BENGALURU – AI-related job postings in India rose to a record 11.7% of all listings in September, up from 10.6% three months earlier and 8.2% a year ago, according to data from hiring platform Indeed.
Callam Pickering, Indeed’s APAC senior economist, said India ranked behind Singapore on the share of postings that mention artificial intelligence. “Many employers across India have gone all-in on artificial intelligence,” he said.
Indeed said AI mentions were most common in data and analytics, where almost 39% of postings referenced AI, followed by software development at 23%, insurance at 18% and scientific research at 17%.
Engineering roles also showed rising demand for AI skills. Industrial engineering postings referenced AI in 17% of ads, mechanical in 11% and electrical in 9.2%, the company said.
Overall hiring softened. Total postings on Indeed in India fell 0.8% in September, the sixth monthly decline this year, and were 16.2% lower than a year earlier. Listings remained 69% above pre-pandemic levels but were down 22% from a January 2023 peak, Indeed said.
Trends varied by occupation over the past three months. Community and social service postings rose 10.4% and pharmacy by 9.9%, while software development edged up 0.4%. Banking and finance fell 25.5%, education and instruction dropped 22.2%, security and public safety declined 20.9% and physicians and surgeons were down 20.9%.
Indeed said India’s labour market continues to shift toward formal employment, which has helped sustain postings above pre-pandemic levels through both the post-pandemic surge and the later slowdown.
The company said employers face skill mismatches as demand concentrates in higher-skilled roles. It cited shortages in candidates with competencies in AI tools, data analytics and automation, which are not yet widespread in the current talent pool.
Indeed said many firms are seeking highly skilled workers in technology and management, and that gaps between job requirements and applicant skills remain common across higher-skill segments.
The platform said it expects formal sector job creation to outpace overall employment growth as the shift toward formal work continues, even as total postings have eased in recent months.
