AI career boom or illusion?:70% of fast-track courses fail to deliver, certificates aren’t enough

AI is no longer a technology of the future; it has become a present-day necessity for businesses. The job market is witnessing strong demand for people who know how to use AI tools in practical ways. That is why countless institutes offering AI courses have sprung up across the country. Through attractive advertisements and misleading claims of ‘100% job guarantees’, many of these institutes are charging exorbitant fees from students and selling paper certificates. In the final part of Bhaskar’s special series Where are careers in the AI era?, read about where you should begin in the AI age, what is right for you, and what you should avoid. ALSO READ | AI will impact 22% of jobs by 2030 70% of AI fast-track courses are misleading; certificates alone are not enough Around 14% of all job vacancies in India now directly demand AI skills, and this share is growing steadily. As a result, AI-related courses have flooded the market. However, according to a joint reskilling and tech hiring report by NASSCOM and Indeed, nearly 70% of these courses are offering little real value. Companies do not always have the time to wait for candidates to complete four-year degrees. Instead, they are hiring people who are job-ready for specialised roles through three-to-six-month fast-track programmes. However, reports also warn students to stay away from fake bootcamps that merely sell certificates. The market values only those fast-track programmes that leave students with a portfolio of three to four live, publicly deployed projects. Which courses should you pursue and where? 1. Premium institutional programmes Programmes offered by IITs such as Kharagpur and Madras focus on coding and AI architecture. 2. Global tech credentials Tool-based certifications from Google, AWS and Azure are recognised worldwide. 3. Non-coding and business tracks Courses such as AI Product Manager teach business applications of AI without requiring coding skills. Start here first… Do not rush into expensive or intensive coding programmes. Begin by strengthening your AI literacy and prompt engineering skills. The first course you should start today Course: AI for Everyone (Andrew Ng) Available on: Coursera (free to audit; payment required only if you want a certificate, which is not essential) Duration: 6–10 hours Why is it important? Created by AI educator Andrew Ng, this course explains how AI actually works, what neural networks are, and how to identify AI opportunities in your work or business—all without requiring any coding knowledge. It helps build a strong foundation. A common question: AI is evolving so fast, won’t these courses become useless? The answer depends on the type of course. Tool-based skills (short-term relevance) Courses that only teach how to use tools such as ChatGPT may lose relevance within six months as AI systems themselves become easier to use. Core principles (long-term relevance) Courses focused on data literacy, ethical AI, problem framing and AI system direction are likely to remain valuable for three to five years or more. Expert view: Suchita Dutta, Executive Director, Indian Staffing Federation (ISF) Hidden conditions behind ‘100% job guarantee’ claims often mislead students 1. Are short-term courses enough to get a job? Not at all. The market rewards candidates who combine a traditional degree foundation with practical AI knowledge and a portfolio of live projects. 2. Are “100% job guarantee” claims genuine? Such claims often come with strict conditions, including minimum salary thresholds (often around ₹3–4 lakh annually), mandatory attendance requirements and relocation clauses. Many courses are also teaching outdated curricula. 3. Do AI-skilled professionals receive a salary advantage? Yes. Demand for AI talent is very strong. According to available data, the average salary premium for AI-related roles has risen from 25% last year to 56%. 4. What is the salary trend in Generative AI, LLM Engineering and MLOps? These emerging fields reward genuine skills and live-project experience. Mid-level professionals in Generative AI, LLM Engineering and MLOps are earning packages of roughly ₹18–35 lakh per year. 5. Which jobs are being affected the most? Estimates suggest AI is reducing entry-level roles by 20–25%. Entry-level hiring has fallen 23% month-on-month and 44% year-on-year. The biggest impact is being seen in routine software testing, basic customer support and junior coding roles. According to the IMF, Generative AI is affecting 26% of India’s workforce, with 12% facing a direct risk of job displacement. Tech hiring in India reached a 28-month low in June 2026. 6. How have interviews changed? Employers are moving beyond traditional coding tests. They now place greater emphasis on problem-solving ability, decision-making skills and the capacity to craft effective AI prompts.