54% Of India’s Workforce Uses AI; 49% Of Millennials Fear Job Loss Now

A new study from Great Place To Work India — part of its proprietary Voice of India research — finds that AI is steadily moving from experiment to everyday work: 54% of employees say their organisations are at a pilot or intermediate stage of AI implementation. Yet the shift is double-edged. While many organisations are enabling productivity gains, a large share of the workforce remains anxious about job displacement — notably 49% of millennials who say AI could replace their roles in the next three to five years.

AI Adoption Across Industries

The study highlights that the IT sector leads AI adoption, followed closely by financial services and insurance. These industries are not only embedding AI into business processes but are also taking responsibility for educating employees about responsible and effective use. In practice, this means training programmes, hands-on experimentation, and clarified guidelines for AI tools — steps that five in ten employees report their employers are providing.

Workforce Anxiety And Millennial Concerns

Despite adoption, apprehension is widespread. The report states that four in ten employees believe AI could replace their roles in three to five years. That concern is especially acute among millennials, where 49% anticipate possible job replacement. The study also finds a consequential behaviour: at least 40% of those worried about AI plan to quit their current employer, signalling retention risks for companies that don’t manage the change.

A key finding is that the level of organisational AI maturity strongly affects employee sentiment. Employees at companies that have not yet adopted AI register far higher insecurity — 57% feel insecure — compared with just 8% at organisations with advanced AI deployment. The implication is clear: structured, transparent adoption reduces fear and increases buy-in.

Leadership emerges as a critical lever. The research shows 61% of employees in organisations with advanced AI feel supported by leaders in their AI efforts. Certified Great Place To Work workplaces report 27% more employees experiencing stronger leadership support and readiness for AI — reinforcing that culture and managerial trust influence how technology is received. The study also notes a strong organisational emphasis on learning: roughly half of employees say their companies are actively helping them use AI through training and experimentation.

"As organisations across industries advance in AI implementation, leaders are devising high-impact AI strategies that enhance human capabilities. Roadblocks that currently need attention are organisational resistance, coupled with employee readiness. Our recent study titled ‘Voice of India’ shows that at Great Place To Work Certified™ workplaces, 27% more employees report stronger leadership support and greater preparedness for AI adoption. Hence, leaders should actively identify real use cases for AI within their organisation, involve employees in AI initiatives, and invest in reskilling programmes. This is the only way to stay above the curve and get the internal mobility running successfully from within."
— Balbir Singh, CEO, Great Place To Work, India

What Employers Should Prioritize

Based on the study’s findings, employers aiming for a constructive AI transition should prioritize three actions:

• Define Clear Use Cases: Identify concrete AI applications that augment rather than replace core human tasks, and communicate them openly.

• Invest in Reskilling: Provide targeted training and hands-on experimentation so employees gain practical fluency with AI tools.

• Lead Transparently: Demonstrate leadership support, set ethical guidelines, and ensure access to AI resources across managerial levels.

When organisations combine these steps with an inclusive culture, the study suggests employee sentiment shifts from insecurity to enthusiasm — a payoff for workplaces that pair technology with trust.

Great Place To Work India’s Voice of India shows AI is moving fast into the Indian workplace: adoption is climbing, and employers are increasingly offering training and guidelines. But anxiety remains — especially among millennials — and the difference between pilot-stage unease and advanced-stage confidence underscores a central lesson: the success of AI depends less on the technology itself and more on leadership, reskilling, and a culture that makes employees partners in change.