Indian professionals lapping up AI skills at workplace to remain adaptable: LinkedIn

NEW DELHI: Indian professionals are embracing AI skills amid rising prominence of Artificial Intelligence in the world of work, and the number of such skilled personnel has increased 14 times since 2016, LinkedIn said in a report on Thursday. According to LinkedIn's first ever global 'Future of Work: State of Work @ AI' report, AI-skilled members in India increased 14 times in June 2023 compared to January 2016. This growth puts India in the top five countries for AI talent increase, alongside Singapore, Finland, Ireland, and Canada, the report said.

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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. Over the past year, there has been an increase in AI usage in workplaces and this surge has prompted 60 per cent of all workers and 71 per cent 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, the report said. It further noted that top company executives are prioritising AI skilling, hiring, and deployment in India.

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Around 57 per cent 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. "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," said Ashutosh Gupta, Country Manager at LinkedIn India.

In a bid to create a skills-first labour market, LinkedIn is investing Rs 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, LinkedIn said.