Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming India’s technology landscape, creating significant demand for skilled AI engineers. This article explores the role of an AI engineer, salary insights, and the factors that influence their compensation.
The advent of artificial intelligence technology enhanced the productivity and efficiency rate exponentially, which enabled the tech to be swiftly adopted like a wildfire. In India, Government initiatives like “IndiaAI mission” combined with private sector investments, have propelled AI research and applications across various sectors, including healthcare, education, finance, and agriculture. Artificial Intelligence industry in India expands rapidly with a CAGR of 28.63% from 2024-2030. India’s AI market is to be worth $8 billion by 2025 and $28.36 billion by 2030.
What Does an AI Engineer Do?
An AI engineer is a tech professional who focuses on developing, implementing, and maintaining artificial intelligence systems. They’re the ones who take the theoretical work of data scientists and turn it into practical applications.
- Develop AI models: AI engineers build the algorithms and models that allow machines to learn from data, recognize patterns, and make decisions. This involves using machine learning and deep learning techniques.
- Write code: A significant part of their job involves coding in languages like Python, Java, and C++ to create AI applications.
- Work with data: AI engineers work closely with data to train their models. This includes collecting, cleaning, and preprocessing data to ensure its quality and accuracy.
- Deploy AI solutions: They’re responsible for deploying AI models into production environments, making them accessible for real-world use.
- Optimize AI systems: AI engineers constantly work to improve the efficiency and performance of AI systems. This involves fine-tuning models and optimizing code.
AI Engineers Salary Insights
AI engineers with generative AI skills saw a significant 50% increase in their salaries, as per research by AIM. At companies like Accenture, a generative developer can earn about ₹ 8.5 lakh per annum, compared to the ₹ 5-6 lakh that regular software engineers make. The average base salary for an AI engineer at Google is about ₹ 10.7 crore annually. The starting salary is about ₹ 12 LPA and can easily go up to ₹ 21.2 crore. Other big tech players like Microsoft and Amazon too offered a similar range.
AI Engineers salary in India reflects the high demand for this skill set. Salaries vary based on experience, skills, location, and the company.
- Entry-level AI Engineers: Can expect a starting salary ranging from ₹ 6 lakhs to ₹ 10 lakhs per annum. This is 33% to 122% increase than an average IT individual’s salary in India, according to Glassdoor website.
- Mid-level AI Engineers: With experience and expertise, salaries rise to between ₹ 10 lakhs to ₹ 20 lakhs annually.
- Senior AI professionals: With over five years of experience or in leadership, can command salaries upwards of ₹ 20 lakhs to ₹ 30 lakhs per annum, with some earning more.
- Experienced professionals: Can earn between ₹ 15 lakhs to ₹ 30 lakhs per annum in AI technology sectors.
Factors Influencing Salary
Several factors contribute to the variation in AI Engineers salary:
- Experience and Expertise: More experience and specialized skills lead to higher salaries.
- Location: Metropolitan cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Pune offer higher average salaries. For example, in Bangalore, salaries range from ₹ 10 lakhs to over ₹ 30 lakhs per annum, while in Hyderabad, salaries average between ₹ 9 lakhs to ₹ 28 lakhs annually. In Mumbai, salaries range from ₹ 9 lakhs to ₹ 27 lakhs annually. In New Delhi, the average salary is ₹13,08,158.
- Industry: Sectors heavily reliant on AI, such as IT, finance, healthcare, and e-commerce, tend to pay more.
- Education and Certifications: A higher degree in computer science or related fields and certifications in AI technologies can significantly impact salary.
- Company Size and Reputation: Large multinational corporations and successful startups often offer higher salaries. Global tech giants may offer salaries from ₹ 15 lakhs to over ₹ 40 lakhs annually, while Indian tech companies might offer between ₹ 7 lakhs to ₹ 20 lakhs per annum. Startups may offer between ₹ 10 lakhs to ₹ 30 lakhs, often with equity.
Average Salaries by City
| City | Average Salary Range (₹ per annum) |
| Bangalore | 10 lakhs to over 30 lakhs |
| Hyderabad | 9 lakhs to 28 lakhs |
| Pune | 8 lakhs to 25 lakhs |
| Mumbai | 9 lakhs to 27 lakhs |
| Delhi-NCR | 8 lakhs to 26 lakhs |
(The above-mentioned salary ranges are non-stationary and are extracted from Glassdoor.com)
Career Growth Opportunities
The field of AI offers diverse career advancement opportunities:
- Specialization in Cutting-edge AI Domains: Such as Machine Learning Engineering, Natural Language Processing (NLP), Robotics, and Computer Vision
- Leadership and Managerial Roles: Including AI Project Manager, Head of AI, and Chief AI Officer
- Research and Development: Such as AI Research Scientist and Data Scientist roles
- Consultancy and Advisory Services: Such as AI Consultant and Ethics and Policy Advisor for AI
A report by Gartner shows that by 2027, 80% of engineering employees will need to learn new skills to work with AI. This is because AI is changing the way software is developed, and new roles are emerging in the field of software engineering. India saw a 67% YoY rise in the AI-related jobs in 2024.
The Future of AI in India
The future of AI in India looks promising, with strong government support, rising investments, and a growing talent pool. The AI industry in India is poised for exponential growth, making it a great career path for AI engineers.
Salaries in Other Countries
AI Engineers in the USA (Silicon Valley), Canada, the UK, and Germany generally earn significantly more than their counterparts in India.
| Country | Entry-Level (₹ Equivalent) | Mid-Level (₹ Equivalent) | Senior-Level (₹ Equivalent) |
| USA (Silicon Valley) | 82 to 98 lakhs | 98 to 147 lakhs | 147 lakhs to 204+ lakhs |
| Canada | 42 to 55 lakhs | 55 to 80 lakhs | 80 to 110+ lakhs |
| United Kingdom | 30 to 40 lakhs | 40 to 70 lakhs | 70 to 120+ lakhs |
| Germany | 40 to 54 lakhs | 54 to 76 lakhs | 76 to 108+ lakhs |
AI engineering in India offers lucrative career opportunities, driven by high demand, government initiatives, and increasing investment in AI technologies. As AI continues to grow, the prospects for AI Engineers are bright, with competitive salaries and diverse career pathways.
Key Takeaways
- AI engineers in India earn significantly more than other IT professionals, with salaries ranging from ₹6 lakhs to over ₹30 lakhs per annum.
- Salaries vary based on experience, skills, location, and the company, with metropolitan cities like Bangalore offering the highest pay.
- Generative AI skills can lead to a 50% salary increase.
- The AI industry in India is rapidly growing with government support and is projected to be worth $28.36 billion by 2030.
- AI offers diverse career opportunities including specialization, leadership roles, research, and consultancy.
- AI Engineers in other countries like the USA, Canada, the UK, and Germany earn significantly more than those in India.
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