AI fluency is the new wealth: How mastering intelligence can rewrite your paycheque?

Time of India

07-05-2025

Emergence of skill capitalism
From Python to power moves
Specialists in model training and configuration
Thinkers from cryptology, econometrics, and forensics
Non-tech talent with translation and logic expertise
Mid-level mayhem
The agentic AI paradox
Blueprint for doubling your worth
Go beyond prompt fluency: Learn to build, not just use.
Seek foundational work: Model training, guidelines, and evaluation.
Join firms that train you to think like a machine: Not just use one.
Pick a domain: Finance, logistics, law—depth wins over breadth.
Act before agentic AI saturates the market: The window is open, but closing fast.
Talent, not tenure, is the most precious currency in India's technology ecosystem. As artificial intelligence knits the very fabric of work, those fluent in language are no longer just professionals in cubicles—they are the frontrunners in a race that will determine who leads and who gets left behind. While every new invention in the domain fans the flames about whether AI will substitute jobs or leverage employees, the truth is: It is here to stay.Those who learn to adapt to the guest will survive; those who shrug off its presence under the carpet will suffer. Not only are AI jobs expected to boom in the coming years, but AI specialists are also expected to secure hefty salary packages.Artificial intelligence has penetrated almost every sphere of human existence—finance, healthcare, retail, logistics. AI skills are creating a rippling effect in the job market. Salaries are doubling, hierarchies are flattening, and the old rules of career progression are being rewritten with breathtaking speed.It is not just a buzzword, it is opening doors to skill capitalism- a system where compensation is directly intertwined with cognitive depth in machine learning, data modelling, and algorithmic reasoning. In this system, artificial intelligence is the great leveller and the great accelerator.Yes, AI literacy is ubiquitous- but mastery is rare. And companies are not rewarding familiarity - they are paying a premium for those who can architect, train, and refine AI systems from the ground up. For those professionals, a 100% salary hike has become the new benchmark, not the exception.India is projected to generate 2 million AI-related job openings over the next two years according to a Bain and Company report. But even in this abundance, one element remains scarce—specialized talent. Foundational AI engineers, mathematicians, physicists, and domain-savvy coders are in dangerously short supply.While Python and AI tools are now well-learned skills among graduates. The market doesn't need prompt engineers. It needs system architects. AI familiarity is no longer a value proposition. Companies now seek: Experts in noise analysisIn short, AI has become interdisciplinary warfare, and generalists are losing ground.As Bruce Keith, Co-founder, InvestorAi, stated that 'Every graduate we meet is AI literate in terms of prompts and general use of AI tools. Add to this that Python is easy to learn, and then barriers to entry are low. If you are looking for someone to train models, set guidelines, and provide monitoring, then there are a good number of candidates. I think the issue is that firms are hiring a bunch of smart kids and expecting them to bring AI to the organisation without a proper plan - I see this across the finance sector.'The scarcity is most acute in the mid-level range. These are professionals expected to design and scale foundational models—yet this tech is so new that 'five years of experience' is often a myth.Recruiters are waiting six months or more to onboard viable candidates. During negotiation, 100% salary jumps are not just tolerated—they're often the opening bid.Entry-level candidates are seeing offers of ₹10–15 LPA—half of European standards, but still substantially above traditional Indian benchmarks. But the real prize lies in mid and senior roles, where compensation can cross into 300% premium territory for domain-specialist engineers.As agentic AI—the new wave of intelligent, autonomous systems—becomes more capable, a paradox unfolds. These very systems may eventually replace the roles companies are desperately hiring for today.The World Economic Forum (WEF) Future of Jobs 2025 report warns that up to 87% of AI-related roles could face substitution. But that isn't a death knell—it's a clarion call to evolve.Keith mentioned, 'As agentic AI increases in adoption, there will be more capacity in the system and less need for new engineers – make sure you take the opportunities to go deep in terms of tech or domain.'So, how do you secure the 100% salary hike that's suddenly within reach?This is no longer a story of linear growth. It is a story of intellectual compounding. AI is not just a tool—it is a career catalyst. But only for those who understand that the future of work will belong to those who can build the future itself.To double your salary, you don't need to chase AI.You need to become indispensable to it.