India AI Workforce Faces Pay Stagnation Amid High Adoption Rates

A new report from Indeed India finds that more than half of workers with daily AI exposure report stagnant or falling wages, even as 66% of employers claim to offer significant salary premiums for AI expertise. While 40% of organisations say AI roles command an 11‑30% pay premium and 26% cite 31‑50% premiums, 36% of AI‑exposed employees saw no change in compensation and 18% reported a net decrease.

In a separate ADP survey, India leads the world in workplace AI use, with 80% of employees using AI multiple times a week and 41% using it daily. Frequent users report higher engagement and lower stress but are also more likely to question whether AI actually improves their productivity. Managing Director Sashi Kumar of Indeed India warned that “the disconnect creates a dual vulnerability for organisations, sparking job insecurity while accelerating the attrition of senior institutional talent.” ADP India Managing Director Rahul Goyal added that “adoption alone does not automatically translate into confidence in productivity.”