India witnessed nearly 3.5 lakh artificial intelligence (AI)-related job openings over the past 90 days, highlighting the rapid expansion of AI hiring across industries, according to a report released by Quess Corp.
The report estimates that India is home to approximately 9.2 lakh AI professionals, making it one of the world’s largest AI talent pools. Despite this, employers continue to face challenges in recruiting skilled professionals for specialised AI roles, as demand significantly exceeds the available talent.
According to the findings, only around 2.57 lakh professionals currently work in advanced AI disciplines, including large language models (LLMs), machine learning, natural language processing (NLP), and agentic AI. These high-demand specialisations account for nearly 70% of current AI hiring requirements, creating a significant talent shortage.
The report identifies some of the largest hiring gaps in emerging AI domains such as generative AI, prompt engineering, AI deployment engineering, and AI governance. Organisations are increasingly seeking professionals who can successfully implement AI technologies in production environments rather than limiting projects to experimental stages.
Demand for agentic AI developers has grown rapidly during the past year, alongside increased recruitment for AI software engineers and professionals with expertise in Model Context Protocol (MCP) systems. These roles are becoming increasingly important as businesses accelerate AI adoption and develop more autonomous AI applications.
Hiring trends also indicate a growing preference for experienced candidates. Nearly half of all AI job openings are targeted at professionals with three to five years of experience, reflecting employers’ focus on candidates capable of delivering AI solutions with minimal onboarding. Meanwhile, recruitment of entry-level talent across the broader technology sector has declined compared with the previous year.
The report notes that AI hiring is expanding beyond traditional technology departments. Around 1.2 lakh openings were reported in business functions such as sales, marketing, finance, and operations, where organisations are looking for professionals who can integrate AI into business processes, improve productivity, and support digital transformation initiatives.
While automation continues to reshape workplace responsibilities, the report suggests that AI is creating new opportunities alongside changing existing roles. Businesses are increasingly investing in professionals who combine technical AI expertise with industry-specific knowledge to support long-term innovation and operational efficiency.
With AI adoption accelerating across sectors, the demand for specialised talent is expected to remain strong, making workforce development and upskilling critical priorities for employers in the coming years.
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