Soft skills and AI capability key for Indians to thrive in Future of Work: LinkedIn
India: LinkedIn, has launched its first ever global Future of Work: State of Work at AI report, highlighting the rising prominence of Artificial Intelligence in the world of work. India findings reveal that AI-skilled members in India increased by 14x in June 2023 compared to January 2016. This growth puts India in the top 5 countries for AI talent increase, alongside Singapore, Finland, Ireland, and Canada.
India embraces AI learning as AI adoption rises at the workplace
Over the past year, 43% of the Indian workforce have witnessed increased AI usage in their workplaces. This surge has prompted 60% of all workers and 71% of Gen Z professionals in India to recognise that acquiring AI skills could enhance career prospects. Further, 2 in 3 Indians say they will learn at least one digital skill in 2023, with AI and Machine Learning being among the top skills they want to learn.
Leaders prioritise AI Skilling, Hiring, and Deployment in India
As AI skills gain ground, their impact on the job market is becoming more evident. In 2022, the growth in hiring AI talent has outpaced overall hiring in APAC. For India, 2023 promises continued growth for AI hiring, with half of India's top executives aiming to upskill or hire for AI talent this year. Concurrently, 57% of executives are planning to enhance AI use in their organisations next year, which tells us that businesses are also actively reskilling their existing workforce in AI skills to ensure their teams remain agile and adaptable.
Soft skills take centre stage in the age of AI
The emphasis on soft skills such as creativity and communications in the age of AI is particularly strong in India, with 91% of top executives recognizing their increased importance, surpassing the global average of 72%. A majority of the Indian workforce agrees with this sentiment as 7 in 10 (69%) professionals believe that soft skills such as creativity and problem solving allow them to bring a fresh perspective to work.
Ashutosh Gupta, Country Manager at LinkedIn India says, “As AI shapes the future of work, India recognises the importance of human potential and the pivotal role that soft skills will play to build a world-class workforce of the future. With India’s top executives endorsing the potency of interpersonal skills in the age of AI, we’re entering an era that values more fulfilling, human-centric work. To seize the moment, leaders must solidify their commitment to skills-first hiring because prioritising potential over pedigree can expand talent pools, boost upskilling, and build agility in their workforce.”
“By championing a skills-first mindset, we hold an incredible opportunity to empower our nation's youth — particularly those living beyond urban centres — with the right mix of digital and human skills so they can lead meaningful livelihoods and thrive in the future of work,” he added.
Furthering its commitment to creating a skills-first labour market, LinkedIn is investing INR 3 crore in a three-year partnership with The Nudge Institute, a non-profit working towards building resilient livelihoods for all. This collaboration will work towards building employability skills for India’s youth from economically disadvantaged communities and making them future-ready.
Methodology: LinkedIn’s AI Skills Index value measures how much the share of members with at least 2 AI skills on their profiles has increased, compared to the level in January 2016. For example, a value of 3x means the share of members with AI skills is 3x higher as compared to January 2016. The metric helps us understand the pace at which members are adopting AI skills, or the pace at which AI skills are diffusing in a given country, industry, etc.
LinkedIn’s Workforce Confidence Index is based on a quantitative online survey distributed to members via email every two weeks. Members are randomly sampled and must be opted into research to participate. Students, stay-at-home partners, and retirees are excluded from analysis so we can get an accurate representation of those currently active in the workforce. Data is weighted by engagement level to ensure fair representation of various activity levels on the platform.
LinkedIn Executive Confidence Index is an online survey taken by roughly 5,000 LinkedIn members (at the VP-level or above) every quarter. Members are randomly sampled and must be opted into research to participate. We analyse data in aggregate and will always respect member privacy. Data is weighted by Seniority and Industry to ensure fair representation of executives on the platform.
