Boston Consulting Group’s latest AI Radar report stated that ‘with 80% of Indian firms prioritising AI (artificial intelligence) exceeding the global average of 75%, the country is emerging as a frontrunner in the adoption of this technology.

The study revealed significant AI investments in India, positioning the country among the top global investors in the technology. 75% of companies are allocating up to $25 million and 16% are planning to spend $26 to $50 million by 2025.

India has surpassed several developed countries in planned AI investments for 2025. While AI investment in Japan is 53%, in Singapore 63%, and in the United States 59%, India surpassed its global peers with 75%.

Despite, significant investments, India is facing a critical skills gap. Only 26% of companies have trained their workforce on GenAI/AI tools lagging behind Japan (38%) and Singapore (44%). As AI investment rises in 2025, addressing the skills shortage requires urgent attention.

Nipun Kalra, MD & Partner, BCG India, and India Leader said “As learning and development agendas evolve, companies are actively working to upskill their employees on scaling use cases and enabling thinking functions to conceptualise new applications,”.

While concerns about AI job losses are prevalent, only 7% of global executives expect job cuts due to AI automation.

Kalra said, “Most CXOs are focused on augmenting existing workforces rather than replacement. The conversation is centred around making functions 30-50% more productive and enabling employees to do more with the same resources”.

While this report has highlighted India’s significant investments and strong strategic focus on AI, addressing the skills gap is critical for the country to fully capitalise on AI’s potential.

Source: https://www.financialexpress.com/life/technology-80-indian-firms-mark-ai-as-core-priority-surpassing-global-average-but-lag-in-workforce-readiness-bcg-study-3716373/