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On Tue, 27 Aug, 4:03 PM UTC
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[1]
As AI's power becomes evident, Indian companies join race for talent
As the transformative power of artificial intelligence (AI) becomes evident across industries, companies in India are rushing to recruit talent that can use its tools to boost business. The demand for AI experts, in particular at the mid to senior levels, is now at an all-time high in the country and many professionals have multiple offers to choose from, recruitment services and search firms told ET. Pumped up by the demand, some executives are even seeking an up to 50% increase in salary as incentive to move to another company, said a talent search expert, adding that at the leadership level, the salary offers are even topping Rs 3 crore per annum. Others are being offered fractional leadership roles and flexible work arrangements. "Profiles like head of AI, head of data sciences and head of platform engineering are much in demand, and adding to this is the most recent head of Gen AI," said Jai Ballani, senior partner, Korn Ferry, a search firm that does leadership hiring across sectors. "Candidates for all these profiles have at least two-three offers at a time." Transearch, another search firm, is engaged with multiple mandates for the head of AI/ML & DS for early-stage SaaS and growth-stage unicorns. "There are some executives who are heading AI/ML/data sciences functions at leading tech companies drawing salaries of $1-2 million, including ESOPs/RSU," Ashish Sanganeria, senior partner at Transearch, told ET. In what can be read as a sign of the spiralling importance of AI, SAP Labs India recently announced the elevation of two of its executives to global AI roles--Rahul Lodhe as global head of engineering SAP Gen AI Copilot Joule, and Sudhakar Singh as the chief AI security officer. In April this year, Blackstone appointed Prakhar Mehrotra as head of AI. He was previously working with Walmart Global Tech, according to his LinkedIn profile. Chakradhara Panda, who was appointed as head of data and AI at Adani AI Labs, joined from Publicis Sapient in April this year, according to his LinkedIn profile. Mayank Verma was appointed as the global head of data and AI at Xebia. He was earlier with EY India. Another appointment was that of Anil Pawar as the chief AI officer of Yotta Data Services (data centre startup), part of real estate developer Hiranandani group, in April. According to Krishna Vij, business head - IT staffing at TeamLease Digital, the number of senior and leadership roles in AI in the country has doubled in the last one year. And with the demand not just coming from tech companies but from across industries, the chase for talent is only intensifying. At the mid-level, depending on experience, the annual salaries being offered range from Rs 30 lakh to almost Rs 1 crore, she said. Meanwhile, shortage of AI professionals is also compelling many headhunters and recruitment service firms to look overseas for talent, according to experts. Recruitment consultancy firm Michael Page India has some multinational clients who are recruiting for both traditional tech roles like developers/coders and contemporary skills like AI and cybersecurity, said its regional director, Pranshu Upadhyay. "But the candidates in the latter segment have 2x more offers as compared to the former. This is primarily driven by a huge gap in supply-demand for this profile," Upadhyay said. Due to a demand-supply mismatch, some firms have even started upskilling their tech workforce. "They are also making efforts to attract mid-/senior-level AI/cybersec candidates by offering higher joining bonuses and attractive retention plans," he said. At the leadership level, the talent demand is increasing. "In some of the large businesses, CAIO or AI heads could be reporting to chief digital officers, but will also have a direct line of reporting to the CEO," said Ratna Gupta, senior partner, ABC Consultants. "This is because their role impacts all facets of the organisation and cuts across all work areas." According to Vij of TeamLease Digital, the head of AI/data sciences is either a chief experience officer (CXO) or CXO-1-level hire and is slowly being recognised as a separate role altogether. "Mostly, this is a strategic role and the reporting in some cases is to the board directly," said Vij. Experts said AI leaders and senior talent are being sought by companies in cement production, IT products, consulting, tech, healthcare, retail, energy and manufacturing to gain a competitive edge. "While there are many professionals entering the AI field, the number of experienced senior executives with a deep understanding of AI, machine learning, and data science is relatively limited," said Ballani. Senior executives who can successfully integrate AI into business operations, drive innovation, and create value are seen as key assets, he said. But there are other tech positions that are gaining similar traction, such as chief information security officers (CISOs), data architects and cloud strategy/transformation leaders, according to experts. "CISOs are being increasingly sought after due to the growing concerns around cybersecurity threats, while data architects are needed for managing vast amounts of data being generated by AI systems," said Gupta of ABC. Although the demand for AI experts has been present for the last four to five years, it's accelerated only in the last 18 to 24 months. "The pandemic has played a key role in exponentially increasing the digital transformation across industries and, thereby, increasing the demand for AI expertise and the broader adoption of AI technologies across industries," said Gupta.
[2]
As AI's power becomes evident, Indian companies join race for talent
The demand for AI experts, in particular at the mid to senior levels, is now at an all-time high in the country and many professionals have multiple offers to choose from, recruitment services and search firms told ET. As the transformative power of artificial intelligence (AI) becomes evident across industries, companies in India are rushing to recruit talent that can use its tools to boost business. The demand for AI experts, in particular at the mid to senior levels, is now at an all-time high in the country and many professionals have multiple offers to choose from, recruitment services and search firms told ET. Pumped up by the demand, some executives are even seeking an up to 50% increase in salary as incentive to move to another company, said a talent search expert, adding that at the leadership level, the salary offers are even topping Rs 3 crore per annum. Others are being offered fractional leadership roles and flexible work arrangements. "Profiles like head of AI, head of data sciences and head of platform engineering are much in demand, and adding to this is the most recent head of Gen AI," said Jai Ballani, senior partner, Korn Ferry, a search firm that does leadership hiring across sectors. "Candidates for all these profiles have at least two-three offers at a time." Transearch, another search firm, is engaged with multiple mandates for the head of AI/ML & DS for early-stage SaaS and growth-stage unicorns. "There are some executives who are heading AI/ML/data sciences functions at leading tech companies drawing salaries of $1-2 million, including ESOPs/RSU," Ashish Sanganeria, senior partner at Transearch, told ET. In what can be read as a sign of the spiralling importance of AI, SAP Labs India recently announced the elevation of two of its executives to global AI roles--Rahul Lodhe as global head of engineering SAP Gen AI Copilot Joule, and Sudhakar Singh as the chief AI security officer. In April this year, Blackstone appointed Prakhar Mehrotra as head of AI. He was previously working with Walmart Global Tech, according to his LinkedIn profile. Chakradhara Panda, who was appointed as head of data and AI at Adani AI Labs, joined from Publicis Sapient in April this year, according to his LinkedIn profile. Mayank Verma was appointed as the global head of data and AI at Xebia. He was earlier with EY India. Another appointment was that of Anil Pawar as the chief AI officer of Yotta Data Services (data centre startup), part of real estate developer Hiranandani group, in April. According to Krishna Vij, business head - IT staffing at TeamLease Digital, the number of senior and leadership roles in AI in the country has doubled in the last one year. And with the demand not just coming from tech companies but from across industries, the chase for talent is only intensifying. At the mid-level, depending on experience, the annual salaries being offered range from Rs 30 lakh to almost Rs 1 crore, she said. Meanwhile, shortage of AI professionals is also compelling many headhunters and recruitment service firms to look overseas for talent, according to experts. Recruitment consultancy firm Michael Page India has some multinational clients who are recruiting for both traditional tech roles like developers/coders and contemporary skills like AI and cybersecurity, said its regional director, Pranshu Upadhyay. "But the candidates in the latter segment have 2x more offers as compared to the former. This is primarily driven by a huge gap in supply-demand for this profile," Upadhyay said. Due to a demand-supply mismatch, some firms have even started upskilling their tech workforce. "They are also making efforts to attract mid-/senior-level AI/cybersec candidates by offering higher joining bonuses and attractive retention plans," he said. At the leadership level, the talent demand is increasing. "In some of the large businesses, CAIO or AI heads could be reporting to chief digital officers, but will also have a direct line of reporting to the CEO," said Ratna Gupta, senior partner, ABC Consultants. "This is because their role impacts all facets of the organisation and cuts across all work areas." According to Vij of TeamLease Digital, the head of AI/data sciences is either a chief experience officer (CXO) or CXO-1-level hire and is slowly being recognised as a separate role altogether. "Mostly, this is a strategic role and the reporting in some cases is to the board directly," said Vij. Experts said AI leaders and senior talent are being sought by companies in cement production, IT products, consulting, tech, healthcare, retail, energy and manufacturing to gain a competitive edge. "While there are many professionals entering the AI field, the number of experienced senior executives with a deep understanding of AI, machine learning, and data science is relatively limited," said Ballani. Senior executives who can successfully integrate AI into business operations, drive innovation, and create value are seen as key assets, he said. But there are other tech positions that are gaining similar traction, such as chief information security officers (CISOs), data architects and cloud strategy/transformation leaders, according to experts. "CISOs are being increasingly sought after due to the growing concerns around cybersecurity threats, while data architects are needed for managing vast amounts of data being generated by AI systems," said Gupta of ABC. Although the demand for AI experts has been present for the last four to five years, it's accelerated only in the last 18 to 24 months. "The pandemic has played a key role in exponentially increasing the digital transformation across industries and, thereby, increasing the demand for AI expertise and the broader adoption of AI technologies across industries," said Gupta.
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As artificial intelligence (AI) demonstrates its transformative potential, Indian companies are intensifying their efforts to recruit top AI talent. This trend reflects the growing importance of AI across various sectors in India's rapidly evolving tech landscape.
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to demonstrate its transformative power across industries, Indian companies are joining the global race to secure top AI talent. This surge in demand for AI professionals is reshaping the job market and highlighting the critical role of AI in driving innovation and competitiveness in the Indian business landscape 1.
The demand for AI talent is not limited to traditional tech companies. Various sectors, including finance, healthcare, and manufacturing, are actively seeking professionals with AI expertise. This cross-industry demand is creating a highly competitive job market, with companies vying for candidates who can leverage AI to drive business growth and efficiency 2.
Companies are particularly interested in professionals with skills in machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision, and data science. The ability to develop and implement AI solutions that can solve complex business problems is highly valued. Additionally, professionals who can bridge the gap between technical AI knowledge and business applications are in especially high demand 1.
Recognizing the growing demand for AI professionals, Indian educational institutions are adapting their curricula to include more AI-focused programs. Universities and colleges are partnering with industry leaders to ensure that their courses align with the practical needs of the job market. This collaboration between academia and industry is crucial in developing a skilled AI workforce to meet the country's growing needs 2.
Despite the increasing focus on AI education, the demand for skilled professionals still outpaces the supply. Companies are facing challenges in finding candidates with the right mix of technical skills and industry-specific knowledge. This talent gap is leading to intense competition among employers, resulting in attractive compensation packages and career growth opportunities for AI professionals 1.
The Indian government is also playing a role in fostering AI talent development. Various initiatives and policies are being implemented to promote AI research and development, as well as to encourage AI adoption across industries. These efforts aim to position India as a global AI hub and ensure that the country has the necessary talent pool to drive innovation in this critical technology 2.
As AI continues to evolve and its applications expand, the demand for skilled professionals is expected to grow even further. Indian companies are not only competing domestically but also on a global scale to attract and retain top AI talent. This trend is likely to shape the future of India's job market and its position in the global AI landscape for years to come 1.
Reference
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[2]
Indian companies are facing difficulties in recruiting AI experts due to their sky-high salary expectations. The demand for AI talent is outpacing supply, leading to a competitive market and inflated compensation packages.
3 Sources
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A new study by Bain & Company reveals a significant AI talent gap in India, with job openings expected to far exceed the available talent pool by 2027. This presents both challenges and opportunities for reskilling and upskilling the workforce.
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India's AI job market has experienced explosive growth, with a 42% increase over two years. This trend is part of a broader surge in hiring activity across various sectors, reflecting the country's economic resilience and technological advancement.
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The job market is experiencing a significant shift due to the rapid advancement of AI technologies. Professionals across industries are urged to adapt, upskill, and leverage AI to remain competitive in their careers.
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Indian business leaders are prioritizing AI adoption, but face significant challenges in finding skilled talent. The shift towards AI is reshaping hiring practices and emphasizing the importance of both technical and soft skills.
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