By: Amit kumaR Agarwal
The artificial intelligence (AI) sector is poised to surpass 2.3 million job openings by 2027, according to a report by Bain & Company. The report showed that reskilling and upskilling existing talent is key to meeting the growing demand in India. It showed that the AI talent pool in India is expected to grow to around 1.2 million, presenting an opportunity to reskill more than 1 million workers.
“India has a unique opportunity to position itself as a global AI talent hub. However, by 2027, the job openings in AI are expected to be 1.5-2x of the talent availability. The challenge — and opportunity — lies in reskilling and upskilling a significant portion of the existing talent base on emerging technology tools and skillsets,” said Saikat Banerjee, Partner and leader in Bain & Company’s AI, Insights, and Solutions practice in India.
Banerjee noted that while “AI talent shortage is a significant challenge, it is not invincible”.
“Addressing it requires a fundamental shift in how businesses attract, develop, and retain AI talent. Companies need to move beyond traditional hiring approaches, prioritize continuous upskilling, and foster an innovation-driven ecosystem,” he said.
Globally, AI-related job postings have surged by 21 per cent annually since 2019, with compensation growing 11 per cent annually over the same period. Yet the number of qualified candidates has not kept pace, creating a widening talent gap that is slowing AI adoption worldwide.