New research from LinkedIn and Microsoft shows that India is ahead of global users in terms of AI adoption at work, yet some organisations risk the 'procrastination penalty’ if they delay AI upskilling.
Indian knowledge workers are leading the charge in AI adoption at work, with 92% using generative AI, compared to 75% of global workers.
LinkedIn partnered with Microsoft on the latest Work Trend Index report, which provides comprehensive insights into how AI is impacting and influencing the way we work, lead and hire.
The report found that the vast majority of knowledge workers in India have embedded AI into their workflows, with 90% of 'power users' (those who utilise AI at least a couple of times a week) starting their day with AI and 91% relying on it to prepare for the following day.
"Progressive organisations recognise that AI is set to transform the world of work as we know it. It’s reshaping the talent landscape and prompting both individuals and organisations to think about work differently," says Ruchee Anand, Head of Talent & Learning Solutions at LinkedIn.
Employers are now educators
As per the report, while 91% of Indian leaders believe their company needs to adopt AI to stay competitive in the current business landscape, 54% worry their organisation’s leadership lacks the vision to implement it strategically.
"It's important that these concerns are addressed promptly, as lack of action around strategic AI adoption can lead to what we call the 'procrastination penalty,' which means they miss out on the substantial gains that AI can bring to a business," says Anand.
For example, a lack of AI adoption could hamper a team's innovation output, as 84% of employees who use AI at work say it increases their creativity and 90% say it saves them valuable time.
A lack of adoption could also lead organisations to miss out on attracting and retaining critical talent. The report found 75% of business leaders in India stating they wouldn't hire someone without AI skills, and 80% preferring to hire a less experienced candidate with AI skills over a more experienced candidate without them.
"As of last year, there has been a 142x increase in LinkedIn members adding AI skills like Copilot and ChatGPT to their profiles, and a 160% increase in non-technical professionals using LinkedIn Learning courses to build their AI aptitude," says Anand
"As the workforce looks to tap into the benefits of AI, it's crucial for leaders to boost their organisation's AI capabilities through thoughtful investment in both technology and talent. Organisations that embrace AI will have a competitive advantage over those that choose not to experiment with this technology”, she added.
How Nuvoco Vistas is using AI to enhance its L&D program
Not only can LinkedIn's AI solutions enhance your recruitment approach, but they can also supercharge your learning and development strategy.
Nuvoco Vistas, a building materials company headquartered in Mumbai, launched 'Nuvoco University' in 2022, which was underpinned by LinkedIn Learning. It saw a 90% employee participation rate and recorded over 1,700 hours of learning from its’ sales team alone.
Ravi Hemnani, Nuvoco's Vice President HR & Head Talent and Transformation, refers to the AI-powered coach in LinkedIn Learning as ‘a revolutionary product’.
"LinkedIn Learnin’s AI features help with professional development by supporting individuals with personal growth and career advancement," says Ravi.
"It allows employees to interact with a real-time coach that helps them understand their challenges, reflect on what they can do better, and receive personalised recommendations to help with career development and learning," says Hemani.
Ravi adds that the AI features embedded in LinkedIn Learning's platform helps learners to hyper- personalise their LinkedIn Learning homepage. These are curated from their learning preferences to help them develop desired skill sets and meet their career goals.
"The ability to segment the learning by career stage has also been very useful. 25% of our learners have utilised this feature which enabled them to acquire skills that align with the goals they hold at various career stages.
"This kind of tailored learning is crucial for adapting to rapidly changing job and skills requirements," he says.
Upskill your organisation on AI
To help organisations upskill on AI, LinkedIn has unlocked 50 of its LinkedIn Learning AI courses for free until July.
"We encourage people to make the most of these free learning opportunities, as they will act as the perfect starting point for those just getting started with AI," says Anand.
You can also enhance your learning with a LinkedIn premium subscription, which gives you access to LinkedIn Learning to help even more critical skills.
For more insights into the impact and benefits of AI in the workplace, view the full Work Trends Index report.