Six in Ten Indians Use Gen AI at Work, 75% Say It Strengthens Decision-Making: EY Survey

India’s workforce is leading globally in adoption of Generative AI (Gen AI) with an ‘AI Advantage’ score of 53, above the global average of 34, impacting its decision making, productivity and quality of work, according to EY 2025 Work Reimagined Survey. 

Nearly six in ten Indians (62%) actively use Gen AI at work, reflecting its fast-growing adoption, the survey reveals.

The findings reveal how employers and employees view AI governance. According to 75% of employees and 72% of employers Gen AI is strengthening decision-making, while 82% of employees and 92% of employers said it improves work quality. Nine in ten employers (90%) and 86% of employees say AI boosts productivity, underscoring strong confidence in its impact.

In India where 800 employees and 50 employers were surveyed. The survey which was released recently drew its insights from 15,000 employees and 1,500 employers across 29 markets globally.

Pillars of ‘Talent Health’

The country’s workforce holds the highest ‘Talent Health’, scoring 82 among all the geographies assessed. This score captures how employees feel about workplace culture, rewards, and development.

Anurag Malik, Partner and National Leader – People Consulting, EY India said, “The findings show that when organisations invest in skills, provide clarity around role evolution, and adopt technology responsibly, employees are more engaged and confident about the future. Those that build AI capability at the individual level while keeping people at the centre are best positioned to develop a future-ready workforce and sustain long-term performance.”

The survey points global average ‘Talent Health’ score at 65 out of 100, with culture contributing 44%, rewards 32%, and development 24% to the overall score.

Culture and reward strong factors

Culture remains the strongest driver of talent health. In India, survey results point to a strengthening workplace culture, with 84% of employees saying management trusts and empowers them and 86% reporting strong connections with their teams, largely aligning with employer views. Perceptions are improving steadily: half of employees (50%) say their organization’s culture is “somewhat better,” while 30% describe it as “significantly better.”

Rewards continue to drive talent health globally. In India, employees prioritize core benefits, led by bonuses (40%), flexible schedules (33%), cost-of-living–aligned pay (32%), and well-being benefits (31%). Employers, meanwhile, balance traditional incentives with future-ready investments, placing nearly equal emphasis on bonuses (35%), flexibility (33%), and AI skill-building resources (34%).

Clear gap in upskilling remains

Despite agreement on the importance of upskilling, actual learning time remains low. Most employees globally spend fewer than 40 hours a year on AI learning, even as 87% of employees and 90% of employers in India say acquiring new skills is essential.

The data highlights a clear gap, and a strong opportunity. Employees who invest more time in AI learning show a much lower intent to leave, while higher learning hours translate directly into more time saved each week, reinforcing the productivity benefits of continuous skill development.