Originally published on AI Tech Connect.
What the hiring data says Demand has exploded. AI and LLM job postings rose roughly 163% from 2024 to 2025 (Lightcast-cited data), and "AI Engineer" was among the fastest-growing job titles of the year. Pay has followed. US base salaries run about $145K–$310K; frontier-lab engineers and researchers report median total compensation near $600K–$795K once equity vests. The gap is the story. Talent trackers estimate around 1.6 million open AI/ML roles globally against roughly 518K qualified candidates — demand far outstrips supply. It is genuinely dual-market. Indian senior AI engineers earn ₹25–80 LPA depending on company stage; London specialists clear £100K–£150K-plus. Both markets are bidding hard. For most of the last decade, an AI engineer's problem was getting noticed. In mid-2026 the…
