The Economic Times reported that nearly half of surveyed Indian companies claim to have adopted artificial‑intelligence solutions, yet a significant gap persists between technology deployment and the availability of skilled staff to manage and expand these systems.
India Today, citing a survey of 1,200 firms across manufacturing, services, and retail, found that 43 % of respondents reported using AI in at least one business function. The most common applications were customer service chatbots, predictive maintenance in manufacturing, and demand‑forecasting models for supply chain optimization.
Despite these deployments, the same survey highlighted that only 18 % of companies felt their current workforce was fully prepared to support AI initiatives. About 37 % of firms said they were “partially” ready, citing gaps in data literacy and programming skills, while 45 % admitted they lacked sufficient expertise altogether.
The study also identified a regional disparity: firms headquartered in Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Pune reported higher AI adoption rates (≈60 %) compared to those in smaller cities, where adoption hovered around 30 %.
Experts linked the readiness gap to a shortage of AI‑trained professionals in India’s higher‑education pipeline. “We see a mismatch between the skills taught in academic programs and the practical needs of industry,” said Dr. Radhika Sharma, a technology policy analyst at the National Institute of Science Education and Research. “Companies are investing in AI tools but struggle to find staff who can maintain and evolve them.”
The government has responded with a national AI strategy that includes funding for skill‑development initiatives and partnerships between industry and academia. However, the strategy’s impact on bridging the readiness gap remains to be seen.
Analysis: The survey underscores a classic “technology‑skills mismatch” that could stifle the economic benefits of AI in India. While adoption rates are encouraging, the limited workforce readiness suggests that many firms may only be leveraging AI in a superficial or pilot‑stage capacity. Without a concerted effort to upskill employees and align educational curricula with industry needs, the potential return on AI investment could be substantially lower than projected. The regional disparity also points to a risk of widening the digital divide between major tech hubs and other parts of the country, potentially concentrating economic gains in a few metropolitan centers.
Sources
India Today, “43 % Indian firms use AI, but workforce readiness still lags,” https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi2wFBVV95cUxNNTFXWV9TaXdWajF1ZERFMVBPMnFCRkhsZVpnNjNGSFNmT0ZFZ0ttcmxvVUpjdjNyVjdCdUc4aEFRLWhBV01ZR1FEdUtSdkhoNG9IcmExYkNDVHF0UXpOOFQzdjgtaXJWTmI3a0xBd0tLU1NLYVZFbFduQUZSRWFtLTNJRVd2My1BS0FXcDRXWnNUQk4xRnE0YTY3UVpJZVFZZURoRFdMMFQ1dWFCczd5dDUzeXoza0x4bGpZdEdwTUZwNzBnb2QwWUtvVGJYMkhQM3NZeTh5aUFyYWs?oc=5
Story synopsis gathered from: Google News India Technology — source
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