Microsoft and LinkedIn have released the India findings of the 2024 Work Trend on the state of AI at work. The report titled "AI at work is here. Now comes the hard part" shows how, in just one year, AI is influencing the way people work, lead and hire. The report sheds light on employees' strong desire for AI integration in the workplace, the opportunities it creates for career growth, and the emergence of AI power users in the future of work. The study's findings were based on a survey of 31,000 people in 31 countries.

The study states that 92% of knowledge workers in India use AI at work as compared to the global figure of 75%, reflecting employee confidence in AI to save time, boost creativity, and focus. Also, 91% of leaders in India also believe their companies need to adopt AI to stay competitive, and 54% worry their organisation lacks a plan and vision for implementation.

According to the study, for India's leaders, AI skills are now a top priority when it comes to hiring, with 75% stating they wouldn't hire someone lacking in AI skills, outpacing the global average of 66%. However, AI skills outweigh experience, with 80% of leaders in India preferring to hire a less experienced candidate with AI skills, over a more experienced candidate without them.

The study also analysed the rise of AI power users and what they reveal about the future. The numbers proved that AI power users have fundamentally reoriented their workdays, with 90% of Indian AI power users beginning their day with AI and 91% relying on it to prepare for the next day. They are also 37% more likely to seek guidance from co-workers regarding useful prompts and 47% more likely to experiment with AI.

In a statement, Irina Ghose, managing director of Microsoft India and South Asia, remarked that data from the Work Trend Index shows that AI is now a reality at work, with India having one of the highest AI adoption rates among knowledge workers, at 92%. 

Ruchee Anand, head of Talent & Learning Solutions at LinkedIn, stated that AI is transforming the world of work, reshaping the talent landscape, and nudging both individuals and organisations to embrace change.

Source:

Microsoft News