A few months ago, I grabbed coffee with a friend, Arjun, at a crowded café in Bengaluru. He’s 25, works at a mid-sized IT company, and earns around ₹8 lakh a year. Decent pay, right? Above the national average. But halfway through the conversation, he sighed. “Feels like I’m stuck. I’m earning well, but I keep reading about people making 25–30 lakhs after just a couple of years in AI roles. Is it all hype, or am I missing the boat?” I get where he’s coming from. Because five years ago, I felt the same. The tech industry was changing faster than my weekend Netflix recommendations, and the phrase AI skills kept popping up everywhere. So, let’s cut the noise and talk about what’s actually happening—and why people like Arjun are rethinking their entire career paths. AI Isn’t the Future Anymore. It’s the Present. Here’s a number that made me sit up: $80 billion. That’s how much global companies are investing in AI infrastructure this year alone. And no, this isn’t just abou...