Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer limited to software engineers and technology teams, and is increasingly becoming a workforce-wide skill across industries, according to the India AI Workforce Report 2026 released by Scaler.
The report, based on insights from 11,444 professionals, found that AI is helping workers improve productivity, accelerate career growth and access new job opportunities across a wide range of sectors.
One of the key findings of the report is that AI is expanding beyond traditional engineering roles. Nearly 25% of AI learners now come from non-technical backgrounds, highlighting the growing relevance of AI in fields beyond software development. More than half of AI-enabled career outcomes are now found in areas such as leadership, consulting, human resources, marketing, finance, academia and operations.
The report also points to a growing and more diverse AI talent pool in India. Women are increasingly entering AI-enabled careers across functions such as HR, academia and marketing. On average, women reported a 145% increase in salary after transitioning into AI-related roles, while female quality assurance engineers recorded the highest gains, with salaries rising by 574%.
Bengaluru continues to be India's largest AI talent hub, accounting for 19% of AI learners. It is followed by Pune, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Chennai. At the same time, nearly one in five AI learners now comes from Tier-II cities including Lucknow, Jaipur, Patna, Indore, Coimbatore and Nagpur, indicating that AI education and opportunities are spreading beyond major metropolitan centres.
According to the report, AI upskilling has delivered significant career benefits. Professionals reported an average salary increase of 147% after acquiring AI skills, while early-career professionals saw salary growth of 155%.
Software Engineer emerged as the most common AI-related career outcome, accounting for 34.77% of learners, followed by Engineering Leadership roles at 17.51%. The report also found that AI is creating new opportunities in consulting, with the share of consulting-related career outcomes nearly doubling.
Senior engineering leaders, including vice-presidents, CXOs and other technology executives, reported the highest post-upskilling salaries, averaging ₹33 lakh per annum.
Commenting on the findings, Abhimanyu Saxena, co-founder of Scaler, said AI is creating opportunities rather than replacing jobs. He noted that the most significant transformation is taking place in tier-II cities, among women professionals and in business functions beyond engineering, making India's AI talent ecosystem more inclusive and widespread.