A Surprising Wave of Anxiety
A recent survey has sent a ripple of unease through India's technology corridors. According to a July 2026 poll by the anonymous professional network Blind, a staggering 66% of AI and machine learning (ML) professionals in India expect layoffs or significant
headcount reductions in their teams within the next three to six months. The survey, which polled 1,552 India-based professionals, challenges the long-held belief that an AI-focused career is a safe harbour from automation's disruptive waves. In a surprising twist, AI/ML specialists now report a level of job insecurity nearly as high as professionals in sales and marketing (68%), a field widely expected to be impacted by AI.
The Irony: AI Creators Feel the Pinch
The data reveals a paradox: those creating the tools of disruption feel almost as vulnerable as those whose jobs are being disrupted. This sentiment is not born out of official layoff announcements, which accounted for the fears of only 9% of respondents. Instead, professionals are reading the tea leaves, pointing to hiring freezes (27%) and cuts to budgets or headcount targets (24%) as the primary warning signs. This suggests a strategic shift is underway. As companies move beyond the initial, experimental phase of AI adoption, they are becoming more disciplined, focusing on projects with clear returns on investment. This maturation is leading to the consolidation of teams and a pivot away from mass hiring toward more selective recruitment.
Not All Tech Roles Are Equally Worried
Interestingly, the anxiety is not spread evenly across the tech landscape. Traditional engineering roles, once thought to be prime candidates for disruption by code-generating AI, appear to feel more secure. The survey found that only 24% of engineers considered job cuts in their teams 'very likely,' the lowest of any function surveyed. Professionals in data and analytics also reported higher confidence, with only 51% considering their teams at risk. This suggests that while AI is augmenting roles in software development and data analysis, the core skills in these fields remain in high demand. The roles feeling the most pressure appear to be those directly involved in building AI models, hinting that the gold rush phase is evolving into a more structured, and leaner, industrial process.
A Market Correction, Not an Implosion
While the survey paints a picture of heightened anxiety, other industry data suggests a more complex reality of transformation rather than outright collapse. A recent report from Nomura found that while AI-linked layoffs and attrition in India were the highest in Asia, overall AI-related hiring has significantly outpaced these losses. This points not to the end of AI jobs, but to a fundamental shift in what kind of AI talent is in demand. Companies are moving away from hiring large teams of junior employees for routine tasks, which are increasingly being automated. Instead, there is a growing demand for experienced professionals who possess not just technical skills but also deep domain expertise and the ability to connect AI capabilities with business outcomes. According to NASSCOM, the Indian IT industry body, the focus is shifting to 'job-ready candidates' with proven AI fluency and problem-solving abilities.
