AI is no longer limited to tech: The growing demand for AI-enabled talent in business roles
By Varun Satia, Founder, Kraftshala School of Business
Artificial intelligence was once seen as a specialised technological capability, mainly in the fields of engineers, data scientists, and software teams. But now AI is no longer limited to the IT or tech sector; it is being used across industries and functions such as research and operations, advertising and marketing, business functions and finance, human resources and consulting, and more.
According to the India AI Workforce Report 2026, released by AI-native technology company Scaler, nearly 25 per cent of AI learners come from non-engineering fields, while more than half of AI-enabled career outcomes are emerging outside traditional engineering roles. AI is becoming a workforce-wide capability spanning leadership, consulting, finance, marketing, human resources, operations, and academia as it creates new career pathways, drives significant salary growth, and expands opportunities. This shift has gradually transformed career opportunities and hiring patterns.
The real change is not that AI is replacing people but that people who know how to work with AI are becoming more valuable. Today, employers do not only focus on domain expertise, but they also evaluate whether the professional can make it more effective, efficient, and faster by using AI. AI fluency is now becoming a workplace layer, in the same way that spreadsheets, email, and presentation tools once became a basic workplace requirement.
The impact is especially clear at the entry level. Entry-level hiring has climbed 168% between 2023 and 2025 as AI-focused roles and internships gain ground. With AI tools, a young professional can research faster, draft content, analyze information, and support workflows that once required multiple people. That does not mean that entry-level jobs are disappearing. It means that the definition of entry-level value is changing, and Artificial Intelligence is a part of that change because people who know how to work with Artificial Intelligence are becoming more valuable in the workplace.
This creates a challenge for companies as well. AI adoption is rising faster than AI-ready talent. Businesses want workers who can use AI effectively, but many candidates are still catching up. That gap is forcing employers to rethink hiring, training, and performance expectations at the same time. The real issue is not just access to AI tools, but the ability to use them well in real business settings.
A recent report by Cognizant and Pearson serves as a wake-up call for Indian youth and traditional educational institutions. The joint report, The AI Workforce Pulse, highlights that entry-level jobs in India are adopting AI at a faster pace than in several developed economies. It also points to growing demand for AI-skilled talent and rising salary premiums for professionals who can combine domain expertise with AI capabilities. The trend is no longer limited to technology roles, with AI adoption expanding across a growing number of business functions. This signals that AI is rapidly evolving from a specialist technology skill into a mainstream workforce capability that is reshaping careers across industries.
An ICRIER study found that 63% of firms reported increased demand for candidates who combine domain expertise with AI and data capabilities. The signal is clear. Employers are not replacing business skills with AI skills. They are rewarding professionals who can bring both together. The marketer who understands consumers and can use AI to move faster is more valuable. The salesperson who combines relationship-building with AI-driven insights creates greater impact. The future belongs to hybrid talent.
However, many young professionals still view AI as a threat rather than an opportunity. While AI adoption is accelerating, workforce readiness is not keeping pace. Organisations are deploying tools at scale, but the talent to use them productively is lagging. This gap is likely to become one of the defining workforce challenges of the decade. The issue is no longer access to AI. It is developing professionals who can apply it responsibly and in alignment with business objectives.
Sales and marketing are among the clearest examples of this shift. These functions are already seeing real impact from Generative AI. Sales teams are using AI for prospect research, outreach drafts, call summaries, and follow-ups. Marketing teams are using it for content ideas, campaign planning, audience analysis, and performance tracking. The biggest gain is not just automation. It is the ability to move faster while staying consistent and relevant.
Every major technological shift eventually changes the definition of talent. AI is doing exactly that. The professionals who thrive in the coming years will not necessarily be those with the deepest technical expertise. They will be those who can combine strong business fundamentals with AI-enabled execution.
The question is no longer whether AI will become part of business roles. That shift has already happened. The message is clear now: AI is no longer a future buzzword, but it is a present workplace reality. The professionals who are adding AI literacy and fluency to their domains are becoming more employable, more adaptive, and more valuable.