GCCs hire fewer people, more capability

An ANSR and T500 Research report, reported by ET CIO on 24 September 2026, says India's GCCs are moving to a 'Workforce 2.0' model: engineering pods of three to five professionals supported by 50-100 AI agents, replacing the traditional broad-based junior pyramid with a diamond-shaped structure weighted toward mid-level AI-enabled engineers. Analysis of 5,000-plus live openings and 20,000-plus roles hired in the past year shows 62% of hiring concentrated in the 3-8 year band, median experience of six years, and nearly 65% of new positions requiring AI skills. GCC hiring grew 12-15% year-on-year in H1 2026, faster than the broader IT/ITeS sector, with AI role demand up about 45%. Key signal: About 62% of GCC hiring over the past year was concentrated in professionals with 3-8 years of experience, with median experience at six years, while demand for AI roles rose roughly 45% year-on-year. For hiring leaders, this matters because for CHROs and GCC leaders, this reframes workforce planning from seats to capability. If pods of three to five people plus AI agents can deliver what a larger team did, entry-level intake shrinks and the scarce talent sits in the 3-8 year band, exactly where attrition and counter-offer pressure are highest. AI/ML engineers at $30,000-$50,000, seniors at $45,000-$90,000 and leads at $150,000-$200,000-plus set a benchmark that will pull compensation budgets upward. TA teams built around volume fresher pipelines and role-based requisitions will need to be rebuilt around outcome pods, redeployment and flex talent. Teksands view: The pyramid is being replaced by a diamond, and most TA teams have not noticed. If 62% of GCC hiring sits in the 3-8 year band and 65% of new roles demand AI skills, then fresher-heavy pipelines and role-based requisitions are the wrong infrastructure. Rebuild around capability pods, mid-career AI sourcing and retention, and treat flex talent and AI agents as part of the workforce plan, not a procurement afterthought.