India Leads Global AI Adoption: 94% of Workforce Sees AI Skills as Career Catalyst

94% of Indian Workforce Believe AI Skills will Skyrocket Careers: Emeritus Global Workplace Skills Study 2025

Highlights Record AI Adoption and Career Growth Potential India is experiencing a transformative wave of Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration in workplaces, prompting working professionals to learn the necessary skills and tools for the future. According to the 2025 Global Workplace Skills Study conducted by Emeritus, a global leader in professional education, the integration of AI in the workplace is reshaping careers across India, with 94% of Indian professionals believing that mastering AI skills will accelerate their career growth. The study, which surveyed over 6,000 respondents across 18 countries aged 21-65 working across sectors such as finance & insurance, manufacturing, software & IT services, and education, among others, revealed that Indian professionals are leading the global AI adoption curve. An impressive 96% of Indian professionals are using AI and generative AI tools at work, significantly higher than the 81% in the US and 84% in the UK. As a result, 95% of Indian workers report increased productivity due to these technologies, outpacing the global average. Indian professionals are prioritizing AI skills to stay competitive, with 90% considering AI and generative AI crucial for future career success. Moreover, 94% view AI expertise as essential not only for career advancement but also for diversifying across industries -- far surpassing the global average of 87%. Notably, machine learning is uniquely among the top five most sought-after skills in India, with professionals twice as likely as global counterparts to focus on it. Top 5 most sought after skills: AI Development and ApplicationMastering Emerging TechnologiesEffective Communication SkillsMachine LearningStrategic Leadership and Management The Global Workplace Skills Study 2025 identifies four critical trends in how Indian learners perceive and use AI: Higher AI Adoption in India: India has a higher AI adoption rate (96%) reflecting a tech-savvy workforce, compared to 81% in the US and 84% in the UK.AI/Gen AI Skills as a Top Priority: AI/GenAI skills are at the forefront of professional development priorities in India, with 94% of Indian professionals seeing AI competencies as vital for long-term career employability.AI's Transformative Impact on Workplaces: 93% report that higher job satisfaction due to AI, GenAI-driven tools and resources available at work, significantly above the global (87%), US (82%) and UK (83%) averages.Concerns about AI-Driven Displacement: Despite being early adopters of AI and Gen AI tools, Indians are increasingly worried about technology replacing them if they do not continually upskill. Indian Employers Highly Invested in Employees' Continued Learning The Global Workplace Skills Study 2025 highlights a strong commitment by Indian employers to invest in workforce development, with working professionals reporting that 73% of employers increased their investment in training over the past year, well above the global average of 46%. Key benefits supporting skill development include internal training programs (44%) and career coaching (38%). Additionally, 40% of Indian professionals expect their employers to contribute financially to skills enhancement programs, signalling an opportunity for organisations to enhance workforce satisfaction and higher employee retention by sponsoring educational opportunities. As India cements its position as a hub for technology innovation and growth, the emphasis on AI-driven upskilling will play a critical role in shaping the nation's economic trajectory. Announcing the launch of the Emeritus Global Workplace Skills Study 2025, Ashwin Damera, CEO and Co-Founder of Emeritus, said, "As the world undergoes economic and technological changes, the workforce needs to keep up with the time and evolve their approach to work with new skills, mindsets and competencies. India's workforce is not only adapting to AI but actively harnessing it to shape the future of work. The findings from the Emeritus Global Workplace Skills Study highlight the resilience and forward-thinking mindset of Indian professionals and their employers in positioning AI as a career catalyst." About Emeritus: Emeritus offers customised and open programs in India, Singapore, Dubai, and other global locations in collaboration with IIM Lucknow Executive Education, IIM Calcutta Executive Education, ISB Executive Education, Harvard Business School (HBS), MIT Sloan, Columbia Business School, Kellogg Executive Education, Berkeley Executive Education, and Wharton Executive Education, amongst other leading Institutions. Our world-class executive education programs, facilitated by eminent program experts, provide an immersive learning experience integrated with actionable insights and practical business applications and are delivered in a range of formats; in-class, online, as well as blended programs. The Emeritus Group has more than 1,750 employees globally and offices in Mumbai, New Delhi, Shanghai, Singapore, Palo Alto, Mexico City, New York, Boston, London, and Dubai. The company is backed by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Leeds Illuminate, Prosus Ventures, GSV Ventures, Peak XV, Bertelsmann, CPPIB, Accel, and SoftBank Vision Fund 2. For more information, please visit https://emeritus.org/

Indian professionals lead the world in AI adoption

AI is transforming careers in India, with 94% of professionals believing AI skills will boost career growth, according to a 2025 study by Emeritus. Indian workers lead global AI adoption, with 96% using AI tools at work. Employers are also investing heavily in training, positioning India as a leader in AI-driven workforce development and economic growth.The integration of AI in the workplace is reshaping careers across India, with 94% of Indian professionals believing that mastering AI skills will accelerate their career growth, a new study by professional education firm Emeritus found. According to the 2025 Global Workplace Skills Study, India is experiencing a transformative wave of artificial intelligence (AI) integration in workplaces, prompting working professionals to learn the necessary skills and tools for the future. The study, which surveyed over 6,000 respondents across 18 countries aged 21-65 working across sectors such as finance and insurance, manufacturing, software and IT services, and education, among others, revealed that Indian professionals are leading the global AI adoption curve. An impressive 96% of the total 1,700-odd Indian professionals surveyed are using AI and generative AI tools at work, significantly higher than the 81% in the US and 84% in the UK. As a result, 95% of Indian workers report increased productivity due to these technologies, outpacing the global average. Workers in India are also prioritising AI skills to stay competitive, with 90% considering AI and generative AI crucial for future career success. Moreover, 94% view AI expertise as essential not only for career advancement but also for diversifying across industries -- far surpassing the global average of 87%. Notably, machine learning is uniquely among the top five most sought-after skills in India, with professionals twice as likely as global counterparts to focus on it. The top five most sought-after skills include : AI development and application,mastering emerging technologies, effective communication skills, machine learning and strategic leadership and management. "As the world undergoes economic and technological changes, the workforce needs to keep up with the times and evolve their approach to work with new skills, mindsets and competencies. India's workforce is not only adapting to AI but actively harnessing it to shape the future of work. The findings from the study highlight the resilience and forward-thinking mindset of Indian professionals and their employers in positioning AI as a career catalyst," said Ashwin Damera, CEO and co-founder of Emeritus. The study highlights a strong commitment by Indian employers to invest in workforce development, with working professionals reporting that 73% of employers increased their investment in training over the past year, well above the global average of 46%. Key benefits supporting skill development include internal training programmes (44%) and career coaching (38%). Additionally, 40% of Indian professionals expect their employers to contribute financially to skills enhancement programmes, signalling an opportunity for organisations to enhance workforce satisfaction and higher employee retention by sponsoring educational opportunities. As India cements its position as a hub for technology innovation and growth, the emphasis on AI-driven upskilling will play a critical role in shaping the nation's economic trajectory.

India and US Lead Enrollments for Coursera Generative AI Courses

AI training is crucial for upskilling workers, with 80 percent of employers planning to boost workforce capabilities. The demand for generative AI training has grown significantly among both individual learners and enterprises, according to Coursera data highlighted in the World Economic Forum (WEF) Future of Jobs Report 2025. Demand for AI skills has accelerated globally, with India and the United States leading in enrolment numbers, but the factors driving demand differ between the two countries. In the United States, demand is primarily driven by individual users, whereas in India, corporate sponsorship plays a significant role in boosting GenAI training uptake, according to the report section "Demand for generative AI skills," created in collaboration with Coursera. Also Read: AI Adoption Rises Among Indian Employees in 2024: Report Globally, individual learners on Coursera have focused on foundational GenAI skills and conceptual topics, such as prompt engineering, trustworthy AI practices, and strategic decision-making around AI. Meanwhile, institution-sponsored learners are prioritising practical applications within the workplace, including using AI tools to enhance efficiency in platforms such as Excel or developing AI-powered applications. "These trends reflect a tailored approach to GenAI learning, where individuals focus on foundational knowledge-building while organisations prioritise training that delivers immediate workplace productivity gains," the report said. Based on data from over 1,000 companies, the report finds that the skills gap remains the most significant barrier to business transformation, with nearly 40 percent of job skills expected to change and 63 percent of employers citing it as their primary challenge. Also Read: Microsoft and Pearson Partner to Drive AI Skilling for the Workforce "AI and other fast-growing technologies are transforming business models and driving new mandates for employee upskilling," Coursera CEO Jeff Maggioncalda said in a blog post on January 8, 2025, highlighting that "By 2030, 92 million jobs will be displaced, and 170 million new ones will be created, a net increase of 78 million." According to the data, 80 percent of employers plan to upskill workers with AI training and two-thirds plan to hire talent with specific AI skills, while only 40 percent plan to reduce their workforce as AI automates certain tasks. "Online learning will play a vital role in addressing the widespread skills gap, driving workforce transformation, and supporting job transitions," Coursera said. Also Read: India Leads in AI Adoption, Outpacing Global Average, Says BCG Report Of nearly 7.4 million AI enrollments on the platform in 2024, over 3.2 million enrollments were in GenAI training-an average of six enrollments per minute (compared to two enrollments in GenAI content per minute in 2023). India and the United States led enrollment numbers, Coursera reported. The world's top technology companies and research universities launched over 670 courses and guided projects on Coursera in response to the growing global AI imperative, Coursera said. Also Read: AI-Driven Transformation to Add 33.9 Million Jobs to India's Workforce by 2028: Report According to the report, the fastest-growing jobs by 2030 included Big Data specialists, FinTech engineers, AI and machine learning specialists, software and application developers, security management specialists, data warehousing specialists, and autonomous and electric vehicle specialists.