India Leads Global Generative AI Adoption in Workplace, BCG Survey Reveals

92% of Indian Employees Embrace GenAI at Work, Highest in the World | AIM

A BCG survey has found that India is at the forefront of generative AI adoption and near the top in AI-agent integration (17 %). Yet, 48 % of employees express concern that their roles may vanish in the next 10 years. India leads the world in generative AI adoption, with 92% of employees using the technology regularly at work, well above the global average of 72%. According to a new report, the country ranks ahead of the Middle East and Spain, reflecting a broader trend of higher AI adoption in the global South compared to the global North. The survey, released on Thursday by Boston Consulting Group, is based on responses from 10,600 workers across 11 countries that suggest AI usage has turned mainstream. India also ranks second globally in AI agent integration, with 17% of employees reporting that their companies have incorporated AI agents into workflows. While employees recognise the potential of AI agents, most still lack a clear understanding of how they work. Although 77% believe AI agents will be important in the next three to five years, only 33% say they have a proper understanding of what these agents actually are. This gap in awareness reflects the early stage of deployment, with most companies still in the experimental phase rather than having fully integrated their systems. Concerns about trust and governance are growing prominent. About 46% of employees are worried about decisions being made without human oversight, 35% point to the risk of bias or unfair treatment, and 32% are concerned about unclear accountability when mistakes occur. Countries with high generative AI usage are also seeing greater concerns about job security. In India, 48% of respondents believe their job will certainly or probably disappear entirely within the next 10 years, which is higher than the global average of 41%. At the same time, AI is helping employees save time, with 47% reporting that they save more than an hour a day. However, only one-third receive guidance on how to use this time effectively, which limits the overall impact. Successful AI adoption depends on three key enablers: proper training, access to the right tools, and strong leadership support. Only 36% of employees feel adequately trained, and those without in-person instruction or coaching are up to 26 percentage points less likely to be regular users. Tool availability also remains a challenge, with 37% employees saying their company does not provide the right AI tools. As a result, 54% turn to unauthorised alternatives, especially among Gen Z and Millennials, where 62% say they would bypass restrictions. Leadership support is equally important. Only 25% of frontline workers report receiving it, but when it is present, regular AI usage increases from 41% to 82%, along with significant improvements in job satisfaction and career optimism.

India beats global average in employees using AI: report - The Economic Times

India leads in artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, with 92% of employees regularly using generative AI (GenAI) tools in daily work, according to a Boston Consulting Group (BCG) report released Thursday. BCG based the report on responses from 10,600 workers across 11 countries that show AI usage has turned mainstream. The report said AI adoption has led people to fear job loss in countries with the highest AI usage. The third edition of this annual survey also found that AI now forms part of employees' daily work, with 72% of the respondents using it regularly. The report further noted that the Global South leads in AI adoption, with India and the Middle East showing the highest levels of regular use. The Middle East ranked second in adoption with 87%. However, these high-use countries also report the greatest fear about the impact of automation, far higher than the 41% of all global respondents. "This rapid adoption brings new challenges. Nearly half (48%) of Indian employees fear job displacement over the next decade, highlighting a growing sense of uncertainty. Furthermore, only about one-third of the workforce feels adequately trained to fully leverage AI's potential. As we move from early adoption to delivering real business impact, Indian enterprises must invest in structured training, in-person coaching, and leadership enablement to scale value both responsibly and inclusively," said Nipun Kalra, managing director at BCG. Companies cannot expect transformation by simply rolling out GenAI tools, said Sylvain Duranton, global leader of BCG X. BCG's research demonstrates that businesses achieve real returns when they invest in upskilling their workforce, redesign work processes, and align leadership around AI strategy, he added.