AI/ML Hiring Jumps 20% As White-Collar Job Market Stays Steady In September: Report

Last Updated:October 02, 2026, 3:52 PM IST

AI/ML hiring remains one of the strongest areas of growth, while hiring in several traditional sectors weakened during the month.

Demand for AI/ML talent remained strong even as overall IT and software services hiring declined 4 per cent year-on-year.

Hiring for artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) roles grew 20 per cent year-on-year in September even as overall white-collar hiring remained largely steady, pointing to a continued shift in demand towards specialised skills and experienced professionals, according to the Naukri JobSpeak report.

The Naukri JobSpeak Index rose 2 per cent year-on-year to 3,053 in September from 3,002 a year ago. AI/ML hiring remained one of the strongest areas of growth, while hiring in several traditional sectors weakened during the month.

Hitesh Oberoi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Info Edge (India) Ltd, said the September numbers showed that the hiring market remained steady but was becoming more selective.

“While overall hiring was broadly stable, demand continued to move towards specialised skills, particularly AI, and more experienced professionals,” Oberoi said. He added that differences across sectors and cities showed hiring was increasingly being driven by specific business and capability needs.

The report showed that demand for AI/ML talent remained strong even as overall IT and software services hiring declined 4 per cent year-on-year. Within AI/ML, hiring for professionals with 13-16 years of experience rose 54 per cent, while demand for those with 8-12 years of experience increased 28 per cent. Fresher hiring in AI/ML grew 19 per cent.

The broader hiring trend also favoured experienced professionals. Hiring for those with 8-12 years of experience grew 5 per cent, while the 13-16 years and 16-plus years categories increased 7 per cent and 5 per cent, respectively. Fresher hiring grew just 1 per cent, while the 4-7 years category declined 2 per cent.

Among sectors, Auto hiring grew 11 per cent, while BPO/ITES and Global Capability Centre (GCC) hiring increased 4 per cent each. Hospitality/Travel and Education saw sharper declines of 11 per cent and 18 per cent, respectively.

GCC hiring was led by Hyderabad, where it grew 23 per cent year-on-year, followed by Chennai at 13 per cent and Pune at 11 per cent, the report said.

The September trends suggest that hiring growth ahead could remain concentrated in specialised skills and experienced talent, rather than being broad-based across sectors and experience levels.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – YEARS)

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How much did AI and machine learning hiring grow in September?

Hiring for artificial intelligence and machine learning roles grew by 20 per cent year-on-year in September according to the Naukri JobSpeak report, even as overall white-collar hiring remained largely steady.

Which experience levels saw the highest demand in AI and ML hiring?

Demand was heavily skewed toward seasoned professionals, with hiring for those having 13-16 years of experience surging by 54 per cent and professionals with 8-12 years of experience seeing a 28 per cent increase. Fresher hiring in AI and ML grew by a more modest 19 per cent.

How did the overall IT sector and other industries perform in September hiring?

While overall IT and software services hiring declined by 4 per cent year-on-year, sectors like Auto grew by 11 per cent and BPO/ITES alongside Global Capability Centres saw 4 per cent growth each. Conversely, Hospitality/Travel and Education experienced sharper declines of 11 per cent and 18 per cent respectively.

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