As major tech firms, consultancy agencies, global capability centres, and companies in IT services and software products ramp up their operations in the country, there is a notable trend of “aggressive” hiring for specialised roles in AI trust and safety. This surge comes as they focus intensively on the privacy, accountability, and governance dimensions of AI, according to leading recruitment experts.
Firms like Infosys, KPMG, and Accenture are emphasizing the critical need for such expertise. Hiring for these positions has witnessed a substantial rise of 36% year-over-year, and the demand for AI trust and safety professionals is projected to increase by 25-30% by 2025, data from Teamlease Digital indicates.
Quess IT Staffing anticipates a 15-25% increase in hiring for these specialized roles this year and expects a cumulative growth of 30-40% over the next 1-2 years.
The job market is seeing a demand for professionals such as trust and safety specialists, AI safety data scientists, responsible AI analysts, AI policy advisors, ethical AI researchers, AI ethics specialists, data privacy officers, AI risk analysts, as well as responsible AI and AI governance managers, according to staffing experts.
For instance, Infosys has set up a dedicated responsible AI unit to take the lead on auditing, governance practices, and advanced monitoring techniques for AI technologies. “With the rapid acceleration of AI adoption and the shifting regulatory environment, the significance of specialized roles focused on AI responsibility has never been more pronounced. Over the last two years, we have greatly expanded our team and continue to invest in bringing in specialists,” stated Balakrishna DR, executive vice-president, global services head for AI and industry verticals at Infosys.
In a similar vein, KPMG has a responsible AI team operating in India and is looking to expand, according to partner Akhilesh Tuteja. He remarked that there is a need for “multidisciplinary thinkers capable of navigating the complexities of AI beyond conventional software development.”
The consulting firm is specifically searching for experts in areas such as AI governance & risk management, ethical AI & policy formulation, and AI security & privacy. “Responsible AI fosters the trust necessary for the widespread adoption of AI, which in turn leads to accelerated innovation and value creation,” said Arnab Chakraborty, chief responsible AI officer at Accenture, noting that enhanced customer satisfaction, loyalty, product quality, and talent retention hinge on this trust.
“Possessing the right talent is crucial,” he added, underlining the necessity for individuals who can establish AI governance and principles, perform AI risk evaluations, enable systematic responsible AI testing, ensure ongoing compliance and monitoring, and mitigate the impacts on the workforce, sustainability, privacy, and security.
“While the adoption of AI is soaring at an unparalleled pace, there are accompanying concerns relating to bias, misinformation, security, and compliance,” stated Krishna Vij, VP of TeamLease Digital. “Organizations are beginning to recognize that ethical and responsible AI is essential for business, rather than just a regulatory formality.”
Factors such as evolving global regulations, collaborative industry efforts for AI risk mitigation, and the growing emphasis from consumers and businesses on ethical AI are key drivers, Vij observed. He added that this is not merely a temporary trend; over the next 3-5 years, these roles will become vital as AI regulations develop and companies integrate AI more fully into their operations.
“At the current pace of AI acceptance and its emergence into mainstream operations, we anticipate a 50-70% increase in demand for talent in this sector over the coming year, with a potential for a doubling of demand within two years,” remarked Kamal Karanth, co-founder of Xpheno.
Beyond technology
Moreover, it’s not just technology companies driving this demand; various enterprises and global capability centres in sectors like BFSI, healthcare, telecom, and retail are actively seeking such talent, experts pointed out. The focus on compliance and risk management is a significant factor fueling this demand, according to Kapil Joshi, CEO of Quess IT Staffing.
“In the BFSI sector alone, we expect demand to rise by 25-30% due to concerns over data privacy and algorithmic bias. The healthcare, retail, and manufacturing sectors are also experiencing steady upticks, with expected increases of 20-25% over the next 1-2 years as they embrace AI while tackling ethical issues,” he said.
Firms in the healthcare sector utilising AI for diagnostics and drug discovery require effective governance structures to prevent errors that could result in life-altering repercussions, noted Vij. Retail and e-commerce businesses are also investing in AI safety roles to combat misinformation and algorithmic bias in product recommendations.
In short supply
“While India’s talent pool for AI trust and safety is growing, the soaring demand is still outstripping supply, with 79% of employers reporting difficulties in finding suitable candidates,” stated Joshi, who emphasised the need for investment in specialised education and training programs to bridge the gap.
Given that direct experience is difficult to find, Vij mentioned firms may consider applicants with backgrounds in data science, AI ethics, cybersecurity and risk management, law and compliance, as well as behavioural science and policy research. They are also collaborating with universities to create governance programs for AI and upskilling initiatives.
Talent from adjacent fields such as information security, data privacy, quality testing, and policy management can transition into becoming specialists in AI trust and safety, highlighted Karanth.
