In India, companies are shifting from viewing AI skills as optional to integrating them as essential components of their core capabilities, Rooj informed PTI.
“Recent studies on employers and the workforce indicate that 92 percent of Indian knowledge workers are already using AI in their roles, and 80 percent of leaders in India would choose a less experienced candidate with AI skills over a more experienced one lacking those skills,” he noted.
At the same time, Rooj mentioned that national industry forecasts predict India’s demand for AI professionals may exceed 1 million by 2026, signifying that companies are now considering AI not merely as a tool but as a strategic element of their workforce planning.
“Organizations are increasingly expected to adopt AI-driven frameworks for evaluation and career advancement, particularly in digitally intensive areas. To reiterate, recent global studies indicate that generative AI can impact tasks comprising 60-70 percent of work time, with nearly 75 percent of the value concentrated in customer operations, marketing and sales, software engineering, and research and development,” Rooj told PTI.
Practically speaking, he noted that positions such as software developers, QA engineers, data and BI analysts, digital marketers, inside sales teams, customer support, compliance operations, finance operations, HR operations, and research-intensive roles are likely to witness the most significant shifts in evaluation, as performance is now assessable not only by output but also by the efficiency of AI in enhancing speed, quality, and decision-making.
“Over the next 2 to 3 years, we anticipate a material impact on approximately 25-40 percent of white-collar jobs, with a more pronounced effect in technology, GCCs, BFSI, consulting, healthcare, e-commerce, and advanced manufacturing,” he added.
Rooj further stated that reflecting recent global employer surveys, around two-thirds of employers intend to recruit for AI-specific skills, with 39 percent of core competencies expected to evolve by 2030, and roughly 40 percent of employers anticipating further workforce reductions as AI automates tasks.
“Thus, this reality will spread widely but unevenly—initially in high-skill, highly digitized sectors, before expanding to various enterprise functions as AI transitions from pilot projects to comprehensive operating model redesign,” he explained.
While hiring patterns will shift, the broader narrative is that organizations will become more selective when hiring for higher-value capabilities, making upskilling and preparation for new roles significantly more critical than before, Rooj concluded.
