Is AI’s impact on jobs overstated? Report finds AI/ML job openings grew 38% in Q1 2026

The majority of AI jobs (53%) were in the IT sector, while the banking sector saw a 48% increase in AI job openings, and the IT-enabled services and BPO sector saw a 39% year-on-year increase. Other sectors, such as accounting, reported a 49% increase in AI adoption, according to the report.

The findings of the report, titled “AI: Friend, Foe, or Frenemy,” are based on: Insights from over 60,000 job seekers and thousands of job postings.According to Naukri, according to a survey of recruiters. It comes at a time when there is growing recognition around the world that AI will impact industries such as technology, finance, law and media, with white-collar jobs being the most affected.

The technology industry itself is divided on the impact of AI on employment. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has warned that about 50% of white-collar, entry-level jobs will disappear by 2030. Meanwhile, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang argued that while these jobs will undoubtedly evolve in the AI ​​era, they won’t disappear completely.

Naukri’s latest data on AI employment in India appears to support Huang’s view. “I agree with much of what Jensen says about AI and jobs. There is so much work to be done in the world,” OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in a July 16 post on X.

I agree with much of what Jensen says about AI and work. There are so many things to do in the world.

people will do that

1) Do much more than you used to. Increased ability and expectations
2) I still care very much about other people and their actions
3) Not yet…

— Sam Altman (@sama) July 16, 2025

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

“AI-related roles are growing rapidly, salaries are rising, and they are in high demand not just in IT but across industries. 86% of job seekers see AI as a friend rather than a threat. The growth was +34%, while salaries for senior professionals were the highest.The difference is clear: people with AI skills are moving up the ranks faster than those in traditional technical roles. statement.

Other findings from the Naukri report

Not only are there more jobs available, but jobs that require AI skills are also paying more. According to the report, the overall median salary for jobs with AI skills is 53% higher than jobs without AI skills.

demand for roles such as Machine learning engineer, search engineer, data scientist While hiring of front-end developers, system administrators, and app developers is decreasing, the number of employees is rapidly increasing.

Global headlines over the past few months have also suggested that AI could disproportionately impact young workers by automating traditionally entry-level tasks in fields such as IT and finance.

However, Naukri found that new students who improved their AI skills earned 56% more than their colleagues. “Senior professionals with 13 to 16 years of experience can earn a 32% premium in pay if they have AI skills,” the report said.

AI recognition

Naukri’s report also delves into how Indian professionals feel safe in the age of AI. It found that over 86% of Indian job seekers see AI as a friend rather than a threat.

This is in stark contrast to the United States, where 75% of professionals believe AI could reduce job opportunities over the next 10 years, according to a Gallup poll. About 44 percent of BPO professionals surveyed by Naukri are concerned about job losses due to AI.

The report raises concerns that AI will reduce creativity in the workplace. More than 40% of high-income earners (LPA above Rs 15) are concerned that AI will reduce creativity at work.

“This anxiety is most pronounced in creative fields, with 54 per cent of animation and VFX professionals, 43 per cent of film and music, and 41 per cent of advertising and marketing expressing concern,” it added.