Bengaluru leads India’s AI talent race, but smaller cities are catching up

Bengaluru remains the leader in India's artificial intelligence (AI) talent landscape, with a notable 19% of the nation's AI learners based in the city, according to the India AI Workforce Report 2026 by Scaler. Following Bengaluru, cities like Pune, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Chennai round out the top five hubs for AI talent. However, a significant trend is emerging: the growth of AI education is expanding beyond traditional tech-centric locations. Nearly 20% of AI learners now hail from Tier-II cities, including Lucknow, Jaipur, Patna, Indore, Coimbatore, and Nagpur. This shift suggests a broader dissemination of AI learning across India, indicating a democratization of AI skills that extends beyond major urban centers. As AI transitions from experimental phases to widespread adoption in workplaces, Scaler emphasizes that the technology is no longer the sole domain of software engineers or tech teams. Instead, professionals from various sectors are increasingly leveraging AI to enhance productivity, elevate their roles, and advance their careers. The report highlights that over half of AI-related career outcomes are now found in areas outside traditional engineering roles, encompassing leadership, consulting, human resources, marketing, finance, academia, and more. Notably, nearly 25% of AI learners come from non-technical backgrounds, underscoring the technology's evolution into a valuable workforce capability rather than just a specialized skill. Among the reported career paths, Software Engineer stands out as the most prevalent outcome, comprising 34.77%, followed by Engineering Leadership at 17.51%. The field of consulting has also seen remarkable growth, with its representation nearly doubling from 3.1% to 5.65% of overall professional outcomes. Abhimanyu Saxena, Co-founder of Scaler, expressed enthusiasm about the report's findings, highlighting the transformation occurring in Tier-II cities, among women professionals, and across diverse functions. He remarked, "AI is forging new opportunities for career advancement and enabling professionals to secure better compensation. While discussions around AI often focus on job displacement, our findings reveal a different narrative: for those who embrace AI skills, this technology is a creator of opportunities, not a threat to jobs. Each year, India's AI talent landscape becomes more inclusive, widespread, and impactful."