As AI continues to transform industries across the globe, India is emerging as one of the front-runners in adopting the technology. Slack Workforce Index 2024 done on 1029 desk workers in India, reveals the rate of AI Adoption in India is significantly higher compared to many other countries, with Indian workers showing greater excitement and engagement with the technology.
Recent data from this survey reveals that 61% of desk workers in India have already adopted AI in their day-to-day work, compared to only 40% globally. This statistic highlights a clear trend among Indian workers who are actively integrating it into their workflows. Whether it's for automating tasks, improving decision-making, or streamlining communication, AI is being embraced as a tool to increase efficiency and productivity.
The enthusiasm for AI doesn’t stop at just usage; it extends to the excitement surrounding the technology. Around 80% of Indian desk workers report feeling excited about AI, much higher than the 46% globally. This enthusiasm reflects a broader mindset in India, where many see AI as a means to unlock new possibilities and creative potential rather than just a tool for automation.
Indian Workers and the Urge to Upskill
One of the key factors behind this high adoption rate is the strong desire among Indian workers to upskill and learn more about AI. As per this survey, 98% of Indian employees feel a pressing need to become proficient in AI. There is a widespread belief that mastering AI will be essential to staying relevant in the future workforce. Despite this urgency, a gap exists between the desire to learn and the actual time spent on acquiring new skills. 40% of workers have spent less than 5 hours learning how to use AI effectively.
This highlights a challenge many workers face: while there’s recognition of the importance of AI, there’s often little time to dedicate to training or mastering the technology. With workloads and daily responsibilities consuming a large chunk of time, many employees struggle to invest in learning opportunities, even if they feel an urgent need to do so.
AI and Employee Expectations
Interestingly, there is a difference between what executives expect AI to help employees with and what employees themselves hope to achieve with the time saved by AI. Executives are largely focused on how AI can help employees with learning, skill-building, and innovation, believing that AI will free up time for workers to focus on core business projects and strategic work. On the other hand, employees envision using the time saved by AI for learning, innovation, and creative projects, according to the survey.
Discomfort in Accepting AI Usage
Despite the widespread adoption and excitement surrounding AI in India, not all employees are completely comfortable with its use in the workplace. Around 21% of workers express discomfort about openly telling their managers that they use AI, reflecting concerns over how AI might be perceived in the workplace. This could be due to fears about job security, or simply a lack of understanding of how AI will reshape roles.
As organisations encourage employees to adopt AI, it's clear that building trust and transparency around its use is crucial. Employees need reassurance that AI will not replace human workers but rather complement their skills and enhance their productivity.
