Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR, and Mumbai collectively account for nearly 70 percent of all Artificial Intelligence (AI) job openings in India, according to a recent analysis by property consultant CBRE based on data from Naukri.com. The findings, drawn from over 64,500 active AI-tagged job listings as of December 2025, highlight a significant concentration of high-end technology talent within these urban markets.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]} ### India's Leading AI Job Hubs Bengaluru, often called India's Silicon Valley, leads the nation in AI hiring, commanding a 25.4 percent share of total AI-related jobs.^{[1][2][3][9][4][5][6][10][7][8]} Delhi-NCR follows closely, accounting for 24.8 percent of AI job postings.^{[1][2][3][9][4][5][6][10][7][8]} Mumbai, the country's financial capital, ranks third with 19.2 percent of the AI job market.^{[1][2][3][9][4][5][6][10][7][8]} Together, Bengaluru and Delhi-NCR alone represent approximately 50 percent of India's AI job postings.^{[1][9][10][7][8]} This strong concentration shows how India is building capabilities in advanced digital technologies.^[1][9] Bengaluru's dominance in AI hiring largely stems from the presence of numerous Global Capability Centres (GCCs).^{[2][3][4][6][7][8]} In 2025, Bengaluru captured more than one-third of India's total office space leasing activities by GCCs, reinforcing its position as a primary technology employment engine.^{[2][4][6][7][8]} Delhi-NCR, on the other hand, sees strong AI demand from a diverse mix of sectors including consulting, fintech, healthcare, and public-sector initiatives.^[1][4][6] ### Beyond the Major Metros While the top three cities dominate, other major urban centers also contribute to India's growing AI landscape. Hyderabad accounts for 12.5 percent of AI job openings.^{[1][2][3][9][4][6][8]} Pune holds a 9.6 percent share, followed by Chennai at 6.4 percent.^{[1][2][3][9][4][6][8]} Kolkata registers a smaller 2.1 percent share in AI-related job postings.^{[1][2][3][9][4][6][8]} These cities form the next tier of AI employment hubs, indicating a broader, though less concentrated, spread of opportunities.^[1][9] The report highlights a clear clustering of high-end technology talent within a few urban markets.^[1][9] This trend reflects India's increasing maturity in the AI space and the strategic importance of these talent hubs in shaping the future of innovation and business transformation.^[10][7][8] The country is steadily enhancing its capabilities in advanced digital technologies.^[1][9] ### Key Roles Driving AI Demand The strongest demand for AI professionals currently comes from specific domains. These include Engineering, covering software development and quality assurance roles.^[2][3][5][6] Data Science and Analytics positions also feature prominently.^[2][3][5][6] Additionally, Customer Success, Service, and Operations functions are seeing significant demand for AI-skilled talent, reflecting the broader adoption of AI-enabled solutions across various industries.^{[2][3][4][5][6]} AI has moved beyond being a mere buzzword and has become a crucial part of India's economic and infrastructure growth story. Anshuman Magazine, Chairman & CEO - India, South-East Asia, and MEA at CBRE, emphasized this shift. "AI has transitioned from a buzzword to a crucial peg in India's broader economic and infrastructure growth story," Magazine said.^{[1][2][3][9][11][4][12][6][7]} ### India as an Innovation Hub The rising demand for AI professionals signals a fundamental change in how global enterprises view India. It is no longer just a center for service delivery but an emerging hub for end-to-end innovation.^{[1][2][3][9][11][4][12][6][7]} This evolution is set to redefine India's economic landscape and its position in the global digital value chain.^[2][4][6][7] India also recently hosted the AI Summit, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, and global technology experts to discuss the future of artificial intelligence.^[1][9] This event further reinforced India's image as an emerging hub for innovation, talent, and digital leadership.^[1][9] The overall AI job market in India shows robust growth. Between April and June 2025, over 35,000 AI/ML jobs were posted on Naukri.com, representing a 38 percent year-on-year growth in AI roles during that quarter.^[13] More recent data from Naukri JobSpeak indicates that hiring for AI-ML roles surged 54 percent year-over-year in August.^[14] This strong momentum for AI hiring continues across major cities.^[15] ### Opportunities for AI Professionals The demand for AI skills also translates into higher earning potential. The overall median salaries for AI-skilled roles are 53 percent higher than for their non-AI skilled counterparts.^[13] Freshers entering the AI field can also see significant salary premiums, up to 56 percent, making AI a highly rewarding career choice.^[13] Senior professionals with 13-16 years of experience can witness a 32 percent salary premium with AI skills.^[13] Top AI jobs expected to be in high demand include Machine Learning Engineers, Data Scientists, AI Research Scientists, and Computer Vision Engineers.^[16] A NASSCOM report predicts that AI could add approximately $450-500 billion to India's GDP by 2030, further creating numerous job opportunities across various sectors.^[16] This growing demand for AI talent is becoming sector-agnostic, extending beyond the traditional tech sector to industries like banking, BPO, accounting, and KPO.^[13] The concentration of AI jobs in Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR, and Mumbai underscores their critical role in India's technological advancement. While these cities remain the primary magnets for AI talent and investment, the growth in second-tier cities like Hyderabad and Pune indicates a potential for broader development. This shift positions India as a key player in the global AI landscape, driving both economic growth and innovation.

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