Indian employees rush to use AI, yet confidence, organisational guidance lag: Udemy report

New Delhi, Nov 18 (PTI) Employees in India show strong interest in using AI at work, with nearly three-quarters already leveraging it in their roles, but lack personal confidence and clear organisational guidance, according to Udemy research.

The study, based on a YouGov survey of 1,000 internet users aged 18 to 70 in India, highlighted a significant gap between employees’ enthusiasm for AI and the support their organisations provide for upskilling.

Indian employees hold a mixed outlook on AI, with 32 per cent seeing both benefits and risks in their own lives, 45 per cent expecting it to improve their lives, and 34 per cent believing it will benefit society.

“Only three-in-ten India-based professionals feel confident in their AI skills, and 61 per cent of professionals strongly or somewhat agree that their employers don’t provide clear ways to use AI for their day-to-day tasks. Compounding this challenge, most employees in India believe it is their personal responsibility to acquire AI skills, highlighting a widening enablement gap,” the report noted.

Additionally, the research points to a mismatch between what employees and hiring managers value in employability. While 67 per cent of Indian employees believe a college degree is essential for entry-level jobs, only 32 per cent of hiring managers prioritise degrees, favouring demonstrated skills instead.

“...the AI train is at the station, but people are hesitating to board, uncertain of the journey and unprepared for what lies ahead. Organisations that help employees overcome these blind spots now will have a massive competitive advantage, so they aren’t left waiting on the tracks when AI’s impact truly hits,” said Hugo Sarrazin, President and CEO at Udemy. PTI ANK ANK MR