1 in 5 AI learners now come from Tier-II cities as talent pool widens

India AI Workforce Report 2026 finds AI learning spreading beyond metros, engineering backgrounds and traditional tech roles

India's artificial intelligence (AI) talent pipeline is expanding beyond the country's traditional technology hubs, with nearly one in five AI learners now coming from Tier-II cities such as Lucknow, Jaipur, Patna, Indore, Coimbatore and Nagpur, according to Scaler's India AI Workforce Report 2026.

 

The findings, based on data from 11,444 professionals, suggest that AI upskilling is becoming more geographically diverse as demand for AI skills spreads beyond Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Mumbai and Chennai, which continue to dominate the talent landscape.

 

The report also said that AI learning is no longer confined to engineering and technology professionals. Nearly 25 per cent of learners now come from non-technical backgrounds, reflecting the growing use of AI across functions such as consulting, marketing, human resources, finance and operations.

 

 

That shift is increasingly translating into career outcomes. Nearly half of AI-enabled roles are now outside traditional engineering tracks, signalling that AI skills are becoming relevant across a wider set of business functions rather than remaining restricted to software development and data roles.

 

Women report a 145 per cent salary jump

 

Women are among the biggest beneficiaries of this trend. According to the report, female professionals reported an average salary increase of 145 per cent after transitioning into AI-enabled careers. Women are also expanding AI adoption beyond engineering, with growing representation in HR, academia and marketing roles.

 

The strongest gains were recorded among women quality analysis engineers, who reported salary growth of 574 per cent after AI upskilling, substantially higher than their male counterparts.

 

Overall, AI upskilling delivered an average salary increase of 147 per cent across experience levels, with early-career professionals reporting the highest percentage gains.

 

The report states that AI is increasingly emerging as a workforce-wide capability rather than a specialised technical skill, creating new pathways into leadership, consulting and other non-engineering roles.