AI boom widens engineers' pay gap, with some roles offering packages of up to Rs 1 crore

The influence of artificial intelligence (AI) is growing rapidly in the information technology world, and the nature of jobs in the corporate sector has changed completely as a result. Even engineers who took the same degree from the same college now show a big difference in salary.

Companies no longer want only coders who build ordinary software. They need technical people who can actually apply technology to business needs. The shift has opened up some new, high-paying career options in engineering, where experienced professionals are getting attractive annual packages of Rs 40 lakh to Rs 1 crore.

The role of forward deployed engineer is rising fast in the tech industry today. Engineers in this role act as a strong link between technology and business. They work directly with clients and put AI tools to use to solve business problems. According to a report, demand for such professionals will grow further. Some 80 per cent of the engineers working in this field are getting packages of Rs 40 lakh to Rs 1 crore.

AI and machine learning engineers, meanwhile, build smart algorithms that allow machines to take human-like decisions based on data. Demand for AI professionals in the market is high, and vacancies outnumber the available talent. This has led to a big rise in salaries in the field.

Cloud architects and data engineers also figure on the list. Cloud architects design digital systems that keep running properly without crashing even when millions of users come onto an app at once. Data engineers build strong data infrastructure on the backend, and companies analyse it to understand market trends.

On the other hand, the risk of data theft has grown with the spread of the digital world. The role of cyber security and blockchain engineers has therefore become very important. Companies are hiring in large numbers for these roles, which defend networks and keep data safe.