India is headed towards becoming an AI global hub for talent, however, its progress is threatened by a looming skills gap. Global consultancy firm Bain & Company warn that the country could face a shortfall of more than a million skilled AI professionals by 2027 unless urgent steps are taken to upskill the workforce.
The report highlights the need for India to reskill a significant portion of its existing talent base to keep up with the growing demand for AI expertise.
“India has a unique opportunity to position itself as a global AI talent hub. However, by 2027, the job openings in AI are expected to be 1.5–2x of the talent availability. The challenge — and opportunity — lies in reskilling and upskilling a significant portion of the existing talent base on emerging technology tools and skillsets,” said Saikat Banerjee, partner and leader of Bain & Company’s AI, insights, and solutions practice in India.
The Bain study shows that AI-related job postings have increased by 21% every year since 2019, while salaries for AI roles have grown at an annual rate of 11%. Despite this growth, the number of skilled professionals has not kept up with demand, creating a talent gap that is affecting AI adoption across industries.
Sarah Elk, Americas head of AI, Insights, and Solutions at Bain & Company, said, “AI is at the forefront of corporate transformation, but without the right talent, businesses will struggle to move from ambition to implementation. Executives see the growing AI talent gap as a major roadblock to innovation, limiting businesses’ ability to scale and compete in an AI-driven world. Companies navigating this increasingly competitive hiring landscape need to take action now, upskilling existing teams, expanding hiring strategies, and rethinking ways to attract and retain AI talent.”
Globally, other markets are also grappling with similar challenges. In the United States, AI job demand is expected to exceed 1.3 million by 2027, but supply may fall short by around 700,000 roles. Germany may see 70% of AI jobs remain unfilled by 2027, with only 62,000 AI professionals available for up to 219,000 jobs. The United Kingdom may face more than a 50% shortfall, and Australia may have over 60,000 roles unfilled by 2027.