By 2026, India will need 1 million AI professionals as per report

India is on the brink of witnessing an exponential rise in the demand for Artificial Intelligence (AI) professionals, with estimates predicting a need for one million skilled workers by 2026. This projection is outlined in the report India’s AI Revolution: A Roadmap to Viksit Bharat, released by the Union Ministry of Electronics & IT. As the country charts its path to becoming a USD 23–35 trillion economy by 2047, higher education-particularly in engineering-is undergoing a major overhaul to match the dynamic demands of a future shaped by AI, automation, and cross-disciplinary innovation.

An important part of this change is engineering education. According to data from the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), there will be 14.9 lakh authorized B. Tech seats for the 2024–2025 academic year, which represents a nearly 16% growth over the previous four years. A significant portion of this growth comes from an over 50% rise in seats for Computer Science and related fields such as AI and Machine Learning, Data Science, Cybersecurity, Cloud Computing, and Blockchain, aligning with surging industry requirements.

India’s technical education sector is increasingly incorporating industry-integrated and interdisciplinary learning models to equip future engineers with the skills to code, create, and lead innovations. A shift from traditional STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) to a more holistic STEAM approach, which incorporates the Arts, is gaining momentum-merging technology with critical areas like design thinking, communication, psychology, business, and law.

Symbiosis International (Deemed University) recently launched the Symbiosis Artificial Intelligence Institute (SAII), aimed at integrating advanced AI tools within academic and research frameworks. The institute’s focus is on empowering students to become ethical innovators and real-world problem solvers. According to Amruta Yeravdekar Ruikar, the university’s Head of International Admissions & Promotions, Symbiosis blends solid theoretical instruction with practical applications, preparing students for an AI-driven future through programmes available at both its Indian and Dubai campuses.

The India Skills Report 2024 by Wheebox anticipates the country’s AI sector reaching USD 28.8 billion by 2025, growing at a compound annual rate of 45%. It notes a dramatic 14-fold increase in AI-skilled talent between 2016 and 2023, placing India among the top five fastest-expanding AI talent ecosystems globally.

Institutions like SRM Institute of Science and Technology and Mahindra University are embracing this wave by offering interdisciplinary courses, strong industry collaborations, and global learning experiences. These efforts are aimed at cultivating a workforce capable of navigating the complexities of modern AI applications while maintaining ethical awareness, adaptability, and emotional intelligence-skills vital for innovation in a fast-changing world.