India’s AI Confidence Paradox: Engineers Feel Ready, Skills Fall Short

A new Scaler-CyberMedia Research study reveals a stark "AI confidence-capability gap" among Indian engineers: 89% claim AI readiness, but only 19% have hands-on experience building AI/ML systems, threatening the nation's tech workforce edge.

Illusion of Preparedness

Surveying 400 engineers and recruiters, the report shows engineers often mistake API usage or basic AI exposure for true expertise in model training, deployment, and scalable infrastructure. Recruiters demand proof through live coding, project demos, and production experience over certifications.

Organizational Hurdles

55% cite workload pressures leaving no upskilling time; 49% point to training costs. India's service-based IT model prioritizes billable hours over experimentation, trapping mid-career professionals between deadlines and reinvention needs.

Gender Divide Emerges

Women engineers face acute barriers: 65% report work-life imbalances curbing learning; 56% lack AI mentors/role models. Without structured pipelines, AI's rise risks widening senior-level representation gaps and stalling career mobility.

Recruitment Shifts

86% of recruiters struggle sourcing genuine AI talent, tightening criteria with technical tests and simulations. "Evidence-of-work" now trumps resumes, sidelining theoretical skills in a market valuing deployment over declarations.

Path Forward

The study urges corporate learning time allocations, subsidized advanced training, and institutionalized mentorship—especially for underrepresented groups—to convert ambition into global competitiveness. AI demands systemic overhaul, not individual effort alone.

This paradox challenges India's engineering export model amid NEP 2020's tech-education push, signaling urgency for skill-depth over scale.