Indians’ demand for AI-related roles rises, over 150% surge in job posts: Study

The advent of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has opened paths to a number of employment opportunities in the market and if the study by job search portal Indeed is to be considered, it has seen over 158% surge has been recorded on the platform in job postings in India. The study found that there has been over 89% increase in searches for jobs in generative AI and large language models in March 2023 as compared with the same month in 2018.

The data comes amid speculations regarding the probability of jobs getting automated with the sudden arrival of AI. Goldman Sachs research suggest 26% of work tasks in different fields have the potential to get automated. Similarly, the Harvard Business Review said the generative AI has advanced capabilities in the creative and marketing industry. However, the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Future of Jobs report said AI will give rise to prominent roles such as machine learning specialists, scientists, data analysts and digital transformational specialists.

“India has emerged as a significant player in the global AI landscape, with a growing pool of talented AI professionals. While it’s challenging to determine if India has the largest talent pool for AI, there is no denying that the country has made remarkable progress in this field. One of the significant drivers of this growth is the strong emphasis on STEM education in India, which has helped create a steady pipeline of skilled talent in the tech industry. Furthermore, India has a vast population, which provides a massive talent pool to draw from,” Sashi Kumar, head of sales, Indeed India, said.

Indeed’s data reflects the surge in demand for generative AI-related roles in India and how skilled professionals are drawn towards working in this field. However with the emergence of technology and AI, certain challenges including skilled talent, upskilling of existing workforce need to be addressed.

The study also found similar trend in job searches in countries including Singapore with 94.7% surge in AI job postings in last five years, 30% rise in job postings for software developer in the United States.

“As the demand for AI talent continues to rise, there is an opportunity for India to leverage its vast talent pool and create a robust ecosystem for AI innovation and development,” Kumar added.