New Delhi, Oct 16 : Demand for skills in artificial intelligence (AI) continues to grow across India, with 11.7 per cent of Indian job postings explicitly mentioning AI in their job descriptions in September, up from 10.6 per cent three months ago and 8.2 per cent a year ago, a report said on Thursday.

AI opportunities are concentrated in the tech sector but are increasingly widespread. Almost 39 per cent of data and analytics roles mention artificial intelligence, ahead of software development (23 per cent), insurance (18 per cent), and scientific research (17 per cent).

"Demand for skills in artificial intelligence is common across several engineering categories, led by industrial engineering (17 per cent), mechanical engineering (11 per cent) and electrical engineering (9.2 per cent)," Indeed Hiring Lab's report stated.

However, according to the report, despite an uptick in AI skill-related postings, Indian job postings on Indeed fell 0.8 per cent in the month, the sixth monthly decline this year, to be 16.2 per cent lower than a year ago.

Indian job postings are 69 per cent above pre-pandemic levels, but have fallen 22 per cent since their peak in January 2023.

Indeed's Senior Economist, APAC, Callam Pickering, said: "India ranks highly against other Indeed markets. Apart from India, only Singapore has a higher share of postings mentioning artificial intelligence. It's clear that many employers across India have gone all-in on artificial intelligence."

Every month, the Indian workforce gradually transitions towards more formal work arrangements. As the nation transitions, job creation across the formal sector will outpace overall employment growth nationwide.

This transition is also why job postings in India have been stronger than in other Indeed markets, both during the post-pandemic job boom and the subsequent slowdown, the report said.

As AI reshapes hiring priorities, the demand for specialised, high-skilled professionals has intensified. Many employers are seeking candidates proficient in AI-related tools such as data analytics and automation, skills that are not yet widely represented in the current talent pool, the report highlighted.

/IANS