By Aditya Agarwal 
AI Job Demand Changes Across Asia
AI job demand in occupations exposed to automation has fallen by nearly 10% across Asia since ChatGPT launched in November 2022, according to the International Monetary Fund’s October 2026 Regional Economic Outlook.
A Times of India report published on 18 October said the IMF analysis examined approximately 40 million online job postings across 19 Asian economies. The findings highlight how artificial intelligence is changing hiring requirements while creating demand for new technical and business skills. (The Times of India)
Which Skills Are Employers Seeking?
The report points to growing demand for specialised AI capabilities, including prompt engineering, retrieval-augmented generation and AI agent development.
Employers increasingly need workers who can integrate AI into business processes, evaluate outputs and use technology to improve productivity.
These skills extend beyond building models. Companies also require professionals who can connect AI systems to databases, manage data quality, evaluate reliability and translate technical capabilities into practical business applications.
For job seekers, understanding how AI works is increasingly valuable when combined with domain knowledge and problem-solving skills.
AI Can Replace Tasks and Create New Roles
The decline in demand for some AI-exposed occupations does not mean that all jobs are disappearing at the same rate.
AI can automate particular tasks while creating new responsibilities involving system integration, monitoring, data management and human oversight.
The IMF report also suggests that businesses adopting AI are experiencing stronger labour-demand growth than firms that have not adopted the technology, including in some occupations exposed to automation. (The Times of India)
The employment impact therefore depends on how companies use AI, which tasks are automated and whether workers can transition into new roles.
What This Means for India
India faces both opportunities and challenges as AI adoption expands.
The country’s large workforce and growing technology sector create opportunities for AI-related services, software development and business transformation. At the same time, workers in exposed occupations may need to adapt as employers change their hiring priorities.
The IMF report notes that India’s current exposure may be lower than that of some economies because a significant share of its workforce remains employed in agriculture and other less-exposed sectors. However, lower exposure today could become a challenge if workers struggle to move into higher-productivity manufacturing and services.
Education, digital infrastructure and practical training will therefore be important.
How Workers Can Prepare
Workers can improve their readiness by focusing on four areas.
Develop AI literacy: Understand the capabilities and limitations of AI tools.
Build practical skills: Learn how to use AI for research, analysis, coding or other tasks relevant to a chosen profession.
Strengthen domain expertise: Industry knowledge helps workers evaluate AI outputs and solve problems that require context.
Continue learning: As tools and employer requirements change, ongoing training can help workers remain competitive.
Businesses also have a role to play by supporting employee training and redesigning workflows responsibly.
Outlook
The IMF findings suggest that AI is changing labour demand across Asia, but the effects are not limited to job displacement. New skills and business applications are also emerging.
For India, the challenge will be to expand access to practical AI education and help workers transition into productive roles. The long-term employment impact will depend on adoption patterns, investment in skills and the ability of businesses to use AI effectively.
Tags: AI job demand, AI jobs India, IMF report, artificial intelligence, future of work, AI skills, workforce development
Internal Link: FlairiusNews — AI News and Future of Work
Source: Times of India — IMF Report on AI and Asian Job Demand