India is moving towards becoming a global hub for AI talent, but a lack of skilled workers could slow its progress. A report by Bain & Company warns that the country may face a shortage of over a million AI professionals by 2027 if urgent steps are not taken to train more people. The report stresses the need to reskill a large part of the current workforce to meet the growing demand for AI experts. “India has a great chance to become a global leader in AI talent,” the report says.
By 2027, AI job openings in India are expected to be 1.5 to 2 times more than the available talent. Saikat Banerjee, partner at Bain & Company, highlighted both the challenge and opportunity in reskilling and upskilling the current workforce with new technology skills. The firm’s report predicts that AI-related job openings could exceed 2.3 million by 2027, while the talent pool may only grow to around 1.2 million. This means a shortage of over a million skilled workers, making large-scale training efforts essential.
Since 2019, AI-related job postings in India have increased by 21% each year, while salaries for these roles have grown by 11% annually. Despite high demand and good pay, the number of skilled AI professionals has not grown fast enough. This gap could slow down AI adoption across industries, according to media report. Business leaders worldwide see the lack of in-house AI expertise as a major challenge in using generative AI technologies.
The shortage of AI talent is expected to continue until at least 2027, affecting markets worldwide at different levels. To close this gap, experts suggest that companies need to change their hiring strategies and focus on continuous upskilling. “The AI talent shortage is a big challenge, but it can be overcome. Businesses must rethink how they attract, train, and retain AI talent,” said Banerjee.
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