Leading artificial intelligence companies, including OpenAI, Anthropic, and Perplexity, are expanding into India to tap into its burgeoning tech talent pool. These firms are initiating their local operations by hiring engineers, researchers, product specialists, and sales professionals, primarily from tech startups and global capability centers (GCCs). This influx of global players is expected to intensify competition for skilled professionals in India's major tech hubs such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Delhi-NCR.
Despite India's strong IT workforce, experts highlight a significant gap in specialized AI expertise. Neeti Sharma, CEO of TeamLease Digital, notes that the senior tech talent pool in the country is limited, and the skills required by AI giants are relatively new. Consequently, these companies may need to hire laterally and invest in training to build their own talent pipelines. Most of India's AI workforce is currently engaged in services roles, with advanced, specialized AI engineering talent being scarce.
To address this shortage, AI firms are focusing on hiring from top-tier institutions like IITs and NITs, as well as from other product companies in India. OpenAI plans to establish its first office in New Delhi by the end of 2025, initially focusing on senior sales and client-facing positions, with technical and research roles to follow. Perplexity is targeting hires in business development and partnerships, eventually expanding into engineering, while Anthropic is set to open its Bengaluru office in early 2026, starting with a country head and sales roles before building an applied AI and technical team.
This surge in demand for AI talent is expected to lead to a reshuffling within the tech ecosystem, as professionals transition between startups, GCCs, and global AI firms. The competition for skilled AI professionals is intensifying, and companies may need to adopt innovative strategies to attract and retain top talent in this rapidly evolving field.
