India Leads the Charge, 92% of Knowledge Workers Embrace AI at Work

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This comprehensive report, a first-time collaboration between Microsoft and LinkedIn for the Work Trend Index, is based on a survey of 31,000 people across 31 countries. It also draws from LinkedIn’s labor and hiring trends, Microsoft 365 productivity data, and research involving Fortune 500 customers. The findings provide essential insights for leaders and professionals on the impact of AI on work, talent, and hiring for the coming year.

Indian employees demonstrate a particularly strong appetite for AI, with 92% of knowledge workers in India using AI at work, compared to 75% globally. This high usage reflects confidence in AI’s ability to save time, boost creativity, and enhance focus. Additionally, 91% of Indian leaders believe that adopting AI is crucial for maintaining competitiveness, although 54% express concern about the lack of a clear implementation plan. Many employees are not waiting for company directives; 72% of Indian AI users bring their own AI tools to work, indicating a proactive approach to leveraging AI for increased productivity and creativity.

The report also highlights the significant role AI skills play in career growth. In India, AI skills have become a top hiring priority, with 75% of leaders indicating a preference for candidates with AI skills over those with more experience but without AI proficiency. This emphasis on AI skills is reflected in the global trend, where there has been a substantial increase in LinkedIn members adding AI skills to their profiles and a rise in non-technical professionals using LinkedIn Learning to develop AI expertise.

The research identifies four types of AI users: skeptics, novices, explorers, and power users. In India, 90% of AI power users start their day with AI, and 91% use it to prepare for the next day. These power users are more likely to receive specific training and guidance from leadership on AI usage, underscoring the importance of support and communication in effective AI adoption.

Irina Ghose, Managing Director of Microsoft India, highlighted the high rate of AI adoption among Indian knowledge workers and the potential for organizations to achieve long-term business impact by investing in AI tools and training. Ruchee Anand, Head of Talent & Learning Solutions at LinkedIn, noted the significant increase in demand for AI expertise and the need for leaders to enhance their organization’s AI capabilities through thoughtful investment in both technology and talent.

In conjunction with the report, Microsoft announced new capabilities for Copilot in Microsoft 365 to assist users in getting started with AI. These include a more conversational interface, proactive recommendations, and enhanced prompt capabilities. Updates to Copilot Lab will enable employees to create, publish, and manage team-specific prompts. LinkedIn also announced over 50 new AI learning courses available for free, aimed at empowering professionals at all levels to improve their AI skills.

The report highlights the rapid adoption of generative AI in the workplace and emphasizes the challenge for organizations to transition from experimentation to achieving tangible business impacts with AI.