Around 45,000 AI job openings in India; data scientists, ML engineers most sought after

There are 45,000 artificial intelligence job openings in India, with data scientists and ML engineers among the most sought after careers, as per a report released by TeamLease Digital.

The tech staffing firm's findings are part of a report on ‘Initiative for Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) - Forces Shaping Future of Technology’ with a specific focus on Artificial Intelligence.

This report has conducted an analysis of AI’s potential in some of the selected industries and examined the key job roles and AI uses in these industries demonstrating the increased demand for AI career aspirants and professionals specialised in AI.


It has also estimated the open job roles and salary packages for freshers and experienced professionals across occupations and industries.

The report finds a wide variety of key job roles in the AI landscape across major industries, including healthcare: clinical data analyst, medical imaging specialist, health informatics analyst, among others.

In education (edtech product manager, AI learning architect, AI curriculum developer, chatbot developer), banking, financial services, insurance (fraud analyst, credit risk analyst, compliance specialist), manufacturing (industrial data scientist, QC analyst, process automation specialist, robotics engineer) and retail (retail data analyst, IT process modeler, digital imaging leader) too there are quite a few roles.

It is also highlighted that increased focus on scalable machine learning applications is leading to an increase in demand for AI professionals proficient in scripting languages, and building conventional ML models will be the foremost skill required for a career in AI.

According to TeamLease Digital’s research, freshers who become data engineers can earn up to Rs. 14 lakh per annum, ML engineers up to Rs 10 lakh, data scientists up to Rs 14 lakh, devops engineers up to Rs 12 lakh, data architects up to Rs 12 lakh, BI analysts up to Rs 14 lakh, and database admins up to Rs 12 lakh.

Additionally, candidates with eight years of experience in similar fields can earn even higher salaries ranging from Rs 25 lakh to 45 lakh per annum.

Sunil Chemmankotil, Chief Executive Officer, TeamLease Digital, said, “The AI revolution is transforming the job market, creating an urgent need for skilled professionals who can design, develop, and implement cutting-edge AI technologies."

According to a survey conducted by TeamLease Digital, 37% of organisations prefer to provide their employees with relevant tools to build an AI-ready workforce, and 30% of organisations stated AI learning initiatives are mandatory to unlock hidden talents in the workforce.

"Developing AI skills can lead to higher-paying job opportunities and help individuals stay relevant and adaptable in an ever-changing job landscape. It's never too late to start upskilling, and investing in AI skills can provide long term benefits for individuals and their careers,” said Siva Prasad Nanduri, Chief Business Officer, TeamLease Digital.

One of the major initiatives taken by the government in skilling is the creation of Centres of Excellence for AI. Such steps aim to provide a boost for interdisciplinary research, development of cutting-edge applications and scalable problem solutions in numerous segments.

The Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana also aspires to provide on-the-job training in AI and other emerging technologies.