India leading in AI adoption with 85% of business leaders investing in AI, finds report

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India is leading in artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, with 85 percent of business leaders investing in the technology, according to a recent report by Kyndryl.

"Risk readiness in populous markets like India highlights that countries with larger labor pools are more capable of addressing talent gaps," said a release from the company. Titled "Kyndryl Readiness Report", it combines feedback from 3,200 senior decision-makers across 25 industries and senior directors from companies across 18 global markets.

Also, India ranks first in business leaders’ readiness to manage future cybersecurity and resiliency risks, with 40 percent of leaders confident in their capabilities.

Additionally, 44 percent of business leaders feel ready across risks related to skills gaps and talent deficits, India leads in this area. However, the report finds that the skill gap, at about 27 percent, is a barrier to fully leveraging AI.

India’s leaders overwhelmingly prioritize technology modernization with 96% stating it as a high priority.

One of the shortcomings that the report found is that only 25 percent of Indian business leaders are investing in employee training and development programs, compared to 31 percent globally. Similarly, just 23 percent are focusing on enhancing regulatory compliance efforts, falling short of the global average of 29 percent.

Moreover, 59 percent of Indian business leaders believe that policy and regulation changes are moving too fast, which is the second-highest among all countries.

The report highlights a paradox as to why 90 percent of executives believe their IT infrastructure is best-in-class but only 39 percent of them think it’s ready to manage future risks.