Electronics
AI is Transforming Engineering Careers: Why 85% of Indian Engineers Are Racing to Upskill
In a world that’s shifting faster than ever, cold numbers often tell the first part of the story. This Engineers’ Day, a new survey reveals that 67% of Indian engineers admit artificial intelligence is already reshaping their roles, with a striking 85% gearing up to upgrade their skills in the coming year. But behind these stats is a deeper, more personal narrative—one that echoes in the corridors of tech offices, late-night online learning sessions, and the quiet ambitions of young professionals. As someone working at the crossroads of engineering and content creation, I’ve witnessed firsthand how AI’s touch can be both exhilarating and unsettling. Colleagues whose roles once seemed defined and secure now speak about upskilling, side projects, or even total career pivots. I remember the first time I realized an AI tool could write code snippets or generate content drafts faster than I could—it was an awakening, but also a challenge to adapt and reinvent. Today, what started as cautious curiosity has evolved into a relentless pursuit to not just keep up, but stay ahead. And this pursuit, fueled by self-reflection and collective action, is now sweeping across the engineering community in India.
Engineers Are Racing to Upskill: Why AI Is the Catalyst
The 2026 Great Learning survey, released to mark Engineers’ Day, paints a vivid picture of seismic change coursing through the Indian engineering landscape. No longer a distant promise or threat, artificial intelligence is already at the heart of how engineers work—affecting not just tech giants in Bengaluru or Hyderabad, but every engineer, from startups to power plants. A remarkable 85% of engineers reported active or passive job-seeking this year, driven primarily by aspirations for healthier work-life balance, concerns about job security, and the fear of career stagnation.
But it’s upskilling that’s taken center stage. AI and Machine Learning top the list of domains Indian engineers are eager to master, followed closely by data science, analytics, software development, and cloud computing. Skills like generative AI, agentic AI, Python, and NLP (Natural Language Processing) are now in high demand, mirroring global job trends. The overwhelming preference for short-term, results-oriented programs—with two-thirds favoring under-six-month certificates over traditional multi-year degrees—marks a clear shift. Social platforms such as LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter) are abuzz with posts about upskilling milestones, shared badges from online courses, and threads discussing which AI certification really counts. “Just received my advanced AI certificate—never thought learning would become a monthly routine, but here we are!” tweeted one Bengaluru-based software engineer, capturing a popular sentiment.
Beyond credentials, the motivators are deeply pragmatic: career growth (20%), financial gain (20%), new opportunities (12%), and the desire to stay relevant in a landscape that’s constantly disrupted (11%). For many, AI is not just a technology but a passport to a secure, dynamic future. Each success story and every anxious LinkedIn post underlines the anxiety—and excitement—of this transition.
Industry leaders echo this urgency. According to the survey, the aerospace and manufacturing sectors, in particular, are witnessing engineers pivoting to AI-powered skills to remain indispensable. The growing popularity of certificates from Indian and global institutions underscores a preference for agile, job-ready learning. This isn’t just shaping personal career trajectories; it’s fortifying India’s claim to global tech leadership.
The Indian engineer today is no longer just a builder of systems—they are architects of transformation, actively preparing to lead India into an AI-driven decade. This collective focus on upskilling and adaptability demonstrates not only awareness of disruption but also an undeniable commitment to growth and innovation. As AI redraws professional boundaries, Indian engineers are ensuring they’re ahead of the curve, proving that real progress lies in the will to evolve.
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15 September 2025
15 September 2025
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