India has 45,000 high-paying AI job openings: TeamLease

At a time when the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot ChatGPT is threatening to take up existing jobs, India has an estimated 45,000 AI-related jobs vacant, says a report by tech staffing firm TeamLease Digital. The payout from working in the AI sector could start anywhere between Rs 10 and 14 lakh per annum, while candidates with more experience ican rake up double that salary, the report added.

Covering industries ranging from healthcare to retail and manufacturing, these vacancies will aid in propping up the country’s growing AI market, which generated a revenue of $12.3 billion last year and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20 per cent to $7.8 billion by 2025. AI-generated revenue is expected to contribute $450-500 billion to India's GDP by 2025, possibly making up 10 per cent of the country’s $5 trillion target.

Companies have started upskilling their employees in anticipation of AI’s possibilities, but several gaps remain for aspirants. “This is partly due to the fact that AI is a relatively new field and the demand for skilled professionals is growing rapidly, but also due to the fact that the education and training needed to become proficient in AI can take time,” said TeamLease Digital CEO Sunil Chemmankotil.

He also noted that India could remain in a “catch up phase” for the next five years, while institutions and employers set up provisions for AI training. Out of the organisations surveyed in the report, 56 per cent had already undertaken initiatives to fill the AI demand-supply talent gap. The Indian government has also taken note and launched various initiatives to promote AI research and development in the country, including plans for three centres of excellence (COE) for AI at top educational institutions.

However, students may have to bridge some gaps themselves, as institutions gear up for the task, taking the help of EdTech platforms and short-term courses, Chemmankotil explained. “While India has a strong foundation in technical education and a growing focus on AI, there is still work to be done to ensure that the institutions are adequately equipped to provide the necessary training for AI jobs,” he said.