Women report an average 145% salary jump after moving into AI-enabled careers: Report
Based on data from 11,444 professionals, India AI Workforce Report 2026 by Scaler shows that AI is emerging as a key driver of workforce transformation in India.
In its latest India AI Workforce Report 2026, AI-native technology company Scaler has revealed that AI is creating opportunities for women well beyond technical roles.
Women are increasingly adopting AI across functions such as HR, academia, and marketing, with those moving into AI-enabled careers reporting an average 145% salary increase. Among them, female QA engineers record the most significant gains, with salaries jumping by 574%.
Based on insights from 11,444 professionals, the report suggests AI is evolving from a specialised technical skill into a core workplace capability. As organisations incorporate AI across functions, more than half of AI-related career opportunities now extend beyond software development into leadership, consulting, operations, marketing, finance, and other business roles.
The report also highlights a widening talent pool, with growing participation from non-technical professionals and learners from Tier-II cities. It also points out to women entering high-growth AI careers. From women breaking into technology roles once considered out of reach to learners in cities such as Lucknow, Patna, Jaipur, Indore, Chengalpattu, Coimbatore, and Nagpur, AI education is creating new pathways into the workforce.
The data further shows that AI upskilling is translating into significant salary growth across experience levels. While early-career professionals are recording the highest percentage salary gains, experienced professionals are securing the highest absolute pay.
The findings show that AI is no longer just a career accelerator for young professionals. It is increasingly enabling career growth, transitions, and upskilling across industries.
Some of the key insights of the report include:
- Nearly 25% learners now come from non-technical fields.
- Nearly 50% of AI-enabled careers go beyond traditional engineering roles and spn leadership, consulting, HR, marketing, finance, academia and other business functions
- Women report an average 145% salary jump after moving into AI-enabled careers, while female QA engineers record the sharpest gains at 574%.
- Bengaluru leads the AI talent landscape with 19%, followed by Pune, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Chennai
- Nearly 1 in 5 AI learners now comes from Tier-II cities such as Lucknow, Jaipur, Patna, Indore, Coimbatore, Nagpur and more.
- With AI, upskilling professionals report an average salary increase of 147%, and early-career professionals see growth of 155%.
- AI is opening up new opportunities in consulting, with the share of professionals moving into consulting roles rising from 3.1% among entry-level learners to 5.65% across overall career outcomes.
- Software engineer remains the most common AI career outcome, accounting for 34.77% of professionals, followed by engineering leadership roles at 17.51%.
- Engineering leaders, including VPs and CXOs, command the highest post-upskilling salaries, with average annual compensation of Rs 33 lakh.
Abhimanyu Saxena, Co-founder, Scaler, said, “What excites us most about this report is where real transformation is taking root: in Tier II cities, among women professionals, and across functions far beyond engineering. AI is creating new pathways to opportunity, accelerating career growth, and enabling professionals to command a stronger compensation outcome. At a time when much of the conversation around AI focuses on job displacement, the findings tell a different story. For those who embrace AI skills, the technology is proving to be a creator of opportunity, and not a destroyer of jobs.”