More than half of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) professionals in India are bracing for potential job cuts. A recent survey indicates a significant portion of the workforce expects layoffs or substantial headcount reductions within their teams in the coming three to six months, despite continued company investment in AI technologies.
Widespread Uncertainty in Tech Workforce
The survey, conducted by workplace community platform Blind in July 2026, polled 1,552 India-based professionals. It found that 66% of AI and ML workers foresee a layoff or significant reduction in their team's headcount in the near future. This highlights a growing sense of instability within the technology sector.
The apprehension about job cuts isn't confined solely to AI specialists. Sales and marketing professionals reported the highest layoff expectations at 68%, closely followed by AI and ML at 66%, and product and design roles at 65%. This suggests that even in rapidly expanding tech areas like AI, job security is not guaranteed, as companies increasingly prioritize productivity enhancements and cost management.
Engineers Show Less Concern
Interestingly, engineers expressed considerably lower levels of worry compared to other functions. Only 24% of engineers believed a job cut was "very likely," making them the least concerned group in the survey. Overall, 58% of engineers reported some level of "at-risk" sentiment, which was still below the survey average. Similarly, data and analytics professionals showed relative confidence, with an at-risk sentiment of 51%, and four in ten in this segment considering layoffs unlikely.
Company-Specific Risks Vary
- Higher Risk Perception: Workers at Salesforce reported the highest perceived risk at 81%, followed by Oracle (80%), Uber (77%), and PayPal (75%).
- Lower Risk Perception: Indian SaaS companies appeared at the opposite end, with Zoho reporting only 9% perceived risk and Freshworks at 44%.
Warning Signs and Talent Paradox
Many professionals are not waiting for formal layoff announcements. The survey revealed that 27% identified hiring freezes as the strongest warning signal, while 24% pointed to budget or headcount-target reductions. Only 9% cited formal layoff announcements as their primary indicator.
These findings emerge amidst a paradoxical situation where demand for AI skills in India continues to surge. A separate analysis by Randstad Digital indicated that India accounted for 20.5% of global AI technology job postings, second only to the US. Demand for AI-skilled developers in India has risen by over 660% since early 2021, underscoring a significant talent gap even as existing workers face uncertainty.