, certifications, and hands-on expertise rather than relying only on traditional academic qualifications.
The study found that 86 percent of employers said AI had already impacted job roles and responsibilities, while 35 percent reported major transformations in work profiles. Among employees surveyed, 73 percent said AI had changed their roles, and 11 percent stated that their jobs had been completely transformed.
Demand for AI talent has grown across industries including banking, telecom, e-commerce, and technology. Companies are actively hiring for roles such as AI engineer, AI operations specialist, AI developer, AI/ML engineer, and infrastructure professionals.
Skills including generative AI, prompt engineering, MLOps, cloud integration, and AI infrastructure management were identified among the most sought-after capabilities.
The report further highlighted that around 40 percent of employers now prefer candidates with proven AI skills or certifications over formal degrees, while 32 percent said they value both equally.
Growing demand for AI expertise has also resulted in salary increases, including across small and medium enterprises, according to more than half of the employees surveyed.
Despite rising opportunities, companies continue to face talent shortages. Around 58 percent of employers cited a lack of qualified applicants as a major challenge, while 50 percent pointed to skill mismatches across both technical and human-centred capabilities.
At the same time, many employees are still adapting to the AI-driven workplace. Nearly 65 percent said they are either learning AI tools or do not yet feel fully confident using them. Most respondents also said they rely mainly on self-learning instead of formal training programmes.
The report noted that the rapid pace of AI adoption is also increasing anxiety among workers about possible job disruptions in the future.
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