Demand for Indian AI talent to double by 2027 but quality a hurdle: Report

It proposes industry-academia-government collaboration to improve skilling around AI

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The demand for Indian Artificial Intelligence (AI) talent is likely to jump to 12,50,000 in 2027 from 600,000-650,000, but there is a need to improve the quality of these professionals to meet the demand, a report released on Tuesday said.

It added that there is a "pressing need to cultivate a highly skilled AI workforce to propel the country's digital economy."

According to the "Advancing India's AI Skills: Interventions and Programmes Needed" report released by Deloitte India and Nasscom, two out of three Indians plan to learn at least one digital skill. AI and Machine Learning were the top such skills.

The report stated, "Despite growing AI adoption across industries, the shortage of qualified professionals could slow innovation and growth."

It added that by 2027, the AI market is expected to grow at 25-35 per cent, "potentially signalling a demand-supply gap in the talent pool and a need for upskilling existing talent."

"By reskilling the existing workforce and fostering new talent through robust government-academia-industry collaboration, we can ensure a steady pipeline of professionals ready to lead AI-driven innovation," said Sathish Gopalaiah, President, Tech & Transformation, Deloitte South Asia.

The report suggested that there should be collaboration between industry and academia, and they must develop a skill pipeline. Under this, they must integrate foundational AI coursework into academic programmes and establish training programmes relevant to the industry.

It added that industry stakeholders must develop and implement comprehensive skilling pathways that address both foundational and advanced AI skills, including a mix of theoretical knowledge and practical applications through courses, workshops, hackathons, and internships.

"By fostering collaboration between industry, academia, and government, India’s tech sector can not only meet the rising demand for AI expertise but also lead the global AI revolution," said Sangeeta Gupta, Senior VP & Chief Strategy Officer, Nasscom.