How AI & ML are empowering graduates in job markets

New-age technologies are spearheading the development of the modern world. As more new technologies become a reality, the global education domain is rapidly aligning itself to cater to diverse industry demands. In India, the scenario is also the same, where Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are shaping graduates’ bids to enter their professional careers, driven by the country’s booming tech and IT industries.

The notion is also backed by recent prominent studies. Statistics reveal that almost half of all Indian graduates are exploring employment opportunities in AI & ML-oriented roles. A staggering 48% of Indian graduates have an employability rate of 48% in these two disciplines. The growing emphasis on skilled professionals in the tech domain that is being driven by AI & ML is transforming several sectors, and Indian graduates are presented with a unique opportunity to ensure personal and professional growth.

As aspiring learners look to acquire the related skills to build their careers surrounding AI & ML, it must be understood that these new-age technologies are not only employment opportunities; they are acting as critical enablers of India’s talented youth.

While other new-age technologies in Data Science, Analysis, and Automation offer similar exposure to employment, it is AI & ML that have proved to be the leading disciplines — while also future-proofing Indian graduates’ bid to build careers in sustainable and impactful roles. Skill enhancements, job readiness, educational initiatives and industry adoption are driving this paradigm shift, empowering young minds to assist them in the job market.

Upskilling & Job Readiness

Present-day digital technologies are hyper-focused on two aspects — integrating AI and ease of usage. Irrespective of the objective of applications or products, AI is revolutionizing the final output. For example, AI is being implemented in security cameras to enhance their quality and operations. For creative usage, AI is being integrated with tools to create images, videos or sounds. From manufacturing and logistics to agriculture and retail — the primary objective behind the implementation of AI remains to boost efficiency. This hyper-dependability on AI is providing a unique opportunity for Indian graduates to shape their careers surrounding the diverse facets of this new-age technology.

Intently focused courses are helping Indian graduates acquire the necessary knowledge to upskill themselves in AI and Machine Learning. These courses have been designed to directly cater to industry requirements, helping learners with a fast-tracked way to enter the professional sectors. Studies reveal that India had at least 17,000 AI & ML engineers in June 2024, the majority of whom were employed in the BFSI sector. This number represents a small number of a much larger growing requirement of similar professionals across sectors, and upskilling in these disciplines is helping graduates achieve job readiness.

Sectoral Adoption & Employment Generation

In the business domain, the objective behind adopting AI & ML has been to streamline operations and enhance efficiency across sectors from the beginning. Its adoption is no longer limited to the tech and IT industries but to others like healthcare, finance, agriculture, logistics and many others. As the adoption rate grows, so does the requirement for more skilled professionals well-versed in AI and ML. This directly translates to generating more employment opportunities, assisting Indian graduates to shift from conventional to new-age job roles.

These roles also emphasise innovation, originality and critical thinking — directly impacting the quality and skills of Indian graduates looking to immerse themselves in the job pool. As more sectors and companies adopt AI in their operations, the requirement for these roles will also amplify, helping millions of Indian graduates with an impactful and sustainable profession for years to come.

This school of thought is also backed by statistics that reveal that the highest AI adoption in India has been in the healthcare sector, where 52% of components have already implemented this new-age technology.

They are followed by the FMCG & retail sector (43%), manufacturing (28%) and infrastructure & mobility (20%).

This underlines the growing emphasis on hiring talents who can spearhead this sectoral bid to adapt to new-age technologies, directly impacting in shaping the future of Indian graduates.

Global Perspective

India has long been considered a global supplier of talented youth, something that can be witnessed in global tech hubs such as Silicon Valley. As AI and ML take centre stage to shape the future of digital technologies, Indian engineers and other professionals are becoming a critical part of this initiative. While there are no definitive numbers, Indians have become one of the largest diasporas in global tech companies that have a direct connection with AI and ML.

Numerous professionals well-versed in AI and ML join Silicon Valley companies every year, paving the way for Indian graduates to follow their path. As the Indian government, educational institutions and the ed-tech sector introduce futuristic curriculums to promote new-age technologies like AI & ML, it will act as a critical enabler for Indian graduates, empowering them to pursue professional excellence.

(The author is Founder & CEO of GUVI )