The pay gap between specialised artificial intelligence (AI) roles and routine support positions is widening in India, according to TeamLease Digital's Digital Skills & Salary Primer 2026-27. The report says the difference is most visible at entry level, where AI-core jobs pay 2.5-3 times more than AI-support roles.
The divide reflects the type of work involved. AI-core positions focus on building and owning intelligent systems, while AI-support roles cover more routine work linked to AI operations. The report attributes the widening salary difference to a shortage of specialised talent.
Why AI-core skills carry a premium
The findings separate the AI workforce into roles with different levels of technical ownership and expertise. Positions responsible for creating and managing intelligent systems sit at the higher-paid end of that divide. Support roles, by contrast, are associated with routine AI-related work.
That distinction matters for people entering the sector because the starting-pay difference is already substantial. The report's comparison indicates that deeper AI expertise is being rewarded well before a worker moves into more senior positions.
What the report indicates about India's AI jobs market
TeamLease Digital links the pay gap to the limited supply of specialised talent. As demand for advanced capability outpaces the availability of workers with that expertise, AI-core roles are commanding a stronger salary premium than support positions.
The report therefore presents a divided picture of AI employment. Growth in AI-related work does not translate into equal pay across all roles. The value placed on a position depends heavily on whether it involves developing and owning intelligent systems or performing routine support functions.
For employers, the findings highlight the salary pressure associated with specialised recruitment. For workers, they show that the AI job market is differentiating between broad support experience and deeper technical capability.
Conclusion
TeamLease Digital's report identifies a widening entry-level pay divide in India's AI workforce. AI-core jobs receive the stronger premium, while a shortage of specialised talent is driving the difference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Which AI jobs have the higher entry-level pay?
AI-core roles have the higher entry-level pay, according to the TeamLease Digital report.
Q. How much more do AI-core roles pay?
AI-core roles command 2.5-3 times the entry-level pay of AI-support roles.
Q. What do AI-core roles involve?
They involve building and owning intelligent systems.
Q. What are AI-support roles?
They are routine roles connected with AI-related support work.
Q. Why is the AI salary gap widening in India?
The report attributes the widening gap to a shortage of specialised talent.
Q. Which report contains the salary comparison?
The comparison appears in TeamLease Digital's Digital Skills & Salary Primer 2026-27.
