AI, Data and Cybersecurity Drive 30.3% of GCC Hiring Demand

Artificial intelligence (AI), data and cybersecurity accounted for 30.3% of technology hiring demand across India’s Global Capability Centres (GCCs) in the July–September quarter of 2026, up from 25.8% in the previous quarter. The increase came even as overall GCC technology hiring demand declined by 3.5%, according to a report by staffing and workforce solutions company Quess Corp.

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AI and Cybersecurity Roles See Higher Demand

According to Quess Corp’s India GCC Tech Talent Landscape – Q2 FY27 report, demand for AI, data and analytics professionals grew by approximately 14% quarter-on-quarter. Cybersecurity and risk management roles recorded a 12% increase during the same period.

AI, data and analytics accounted for 19.7% of total GCC technology hiring demand, compared with 16.7% in the previous quarter. Cybersecurity and risk management contributed another 10.6%, up from 9.1%.

Technology and product GCCs recorded the highest share of job postings requiring AI and Generative AI (GenAI) skills, at approximately 32%. Pharma and healthcare followed at 23%, while professional services and consulting recorded 22%.

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Specialist Skills Face Talent Shortages

Despite rising demand, companies continue to face a shortage of professionals with specialised technology skills. The Quess report estimates a talent supply gap of 38–42% in AI, data and analytics roles and 30–35% in cybersecurity and risk management.

Also Read: GCC Hiring Trends in India 2026: New Priorities, New Talent Needs

Demand for applied data science and model operations skills increased by approximately 19%, while cloud security and AI-focused architecture roles grew by around 21%.

For HR teams, these trends point to the need for a combination of specialist recruitment, employee reskilling and internal mobility. The report identifies possible career transitions, including data scientists moving into model operations, data engineers into applied AI and cybersecurity analysts into cloud security.

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Tier-2 Cities Record Hiring Growth

GCC technology hiring demand is also expanding beyond major metropolitan cities. Tier-2 cities recorded approximately 13% quarter-on-quarter growth, with Coimbatore leading at around 30%.

However, Tier-1 cities continued to account for 84–86% of total GCC hiring demand. The report also projects that India’s GCC workforce could reach 2.7–2.8 million by 2030.

Key takeaways

• AI, data and cybersecurity accounted for 30.3% of GCC tech hiring demand.
• AI and data demand grew 14%, while cybersecurity demand increased 12%.
• The estimated talent supply gap in AI and data stands at 38–42%.
• Tier-2 GCC hiring demand increased 13%, led by Coimbatore at 30%.