AI Hiring Surges as India’s IT Recruitment Slows

Hiring for artificial intelligence (AI) roles in India’s IT sector continued to grow in June, even as overall recruitment in the industry declined, highlighting a major shift in hiring priorities. According to Naukri’s monthly JobSpeak report, AI-related hiring increased 16% year-on-year, while total IT job postings fell 3%. The report, based on listings from over 150,000 companies, reflects rising demand for specialized AI talent despite a challenging technology market.

India’s $315 billion IT industry has been facing weaker client spending and growing disruption from AI-driven automation. Naukri owner Info Edge CEO Hitesh Oberoi said the gap between AI hiring and overall IT recruitment shows companies are increasingly investing in AI as a core business capability. Meanwhile, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) recently signaled slower hiring ahead, with plans to balance its workforce between human employees and AI agents after significant job reductions over the past year.

Beyond the IT sector, demand for AI and machine learning professionals rose 25% across 14 industries, demonstrating the technology’s expanding role in the broader economy. The report also found that the insurance and consumer goods sectors recorded the strongest growth in overall hiring, indicating that businesses across multiple industries are accelerating digital transformation and AI adoption.

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