India’s AI workforce has 416,000 professionals but faces a 51% demand-supply gap. Prompt Engineers and GenAI Researchers are growing in demand, now accounting for 10% of job postings, while Data Engineering requires knowledge of orchestration tools, with 18% to 22% of roles specifying these skills. Urgent action is needed to build future-ready capabilities.
India finds itself at a critical juncture in the realm of artificial intelligence. While the country boasts a robust talent pool of 416,000 AI professionals, a staggering 51 percent demand-supply gap looms over the industry. This stark reality underscores the urgent need to cultivate future-ready capabilities—skills that match the rapid evolution of AI technologies.
Looking ahead to a future where AI continues to shape industries, several job roles are becoming increasingly vital. Between now and March 2025, roles like Prompt Engineers and GenAI Researchers have surged remarkably. They now represent over 10 percent of all new AI job postings—a notable rise from just under 2 percent back in 2023. The demand for these positions reflects a growing focus on understanding and harnessing generative AI.
On another front, Data Engineering is solidifying its status as the backbone of the GenAI ecosystem. A significant 18 to 22 percent of job descriptions for data engineers now explicitly mention orchestration tools like Airflow and Dagster. This trend indicates a pivot in the skill sets required, moving towards not just managing data but orchestrating it for effective AI deployment.
In summary, while India has a sizable AI talent pool, the substantial demand-supply gap suggests immediate action is needed to prepare the workforce for future challenges. Roles like Prompt Engineers and GenAI Researchers are rapidly emerging as key players, while Data Engineering is becoming more complex, necessitating knowledge of new orchestration tools. This evolving landscape calls for attention from education to employment sectors.
Original Source: www.business-standard.com
