One in four AI learners from non-tech backgrounds in India: Report

by Hansraj Agrawal | Jun 18, 2026 | Technology

One in every four Indians learning artificial intelligence (AI) now comes from a non-technical background and one in five belongs to Tier-II cities, a new study has found, indicating that AI is rapidly evolving from a specialist technology skill into a mainstream workforce capability and reshaping careers across industries.

According to the India AI Workforce Report 2026, released by AI-native technology company Scaler on Thursday, nearly 25 per cent of AI learners come from non-engineering fields, while around 50 per cent of AI-enabled career outcomes are emerging outside traditional engineering roles.

The study, based on data from 11,444 professionals across India, claimed that AI is becoming a workforce-wide capability, with professionals across industries using it to improve productivity, accelerate career progression and create new opportunities.

“AI is no longer a tool only for software engineers and technology teams. While much of the global discourse around AI focuses on the threat of job losses, the analysis suggests it is creating opportunities rather than destroying jobs. The technology is becoming a catalyst for career growth,” said Abhimanyu Saxena, co-founder of Scaler.

The report revealed that AI upskilling has led to an average salary increase of 147 per cent across experience levels. Early-career professionals reported the highest percentage gains, with salary growth averaging 155 per cent. Professionals with six to nine years of experience saw average compensation increase by 140 per cent, while those with nine to 12 years of experience reported average salaries touching ₹38 lakh annually after AI upskilling.

It was also found to be reshaping India’s leadership pipeline, as 27 per cent of those with AI knowledge attained leadership roles, including engineering, data science and data engineering leadership positions. Learners moving into leadership positions were also found to command some of the highest salaries, with vice-presidents, CXOs and engineering leaders earning average annual compensation of around ₹33 lakh after AI-focused learning.

Software engineering remains the most common AI career outcome, accounting for nearly 35 per cent of placements and career transitions. Consulting has emerged as another major beneficiary of AI adoption, with the share of consulting outcomes nearly doubling from 3.1 per cent among learners to 5.65 per cent among post-upskilling professional outcomes.

Beyond career growth, the study also found a significant democratisation of AI talent across the country. While Bengaluru continues to lead India’s AI ecosystem with 19 per cent of learners, followed by Pune, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Chennai, the AI talent pipeline is expanding significantly into smaller cities.

“Nearly one in five AI learners now comes from Tier-II cities such as Lucknow, Jaipur, Patna, Indore, Coimbatore, Chengalpattu and Nagpur. Access to AI education and remote work opportunities is helping bridge the historical gap between metropolitan and non-metropolitan talent pools,” the report stated.

The study also highlighted the growing role of women in India’s AI economy. Women are steadily leveraging AI skills to break into technology and business roles that were previously less accessible. Women professionals who transitioned into AI-enabled careers reported an average salary increase of 145 per cent.

Women working as quality assurance engineers reported salary jumps of as much as 574 per cent following AI upskilling. Significant gains were also recorded among women in engineering leadership, machine learning engineering, backend engineering and data science roles. They were also found to be helping expand AI’s influence across non-engineering functions.

The report argued that India is uniquely positioned to emerge as a global AI talent powerhouse due to its large technology workforce, thriving digital ecosystem and young population eager to embrace new skills. AI learning is creating a workforce that is more diverse, more inclusive and capable of driving innovation across industries.

“What excites us most about the study is that the 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 stronger compensation outcomes,” Saxena added.

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D-Street extends rally for 5th session as softer crude, India-UK FTA optimism offset US Fed hawkish tone

by Hansraj Agrawal | Jun 18, 2026 | Business

Dalal Street extended its winning streak to a fifth consecutive session on Thursday as late buying in banking and financial stocks helped benchmark indices overcome weakness in information technology shares.

Lower crude oil prices following progress on the US-Iran peace deal and optimism surrounding the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) supported sentiment, while IT stocks remained under pressure after the US Federal Reserve’s hawkish remarks signalled the possibility of a rate hike later this year, with investors watching for Accenture Q3 results.

After a subdued start and range-bound trading for most of the session, the Sensex rose 254.36 points or 0.33 per cent to close at 77,409.98, while the Nifty 50 gained 82.30 points or 0.34 per cent to settle at 24,168.00. Both benchmarks soared 4.3-4.8 per cent in the last five sessions.

Today, Bank Nifty advanced 0.66 per cent to close at 57,963.80, while PSU Bank, private bank and financial indices also ended higher.

Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Investments, said domestic equities traded within a range as optimism surrounding the US-Iran peace deal was tempered by hawkish remarks from the US Federal Reserve. He added that a sustained decline in crude oil prices and moderation in Indian bond yields could offset inflationary concerns in the second half of FY27, with market participants awaiting further clarity on the peace agreement.

“Banking stocks outperformed, supported by expectations of strong credit growth and the sector’s attractive valuations,” Nair added.

Vikram Kasat, Head Advisory at PL Capital, said strong domestic buying helped offset initial caution triggered by the US Fed’s stance, with heavyweights such as HDFC Bank and Reliance Industries providing support to the benchmarks.

Nifty IT index shed over 1 per cent in today’s session. The sector, which derives a significant portion of its revenue from the US market, came under pressure after the Fed’s hawkish commentary heightened concerns over a higher-for-longer interest rate environment.

Broader markets outperform; Infosys, TCS, Tech Mahindra top losers

Broader markets outperformed the benchmark indices, with both midcap and smallcap indices gaining around 0.4 per cent. The India VIX declined nearly 4 per cent and slipped below the 13 mark.

Sectorally, healthcare and realty stocks posted notable gains, while metal and IT were the only major indices to end lower.

Among the Nifty 50 constituents, Max Healthcare, IndiGo, Adani Enterprises, Trent, Bharat Electronics, HDFC Bank and SBI led the gainers. On the losing side were Infosys, Tata Consumer Products, Tech Mahindra and TCS.

Among banking counters, HDFC Bank, SBI, Yes Bank, Union Bank and IDFC First Bank led the gains.

Market breadth remained firmly positive. Of the 4,419 stocks traded on the BSE, 2,419 advanced, 1,814 declined and 186 remained unchanged. As many as 162 stocks hit their 52-week highs, while 46 touched fresh 52-week lows.

In the broader market, Nykaa, ICICI AMC, Adani Total Gas and BHEL rose between 3 per cent and 6 per cent in the midcap segment. Among smallcaps, Redington, Five-Star Business Finance, Star Health and CDSL gained 4-9 per cent, while IDBI Bank and IFCI declined up to 8 per cent.

On the BSE, Indo Count Industries, Bata India and KPR Mill emerged as the standout performers, rallying 14-19 per cent during the session.

Lower crude, FTA optimism keep sentiment buoyant

Investor sentiment remained supported by easing oil prices amid expectations of smoother crude supplies following progress on the US-Iran peace agreement. Optimism surrounding the implementation of the India-UK FTA also continued to aid market sentiment.

Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money, said improving global risk sentiment and lower energy costs outweighed concerns stemming from the Federal Reserve’s cautious policy outlook. He noted that expectations of the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz have strengthened hopes of improved oil flows, reducing pressure on energy markets.

The rupee also extended its gains, supported by easing geopolitical tensions and lower concerns over India’s import bill and inflation outlook.

Global markets were mixed. Asian equities ended on a mixed note, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 and South Korea’s Kospi posting gains, while China’s Shanghai Composite and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng closed lower. European markets traded mixed.

Overnight, Wall Street ended sharply lower after the FOMC outcome. The Dow Jones, S&P 500 and Nasdaq each declined around 1 per cent, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq falling 1.3 per cent.

However, the sentiment remains supportive, with US Dow Futures and European indices trading positive, Sunny Agrawal, Head – Fundamental Research at SBI Securities, said.

Looking ahead, investors will closely track monsoon progress, inflation trends and foreign fund flows for further market direction. Ankur Punj, Managing Director and Business Head at Equirus Wealth, said foreign institutional investor activity and the progress of the monsoon could remain key factors influencing sentiment in the medium term.

On Wednesday, Sensex climbed 347.14 points to end at 77,155.62, and Nifty 50 gained 96.55 points to 24,085.70.

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Published on June 18, 2026

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GenAI may add $14-17 bn to real estate GVA over next seven years: Report

by Hansraj Agrawal | Jun 18, 2026 | Technology

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) could add $14-17 billion to the real estate sector’s gross value added (GVA) over the next seven years, equivalent to a 3-4 per cent uplift in real estate value, according to a joint report by EY-Parthenon and Credai.

Developers could see a 30-50 per cent improvement in sales velocity and around 30 per cent faster product launches with the help of GenAI.

The report also finds that GenAI can cut deal evaluation time by about 50 per cent, reduce land-closure turnaround time by 30-35 per cent, and enable 2.5x more deals to be evaluated through automated feasibility modelling, seller assessment, and internal rate of return (IRR)/return on investment (ROI) scenario generation.

These possibilities stem from AI-driven customer intelligence, automated design workflows, and predictive project monitoring, signalling a shift from scale-driven operations to a more intelligence-led approach to real estate, the report said.

Further, early adopters could experience strong operational benefits, including a 20-50 per cent improvement in workforce productivity, 20-50 per cent lower customer acquisition costs, and decision cycles that may compress from “months to weeks or days”.

The report noted that such advancements have the potential to reshape how developers assess feasibility, plan projects, manage construction, and engage with customers.

Chaitanya Seth, partner, real estate practice, EY-Parthenon India, said, “We see GenAI-led transformation unlocking 2-3x enterprise value within the short to medium term, by compressing land-to-launch cycles by 20-30 per cent, driving 30 per cent-plus sales acceleration, and delivering a 5-20 per cent step change in efficiency across cost and timelines.”

Seth emphasised that this is not about incremental digitisation; rather, it is about rewiring the operating model, redefining customer experience, strengthening brand advocacy, and building brands that scale faster and sell smarter.

Shekhar Patel, president, Credai, said, “The next phase of growth in Indian real estate will be driven not only by scale, but increasingly by intelligence, speed, and the ability to make better decisions across the project lifecycle. Going forward, the focus should be on harnessing these capabilities to build a smarter, more efficient, and resilient real estate sector that can deliver greater value to homebuyers and support India’s urban growth ambitions.”

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Nifty extends winning streak to fifth day; banks, healthcare stocks lead gains

by Hansraj Agrawal | Jun 18, 2026 | Share Market

The benchmark indices extended their gains for a fifth consecutive session on Thursday, supported by easing crude oil prices, improving geopolitical sentiment and positive global cues. The Nifty recovered from an intraday low of 24,036.95 to close above the 24,150 mark. Healthcare, banking and financial stocks led the gains, while IT shares remained under pressure. Investor sentiment was aided by a decline in Brent crude prices, optimism over progress in US-Iran peace efforts, a resumption in foreign institutional investor buying and a drop in India VIX, signalling lower market volatility.

The S&P BSE Sensex advanced 254.36 points or 0.33% to 77,409.98. The Nifty 50 index rose 82.30 points or 0.34% to 24,168. In five sessions, the Sensex jumped 4.85% and Nifty climbed 4.35%.

Max Healthcare Institute (up 6.46%), HDFC Bank (up 1.74%) and State Bank of India (up 1.56%)

The broader market outperformed the frontline indices. The BSE 150 MidCap Index gained 0.41% and the BSE 250 SmallCap Index added 0.67%.

The market breadth was strong. On the BSE, 2,425 shares rose and 1,811 shares fell. A total of 192 shares were unchanged.

The NSE’s India VIX, a gauge of the market’s expectation of volatility over the near term, declined 3.90% to 12.67.

Monsoon Update:

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast widespread monsoon rainfall over Mumbai and adjoining parts of Maharashtra by the end of June, indicating a delayed onset of the southwest monsoon in the city, where it typically arrives around June 10-11.

Numbers to Track:

The yield on India’s 10-year benchmark federal paper declined 0.06% to 6.842 compared with the previous session close of 6.865.

In the foreign exchange market, the rupee edged higher against the dollar. The partially convertible rupee was hovering at 94.3800 compared with its close of 94.5000 during the previous trading session.

MCX Gold futures for 5 August 2026 settlement declined 2.12% to Rs 150,612.

The US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the greenback’s value against a basket of currencies, rose 0.29% to 100.68.

The United States 10-year bond yield shed 0.16% to 4.450.

In the commodities market, Brent crude for July 2026 settlement declined $1.62 or 2.04% to $77.93 a barrel.

Global Markets:

US stock futures pointed to a positive start for Wall Street on Thursday, with Dow Jones futures rising 213 points.

European shares traded lower ahead of interest rate decisions from the Bank of England and the Swiss National Bank later in the day. Meanwhile, official data showed the UK’s unemployment rate eased to 4.9% in the three months ended April from 5.0% in the previous period.

Asian indices ended mixed after the US Federal Reserve signalled that interest rates could remain higher for longer.

The Federal Reserve kept its benchmark federal funds rate unchanged at 3.50%-3.75% at its policy meeting on Wednesday. Updated projections showed policymakers expect the year-end interest rate to stand at 3.8%, compared with 3.4% projected in March, indicating the possibility of at least one rate hike this year.

Overnight on Wall Street, equities closed sharply lower while Treasury yields rose as investors reassessed the interest-rate outlook following the Fed’s policy announcement. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 507.12 points, or 0.98%, to 51,492.55. The S&P 500 declined 1.21% to 7,420.10, while the Nasdaq Composite lost 1.34% to end at 26,021.66.

Stocks in Spotlight:

State Bank of India gained 1.56% after the banks Central Board approved a proposal to raise up to Rs 60,000 crore during FY27 through the issuance of debt instruments in Indian rupees or foreign currencies.

Redington surged 8.87% on Thursday after reports suggested Apple is preparing to raise prices on some products amid rising memory and storage chip costs. Traders expect any increase in Apple product prices could potentially lift the value of products sold through Redington’s distribution business, boosting revenue prospects from its Apple portfolio.

HFCL hit an upper circuit of 5% after the company announced that it has secured a contract worth approximately Rs 2,666.09 crore from Rail Vikas Nigam (RVNL) for the BharatNet Phase-III project in the Uttar Pradesh (West) Telecom Circle.

FSN E-Commerce Ventures, the parent of Nykaa, jumped 6.07% after the company outlined its FY30 growth strategy. At its Annual Investor Day 2026, Nykaa outlined plans to deliver 2-3 times revenue growth and 4-5 times EBITDA growth by FY30, supported by operating leverage, capital-efficient investments and margin expansion. The company is also targeting a return on capital employed (ROCE) of over 40%.

The beauty business, which exited FY26 with GMV of around Rs 15,000 crore, aims to grow GMV by 2-3 times by FY30. Nykaa Fashion, which reported FY26 GMV of Rs 4,954 crore, is targeting 3-3.5 times GMV growth by FY30 with potential high single-digit EBITDA margins and progressing towards 10%+ steady-state profitability. House of Nykaa, the company’s portfolio of beauty brands, is aiming to surpass Rs 5,000 crore in net sales value by FY30. Superstore by Nykaa, the company’s B2B distribution platform, plans to cross Rs 3,500 crore GMV by FY30.

JBM Auto added 1.96% after the companys subsidiary JBM ECOLIFE Mobility, has successfully secured a Rs 750 crore long term strategic investment from Motilal Oswal Alternates, the alternative investment arm of Motilal Oswal Group. The investment will provide growth capital to accelerate JBM Ecolifes electric bus deployment and strengthen sustainable public transportation infrastructure across India.

Lupin rose 2.56% after launching Azilsartan Medoxomil Tablets, 40 mg and 80 mg, in the United States following approval of its abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA).

Lemon Tree Hotels added 3.13% after the company said that it has announced the opening of a new hotel in Sri Ganganagar, marking the hospitality chain’s entry into the city and strengthening its footprint in Rajasthan.

Kirloskar Ferrous Industries (KFIL) rallied 7.13% after it has secured an international export order valued at around $13.51 million from a buyer based in London, United Kingdom. Under the contract, the company will supply 30,000 metric tonnes (5%) of basic-grade pig iron on a Free on Board (FOB) basis. The order has been awarded by an international entity and is scheduled for execution with the final shipment to be completed by August 15, 2026.

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