AI-skilled job postings more than double in Q1 FY27 as demand spreads beyond tech roles: Report

Bengaluru: Job postings seeking artificial intelligence skills more than doubled in India during the first quarter of Financial Year (FY)27, with demand increasingly spreading beyond specialist technology positions into roles such as digital marketing, graphic design, business development and teaching.

Postings asking for AI skills grew 112.4 per cent year-on-year during the quarter, indicating that employers are increasingly looking for AI capabilities within existing jobs rather than only hiring for dedicated AI positions, according to a report.

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The trend was visible across roles including video editing, graphic design, digital marketing, business development and teaching, suggesting that AI skills are becoming part of mainstream workplace requirements.

The findings were part of Apna's Bharat@79 report, released on Thursday, which analysed changes in employer demand, candidate participation, wages and the nature of work across India's employment markets.

Hiring growth was also increasingly shifting beyond India's traditional employment hubs. Job postings in Tier-3 markets rose 30.6 per cent year-on-year in Q1 FY27, substantially faster than the 16.1 per cent growth recorded in Tier-2 markets and 7.3 per cent in Tier-1 cities.

Among emerging cities, Guwahati recorded a 48.4 per cent rise in job postings, followed by Varanasi at 41.7 per cent and Dehradun at 28.5 per cent. Tier-1 markets, however, continued to account for the bulk of overall hiring demand.

Quick commerce emerged as another major area of hiring activity, with job postings in the sector rising 60.3 per cent year-on-year. Supply chain, manufacturing and operations were also among the areas witnessing strong demand, reflecting increased hiring in the physical and operational economy.

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Younger workers accounted for a large share of job-seeking activity during the quarter. Gen Z candidates made up 72.9 per cent of applications in Q1 FY27, while their engagement in Tier-2 markets stood at 59.4 per cent, compared with 56 per cent in Tier-1 markets.

Commenting on the findings, Kartik Narayan, CEO of Apna's Bharat@79, said, "India's employment story can no longer be understood through a handful of large cities. Opportunity is spreading into emerging markets, while AI is changing the skills required within everyday jobs."

"The next phase of India's workforce growth will depend not just on where jobs are created, but on how effectively emerging talent markets can connect to them," he added.