56% Indian learners unsure where to start with AI: Report

A majority of Indian learners are keen to develop Artificial Intelligence (AI) skills but remain uncertain about how to begin. The report, based on responses from around 2,100 learners across cities and career stages, found that 56% consider “knowing where to start” the biggest hurdle in their AI learning journey.

Another 43% said the large number of courses available and doubts about their credibility make choosing the right learning path difficult. Keeping pace with rapid AI developments was also identified as a challenge by 43% of respondents.

The findings indicate that AI adoption has become widespread in India. Around 94% of respondents said they use AI in some form, while 53% reported using it daily. The trend extends beyond metropolitan cities, with learners in tier-2 and tier-3 cities also increasingly using AI.

The report also found strong interest in AI upskilling, with nearly 87% of respondents either already enrolled in an AI programme or exploring or planning to pursue AI learning.

Experienced professionals are emerging as active AI learners. Daily AI usage rises from 44% among early-stage learners to 62% among professionals with more than eight years of experience. About 31% of professionals in the 8+ years category spend at least three hours a week learning AI, compared with 15% of early-stage learners.

AI adoption is also translating into career benefits. Around 54% of respondents reported outcomes such as greater workplace confidence, a new role, a job, promotion or freelance income. Nearly 49% said AI has enabled them to perform tasks they previously could not.

However, advanced AI skills remain limited. Only 26% have connected AI with other tools or used an API, while 20% have built an AI-powered automation, agent or application.

India has moved from debating whether AI will transform work to focusing on how people can prepare for that transformation.

The report calls for clearer learning pathways that can help users move from basic AI adoption to practical, job-ready expertise.