A new study revealed that India would lack 1 million AI skilled workers by 2027.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping industries, from healthcare and finance to retail and manufacturing. With growth in AI job openings around the corner, India, however, is staring at a very low supply of AI-skilled persons. According to the Bain & Company research, it highlighted that by 2027, India would need AI-skilled manpower numbering 2.3 million, with more than a million roles remaining unfilled; hence this would place a tremendous burden on the nation to achieve its economic and technological aspirations. This raises a significant challenge and thus an extraordinary opportunity for businesses, educational institutions, and the government to address the shortage.
AI Talent Gap in India
The talent gap creates many roadblocks for businesses looking to integrate AI into their operations, regardless of the industry. The hunt for AI talent is picking up pace from start-ups to large enterprises, and companies are finding it even harder to fill these vital positions with professionals with the right skill sets.
Why Is There a Shortage of AI Professionals?
The shortage of AI professionals in India stems from several factors:
Limitation of AI Education and Training Programs:
The increasing demand for AI talent does not seem to have been addressed in India by many universities that still refrain from rolling out AI-focused programs or comprehensive upskilling for professionals already in the field. This infers that there is tampering of AI-forged curricula on account of the broad competitive gap in AI-skilling which results in an insufficiently trained workforce.
Mismatching Skills:
Many people pursue a computer science course or courses along those lines, thinking they can learn the skills necessary for AI, like deep learning, machine learning, natural language processing, or data science, but they are not sufficient to what is actually needed for AI. Conditions are further aggravated by the technological innovation revolving too fast, therefore new graduates have no possibility of keeping up with the transformation.
Global Competition:
With the emergence of AI burning in the world, countries like the US, China, and Germany have also intensified actions toward creating an AI workforce. Thus, the international competition for AI professionals is extremely tough, which limits India’s ability to attract and hold the talent it needs.
Negligence of Reskilling and Upskilling:
Companies often focus on hiring fresh graduates without much effort in training and upskilling the existing employees in the organization. These practices are becoming increasingly inadequate in the field of AI where change happens very fast.
How Can India Overcome the AI Talent Shortage?
To overcome this issue, a multi-faceted approach is required, involving businesses, educational institutions, and the government.
Revamping the Curriculum:
Educational institutions in India need to revamp and widen their programs to encompass AI and data science at every educational stage. Universities should be able to offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs in any specialization of AI and machine learning accompanied by practical learning. They should also be able to incorporate industry feedback into their courses so that what students learn is in sync with the real-world skills of the industry.
Further training in the form of certifications can be offered to upgrade the already employed workforce who would like to enter into AI but without sufficient knowledge or experience. The content of these programs will be aligned to future technologies and help the candidates migrate into AI-related roles.
Promote Continuous Upskilling and Reskilling:
Companies in India must prioritize continuous upskilling and reskilling to bridge the AI talent gap. Traditional hiring practices will not be enough to meet the demand for AI professionals. Businesses should invest in training programs and provide employees with access to online courses, workshops, and certifications in AI-related fields.
Organizations can also set up ties with schools, allowing employees to get their relevant certifications while working. Then, employees would be able to join specialized AI degree programs that have theory and practice combined elements.
Foster an Innovation-Driven Ecosystem:
For India to become a global AI talent hub, it would require fostering innovations, wherein the research and development of artificial intelligence would be at the centre stage. Both the government and private companies have to work together to create AI innovation labs to AI incubators and accelerators, through which experts in the field of AI could access state-of-the-art technologies and be given real-world problems to solve.
The collaboration of startups, SMEs, and large players should work to promote AI uptake and innovation. The nurturing of a supportive ecosystem for research and collaboration can help match global talents to the local workforce.
Enroll institutions that enhance AI skills:
Staying ahead of time is the way to go if students and professionals are to acquire the most optimal competencies. Joining educational platforms like FACE Prep Campus can be a game-changer. We offer several certification courses for AI, along with computer related degree programs that are meant to lay a more solid foundation in AI and related fields. And these programs do not restrict themselves to imparting theoretical knowledge alone, as practical workings are also covered. By the time the student completes the program, they will be completely available to take on any job task.
The Way Forward
India’s AI talent shortage is a pressing issue, but it also presents a unique opportunity to build a highly skilled, globally competitive workforce. Improving educational structures, promoting lifelong learning, creating an innovation-based ecosystem, and integration of practical AI skills in academics would help India face this challenge. FACE Prep Campus will help grow the skills needed amongst people to be able to succeed in the AI job market. With appropriate impetus given towards this, AI-related talents will lead India on the global platform. If any action has to be taken, it must be now.
Furthermore, the certifications offered to upgrade the already employed workforce who would like to enter AI but without sufficient knowledge or experience. The content of these programs will be aligned to future technologies and help the candidates migrate into AI related roles. Companies in India must prioritize continuous skill development, which further breaks the constraints.
FAQs
- Will there be a downfall for AI?
A: Love it or not, AI is in play, and it will not go down in the near future. AI will increasingly dominate all of our interactions as technology advances-from how students learn to how employees perform their tasks in the office.
- Is Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning same?
A: Artificial intelligence is a broader term, whereas machine learning is a specific subset of AI. To be more precise, AI is a machine’s capacity to duplicate human intelligence, machine learning is when a machine is taught to do a certain task by studying from data.
- Does Amazon use Artificial Intelligence?
A: Yes, Amazon uses artificial intelligence (AI) in many of its services, including shopping, supply chain, and fraud detection.
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