AISkills – AI Salary Premiums Rise While Many Employees See Little Pay Growth
AISkills -Employers across India are increasingly offering higher salaries to attract professionals with artificial intelligence expertise, but a large section of existing employees says those financial benefits have yet to reach them. A new survey highlights a widening gap between the salaries promised in fresh AI-focused hiring and the compensation received by workers already employed in organisations.
Hiring Market Offers Higher Rewards for AI Talent
According to a report released by Indeed on Wednesday, nearly two-thirds of employers said they are paying notable salary premiums for positions requiring AI capabilities. The findings show that 66 per cent of organisations claim to offer better compensation for AI-skilled candidates compared with traditional roles.
More than 40 per cent of employers indicated that AI-related positions receive salary packages ranging between 11 and 30 per cent above comparable non-AI jobs. In addition, around 26 per cent reported offering premiums of 31 to 50 per cent for specialised AI talent, reflecting the growing competition to recruit professionals with relevant technical expertise.
Existing Employees Report Limited Financial Benefits
Despite the strong demand in the recruitment market, many professionals already working in AI-related roles say they have not experienced similar improvements in their earnings. The survey found that 54 per cent of employees whose work is affected by AI reported either stagnant salaries or a decline in overall compensation.
Among workers with direct day-to-day exposure to artificial intelligence, 36 per cent said their pay package had remained unchanged. Another 18 per cent reported that their overall earnings had actually fallen. Only a relatively small share of respondents said they received the sizeable salary increases that are frequently advertised in external job listings.
Gap Between Recruitment and Internal Compensation
The report suggests that companies are investing heavily to attract new AI talent but are moving more slowly when it comes to rewarding employees who have developed AI skills while already working within the organisation. This imbalance is particularly affecting experienced and mid-career professionals, many of whom believe their contributions are not being reflected in annual compensation reviews.
Indeed India Managing Director Sashi Kumar said organisations should focus not only on recruiting AI professionals but also on recognising employees who improve their skills internally. According to him, retaining experienced staff is just as important as hiring new talent in an increasingly AI-driven workplace.
He noted that if companies fail to align internal appraisal systems with the growing value generated by employees who have upgraded their AI capabilities, they risk creating job insecurity and losing experienced professionals to competitors.
AI Changing Work and Career Planning
The survey also explored how artificial intelligence is influencing everyday work. Only 11 per cent of respondents said AI had completely transformed their responsibilities. However, a combined 65 per cent reported moderate or gradual changes in the way they perform their jobs, while nearly one-fourth said AI had not yet significantly affected their daily work.
Career planning is also evolving alongside wider AI adoption. More than half of the professionals surveyed said artificial intelligence has influenced the types of jobs they now seek or the career paths they hope to pursue. This trend suggests that workers are actively preparing for changing industry requirements by focusing on AI-related knowledge and experience.
Skills Increasingly Outweigh Academic Degrees
Another major finding from the report points to changing recruitment preferences. Nearly 40 per cent of employers said they now place greater importance on proven AI skills, practical experience and recognised certifications than on traditional university qualifications when hiring for AI-focused roles.
Only 9 per cent of employers continue to prioritise an academic degree alone while evaluating candidates for these positions. The findings indicate that practical expertise and the ability to demonstrate AI capabilities are becoming more valuable in India’s evolving job market.