As Artificial Intelligence (AI) reshapes workplaces across industries, a new report by Primus Partners, The AI Workforce Advantage, highlights workforce readiness as a critical priority for India’s AI ambitions.
Based on secondary research and a primary survey of 345 stakeholders across 15 states, including employees, students, founders, HR leaders and policymakers, the report finds that AI is currently augmenting work faster than it is replacing jobs. Organisations are increasingly using AI to automate tasks within existing roles, while employees are adopting AI to improve productivity.
The report also highlights a growing gap between AI-enabled and non-AI-enabled talent. While employees increasingly recognise AI skills as important for career growth, access to formal AI education and structured workplace training remains limited. The report calls for stronger collaboration between industry, academia and policymakers to address this emerging skills gap.
The report identifies three key shifts shaping the future of work: human value moving from execution towards judgment and decision-making; competitive advantage shifting from access to AI tools to their effective use; and career progression becoming increasingly dependent on adaptability and continuous learning.
Charu Malhotra, Managing Director & Co-Founder, Primus Partners, said: “The AI question is deeper than job displacement: can India move fast enough to create new roles, new capabilities, new opportunities? Talent is economic and competitive advantage only if it’s industry ready – academia must be agile in preparing talent for not just today’s roles but also shape roles of tomorrow. To do this industry and academia must jointly evolve India’s playbook to compete in a shifting global economic balance.”
The report recommends a coordinated approach focused on AI literacy, workforce development, curriculum modernisation and responsible AI governance to ensure AI-driven productivity supports inclusive economic growth and long-term workforce resilience.
