Blurb
AI hiring in India jumps 59.5%, led by LinkedIn report, as demand spreads beyond metros, boosting opportunities in emerging cities and applied AI skills.
New Delhi
AI engineering hiring in India has surged 59.5% year-on-year, outpacing major global economies such as the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Germany, according to a new report by LinkedIn.
The report highlights that while traditional tech hubs like Bengaluru and Hyderabad continue to lead in AI hiring, demand is increasingly spreading to emerging cities such as Vijayawada. Hyderabad recorded a 51% rise in AI engineering roles, while Vijayawada saw a strong 45.5 % increase, reflecting a broader geographic shift.
This growth is being driven by rapid adoption of artificial intelligence across organisations of all sizes. Large enterprises still account for the highest share of AI hiring, backed by investments in infrastructure, governance, and large-scale deployment. However, small and medium-sized businesses are quickly catching up, playing a key role in moving AI from experimentation to practical implementation.
Among the fastest-growing skills in demand are AI Agents, AI Productivity tools, and platforms like Azure AI Studio, signalling a shift toward applied, execution-focused capabilities. In sectors such as manufacturing, skills like AI prompting and agent-based systems are becoming increasingly important to enhance employability.
The supply of AI talent is also expanding alongside demand. In manufacturing alone, AI engineering talent has grown fourfold, reaching about 2% of the workforce by 2025, indicating deeper integration of AI into core industrial operations.
Malai Lakshmanan, Head of Engineering at LinkedIn India, noted that engineers should prioritise practical, hands-on AI skills and focus on integrating AI into everyday workflows. As adoption accelerates across industries, professionals who can translate AI from concept to execution are likely to benefit the most from the growing opportunities.
