Indian firms investing heavily in Artificial Intelligence (AI)-ready workforce: Employees need to upskill

MUMBAI March 4: With Artificial Intelligence (AI) fundamentally changing the roles and skills required to stay ahead in the modern workplace, companies are launching a slew of AI upskilling initiatives.

According to ‘The Workforce Wishlist’ survey of more than 8,000 Indian professionals by upGrad Enterprise, eight in 10 respondents said they consider AI skills crucial, and nine in 10 said they value employer-supported training.

According to ET, India Inc companies like Wipro, Genpact, and Ericsson are investing heavily in AI-ready workforce initiatives, creating personalised training programmes and partnerships with universities. These efforts have resulted in substantial employee upskilling, particularly in AI, with a notable impact on employee retention and readiness for future workplace demands.

“Workforce dynamics are undergoing a significant transformation – upskilling and skilling have really evolved beyond ‘good to have’. Our data shows that nearly half of the surveyed professionals are more likely to stay with an employer that invests in their development, showing a clear correlation between upskilling initiatives and retention,” Srikanth Iyengar, CEO of upGrad Enterprise, said.

Commenting on the report, Srikanth Iyengar, CEO of upGrad Enterprise, said: “Workforce dynamics are undergoing a significant transformation – upskilling and skilling have really evolved beyond ‘good to have’. Hence, these trends mirrors individuals’ work motivators and while we have built a very strong industry-backed primary research repository for us, it supports us in servicing our clients with much sharper and accurate skilling solutions – that nudges the right leadership chords, enabling GCCs and global organisations to build a powerful and future-ready talent pipeline across domains,” Iyengar said.

According to the report, standardised programmes no longer work; a customised and collaborative approach is the potential way forward, and 44% of respondents want AI safety training.

One in three professionals lack key leadership and problem-solving skills, reveals upGrad Enterprise report

A survey of over 8,000 Indian professionals across 28 industries – including automotive, banking, e-commerce, education, healthcare, IT, manufacturing, and retail reveals a significant correlation between upskilling initiatives and employee retention, with 42% of respondents indicating they remain with organisations that invest in their learning and development.

Despite 91% valuing employer-supported training, 78% report a lack of relevant opportunities. The demand for AI skills is evident, as 83% consider them crucial, yet 65% identify as novices.

Key findings include:

Artificial Intelligence (AI), cloud computing, cybersecurity, green skills, and data analytics remain at the top of the upskilling agenda.

51% of respondents favor hybrid learning, 48% seek role-specific training, while 40% prefer mixed learning methods.

Standardized programs no longer work, a customized and collaborative approach is a potential way forward

One in three professionals lacks leadership, negotiation, and problem-solving skills, while only 20% actively work on developing them. This jeopardizes leadership pipelines, highlighting the need for a company-wide push to bridge the gap and unlock growth opportunities.

44% want AI safety training, 57% seek sustainability skills and 63% prioritize cybersecurity in today’s modern-day workplace parlance

Decision-making, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence need focus

Companies must balance employer-led and self-driven learning, move AI skilling from intent to action, and ensure AI safety training

The report reveals that 45% of respondents are Millennials (ages 29–44), 31% are GenX (ages 45–60), 22% are GenZ (ages 13–28), and 2% are Baby Boomers (ages 61–79).

This demographic distribution underscores the need for employers to integrate structured, action-driven learning opportunities—ensuring that upskilling is not just an HR mandate but a shared leadership vision to future-proof careers.