Survey: AI skills boost salaries 53% in India’s booming job market, though creative fears remain

A new report from Naukri.com, a career platform, reveals that 41% of advertising and marketing professionals in India fear AI may diminish creativity in their work, with similar concerns shared by 54% of Animation and VFX professionals and 43% in Film and Music industries. Despite these creative anxieties, the study of 60,000+ jobseekers shows that 86% of Indian professionals view AI as a friend rather than a threat, with AI-skilled workers earning 53% higher median salaries than their non-AI peers.

The big picture: India’s AI job market is experiencing explosive growth, with AI/ML job postings surging 38% year-over-year in Q1 FY’26 and over 35,000 AI jobs posted between April-June 2025.

Why this matters: The data challenges global narratives about AI causing mass unemployment, instead revealing that Indian professionals are more concerned about losing creative autonomy than losing jobs entirely.

Key salary premiums: AI-skilled professionals command significantly higher compensation across experience levels.

• Freshers with AI skills earn up to 56% salary premiums compared to traditional tech roles.
• Senior professionals with 13-16 years of experience see up to 32% higher earnings.
• The median salary gap between AI-skilled and non-AI professionals stands at 53%.

Geographic expansion: Tier-2 cities are emerging as unexpected AI hubs, with Indore, Kochi, and Coimbatore joining traditional tech centers in driving AI adoption.

Cross-industry demand: Non-IT sectors are rapidly ramping up AI hiring, signaling widespread adoption beyond technology companies.

• Banking sector AI hiring increased 48%.
• BPO roles with AI requirements grew 39%.
• KPO (Knowledge Process Outsourcing) saw 56% growth.
• Accounting positions requiring AI skills jumped 49%.

What jobseekers want: Professional development demands are shifting toward practical AI experience rather than theoretical knowledge.

• 36% of jobseekers want employers to provide free AI courses.
• One in three IT professionals prefer hands-on AI project exposure over classroom learning.
• Entry-level AI job growth increased 34%, addressing fresher anxieties about market access.

What they’re saying: “AI-linked roles are growing faster, salaries are higher, and demand is rising across industries — not just in IT,” said Pawan Goyal, Chief Business Officer at Naukri.com.

• “86% of jobseekers see AI as a friend, not a threat. Freshers remain anxious, but AI job growth for entry-level roles is up +34%, while senior professionals are seeing the biggest salary premiums.”
• “The gap is clear: those with AI skills are moving ahead faster than those in traditional tech roles.”