A Shocking Finding in the AI Gold Rush
A recent survey conducted in July by the anonymous workplace platform Blind has sent ripples through India's tech sector. It found that a staggering 66% of professionals working in artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) roles expect layoffs
or significant headcount cuts in their teams within the next three to six months. This places them among the most concerned groups in the entire industry, nearly on par with sales and marketing staff (68%) and ahead of product and design teams (65%). The finding challenges the widely held belief that in the age of AI, the safest jobs are those in AI itself. Instead, it suggests the architects of this technological revolution feel just as exposed as those in roles AI is expected to disrupt.
Why AI Professionals Are Worried Now
This anxiety isn't being driven by official layoff announcements. In fact, only 9% of concerned workers pointed to formal notices as the main reason for their worry. Instead, professionals are reading more subtle signals. Hiring freezes were the most cited warning sign (27%), followed closely by internal announcements of budget or headcount target reductions (24%). This suggests that companies, while publicly championing AI, are quietly reassessing the size and structure of the teams they need. The very efficiency of new AI tools may be a contributing factor, as more advanced systems streamline development workflows, potentially reducing the need for large teams to accomplish the same tasks.
The Unexpectedly Secure Roles
Ironically, some of the roles long predicted to be early casualties of AI are proving to be more resilient. According to the survey, general engineering professionals reported the lowest level of concern, with only 58% anticipating cuts, a figure below the survey average. Data and analytics teams were even more optimistic, with just 51% feeling at risk. This contrast paints a complex picture: while AI tools can automate coding and data analysis tasks, the core skills of engineering and strategic data interpretation appear to be more secure than the roles focused on building the AI models themselves. It suggests a market maturation where the ability to apply technology to solve business problems is becoming more valued than pure model creation.
A Tale of Two Labour Markets
This survey lands amid a broader, more confusing employment landscape. A recent Nomura report highlights that, on the whole, India is creating more AI jobs than it is losing, with roughly 2.6 AI-related hires for every job impacted by the technology. However, the report also clarifies that the displaced workers are rarely the ones getting these new, highly-skilled jobs. This points to a splitting of the labour market. While companies are shedding roles made redundant by AI-powered chatbots and automation, they are aggressively hiring for graduates and experienced professionals who can leverage AI for high-value strategic tasks. This creates a significant skills gap, where demand for advanced expertise soars while entry-level and mid-tier roles become precarious.
The New Skill Imperative for Survival
The message for India's tech workforce is clear: the ground is shifting. The AI boom is not a guarantee of lifelong job security but an ongoing evolution that demands continuous upskilling. The skills in highest demand are no longer just building models but include AI agent design, strategic implementation, and integrating AI into complex business workflows. There's a clear move away from needing large teams for routine AI tasks toward smaller, more expert teams focused on strategy, governance, and complex problem-solving. For professionals in the field, this means that standing still is not an option. The future of a career in AI in India depends less on being in the industry and more on being at its cutting edge.
