92% of knowledge workers in India use AI at work, lead world: Study

Most business leaders in India believe their companies need to adopt AI to stay competitive

Knowledge workers in India are ahead of their international counterparts in using artificial intelligence (AI) at work, said a report on Thursday, referring to professionals whose job involves handling or using information.

As many as 92 per cent of knowledge workers in India use AI at work compared to the global figure of 75 per cent, according to the ‘2024 Work Trend Index’ study by Microsoft and Linkedin, reflecting the technology’s use to save time and boost.

The report said that 91 per cent of business leaders in India believe their companies need to adopt AI to stay competitive, but 54 per cent worry their organisation lacks vision or a plan for implementing the technology.

About 72 per cent of Indian executives bring their own AI tools to work and are not waiting for their organisations. “The data is clear: people are turning to AI to be more productive and creative at work. The opportunity for every leader is to channel this momentum into ROI,” said the report, referring to return on investment.

AI skills are Indian business leaders’ top priority when it comes to hiring. As many as 75 per cent of them said they wouldn’t hire someone lacking in AI skills, outpacing the global average of 66 per cent. As many as 80 per cent of leaders in India would hire a less experienced candidate with AI skills.

As of late last year, there has been a 142x increase globally in LinkedIn members adding AI skills like Copilot and ChatGPT to their profiles. There was a 160 per cent increase in non-technical professionals using LinkedIn Learning courses to build their AI aptitude.

"The rate of diffusion we’re seeing across sectors, from BFSI (banking, financial services and insurance) to healthcare to ITES (Information Technology Enabled Services) and public sector, has been very encouraging. This AI optimism presents a tremendous opportunity for organisations to invest in the right tools and training, to unlock efficiencies for employees and ultimately drive long term business impact," said Irina Ghose, managing director, Microsoft India and South Asia.

Microsoft announced new capabilities in Copilot for Microsoft 365 to help people get started with AI. LinkedIn, which is owned by the technology giant, announced more than 50 free learning courses to empower professionals at all levels to advance AI aptitude.