The Anxious Architects of AI
The prevailing wisdom has been that moving into an artificial intelligence role is the safest career bet in a rapidly changing job market. However, a July 2026 survey of over 1,500 Indian professionals by the anonymous networking platform Blind challenges
this assumption directly. According to the findings, an astonishing 66% of professionals working in dedicated AI and machine learning (AI/ML) roles expect layoffs or significant team reductions in the near future. This places the creators of AI technology among the most anxious groups in the tech sector, with their job security fears nearly mirroring those in sales and marketing, where 68% expect cuts. The data suggests that even those with specialised, in-demand skills are not immune to the pressures of corporate realignments and budget cuts driven by the very technology they are developing.
The Curious Confidence of Engineers
In a surprising twist, the survey revealed that general software engineers—a group often predicted to be heavily impacted by AI-powered coding tools—report significantly higher levels of job security. Only 24% of engineers described a layoff in their team as 'very likely,' the lowest proportion across all job functions surveyed. While 58% still fell into an overall 'at-risk' category, their acute anxiety was considerably lower than their AI/ML specialist counterparts. Professionals in data and analytics roles were even more optimistic, with only 51% considering their teams at risk and 40% believing layoffs were unlikely. This finding creates a paradox: the people whose roles were thought to be most vulnerable to automation feel more secure than the experts building the automation tools themselves.
Decoding the Confidence-Capability Gap
The confidence among general engineers may have another dimension. Research from earlier in 2026 by Scaler and CyberMedia Research (CMR) uncovered what they termed an 'AI confidence-capability gap'. Their study found that while a staggering 89% of Indian engineers believe they are AI-ready, only 19% are deeply involved in actually building AI or machine learning systems. This suggests that widespread confidence may be based on a superficial familiarity with AI tools rather than deep, structural expertise. Many engineers use AI to improve productivity, but few possess the skills to design and deploy complex AI systems from the ground up. This gap between perceived readiness and proven skill could mean that the confidence reported in the Blind survey is more fragile than it appears, representing a potential blind spot for a large segment of the tech workforce.
A New Conversation About Risk
This latest data fundamentally changes the conversation about AI's impact on the workforce. The simple narrative of 'tech-savvy vs. tech-threatened' is officially obsolete. The new reality is that proximity to AI development does not guarantee security; in fact, it may place individuals closer to the volatile epicentre of market realignment. The anxiety felt by AI/ML specialists highlights that efficiency drives and strategic shifts can affect even the most advanced roles. Furthermore, the survey forces a tougher question about the nature of 'confidence'. If the broader engineering workforce feels secure based on a surface-level interaction with AI, they may be unprepared for future shifts that demand deeper, more foundational skills. The conversation is no longer about who will be replaced by AI, but about the nuanced and unpredictable nature of risk across all roles, including those at the cutting edge.
