AI-ML hiring grows 25% in May, IT sector records 5% decline: Report

While hiring in the Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) sector posted 25 per cent year-on-year growth in May 2025, the broader Information Technology sector saw a decline in job opportunities.

According to the Naukri JobSpeak May 2025 report, overall hiring in the IT sector fell by 5 per cent compared to the corresponding period in the previous year.

"In an otherwise stable job market, what stood out in May was the continued momentum in AI/ML hiring across metros alongside steady demand for senior professionals, a trend that's held firm over the past year," Naukri Chief Business Officer Pawan Goyal said. 

 

In May 2025, while overall hiring remained stable, industries like real estate (5 per cent growth) and insurance (6 per cent growth) emerged as relatively bright spots, according to the report.

Hiring in Retails, Telecom/ISP, and Banking, Finance & Broking declined 8-9 per cent.

However, unicorns in Banking and Financial Services ramped up hiring by 29 per cent.

Hyderabad and Kochi witnessed hiring growth of 7 per cent and 8 per cent, respectively, with much of this growth attributed to senior-level hiring (professionals with over 16 years of experience). Pune also experienced a 4 per cent overall hiring increase, driven in large part by a sharp 26 per cent rise in hiring by startups.

Based on job listings and hiring activity on the Naukri platform, an online job portal, the JobSpeak index calculates hiring trends by analyzing new job listings, job applications, and recruiter activity across various industries, cities, and experience levels.