New Delhi, Mar 20 (IANS): There are 45,000 Artificial Intelligence (AI) job openings in India, with data scientists and Machine Learning (ML) engineers being among the most sought-after careers, according to a report on Monday.

The report by TeamLease Digital, a tech staffing firm, is based on a thorough analysis of AI's potential in some of the selected industries. The report examined the key job roles and AI uses in these industries, demonstrating the increased demand for AI career aspirants and professionals specialised in AI.

The report highlights that increased focus on scalable ML applications is leading to an increase in demand for AI professionals proficient in scripting languages, and building conventional ML models will be the foremost skill required for a career in AI.

It finds a wide variety of key job roles in the AI landscape across major industries, including healthcare (clinical data analyst, medical imaging specialist, health informatics analyst, among others), education (edtech product manager, AI learning architect, AI curriculum developer, chatbot developer, etc), BFSI (fraud analyst, credit risk analyst, compliance specialist), manufacturing (industrial data scientist, QC analyst, process automation specialist, robotics engineer, among others) and retail (retail data analyst, IT process modeller, digital imaging leader, and others).

According to the report, data and ML engineers can earn up to Rs 14 lakh per annum, while data architects can get up to Rs 12 lakh. In addition, candidates with eight years of experience in similar fields can earn even higher salaries ranging from Rs 25 to 45 lakh per annum.

"The AI revolution is transforming the job market, creating an urgent need for skilled professionals who can design, develop, and implement cutting-edge AI technologies," said Sunil Chemmankotil, Chief Executive Officer, TeamLease Digital, in a statement.

"In today's rapidly evolving job market, upskilling with AI skills is becoming increasingly important for career growth and employability. With automation and AI transforming industries across the board, having a basic understanding of AI and its applications can give individuals a competitive edge in the job market. It's never too late to start upskilling, and investing in AI skills can provide long-term benefits for individuals and their careers," added Siva Prasad Nanduri, Chief Business Officer, at TeamLease Digital.

According to a survey conducted by TeamLease Digital, 37 per cent of organisations prefer to provide their employees with relevant tools to build an AI-ready workforce, and 30 per cent of organisations stated AI learning initiatives are mandatory to unlock hidden talents in the workforce. About 56 per cent of organisations also expressed that necessary initiatives are being undertaken to fill the AI demand-supply talent gap.