71% Of Indian Tech Talent Wants AI Training, 29% Get It: Talent500 Report

Only 29% of India’s tech professionals are getting hands-on AI skill development, despite 71% considering it important, according to Talent500’s latest report.

The findings of the study titled What Talent Wants 2026 point to a gap between employees’ expectations and what organisations deliver as AI changes the skills required across the technology workforce.

The report surveyed 2,000 technology, product and data professionals across India to understand their workplace expectations, career priorities and decisions when evaluating employers.

The findings also suggest that candidates are researching employers well before applying for jobs. About 92% of respondents research companies on LinkedIn before applying, while 81% visit company websites or careers pages. Another 31% use AI assistants to research potential employers.

“Candidates arrive with more information, more questions and more ways to validate what an employer tells them. For employers, that changes the job. It is no longer enough to have a strong opportunity. The things talent values must also be clear, credible and visible before candidates are asked to commit,” said Vikram Ahuja, co-founder of ANSR and CEO of 1Wrk.

Career growth emerged as a major factor in candidate decisions. Some 87% of respondents said clear information about career growth was very important when evaluating an employer. Meanwhile, 79% said they would withdraw an application or decline an offer if a clear career path was missing.

The report also found that employees and former employees have greater credibility with jobseekers than company leadership content. Former employees were the most trusted source of employer information, cited by 48% of respondents, followed by LinkedIn posts from current employees at 44%.

Global Capability Centres (GCCs) emerged as the preferred destination for the next career move, with 69% of respondents choosing a multinational’s GCC. Indian product companies followed at 37%, IT services firms at 28% and local or regional employers at 21%.

However, only 36% of GCC employees described their career path as very clear, compared with 50% in IT services and 51% in startups. Career growth was the leading factor when evaluating a specific GCC opportunity, cited by 48% of respondents, followed by the global parent brand at 41%, India centre leadership and culture at 36%, AI and technology exposure at 33%, and compensation at 17%.

The report also found that 56% of respondents considered a prospective manager’s professional profile very important when evaluating an opportunity. Half said limited visibility into leadership could discourage them from pursuing a role.

The findings come as many technology professionals remain open to changing jobs. Some 59% were actively looking for their next role, while only 18% said they were firmly settled. Among professionals with 12 or more years of experience, 91% would consider a move, compared with 72% of those with fewer than 3 years of experience.

Ahuja said the report could help employers understand where they need to differentiate to attract and retain talent, particularly as multinational companies continue to build their GCC presence in India.