Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming Indian workplaces at an unprecedented pace, with 7 out of 10 employees using AI tools in 2024, up from 5 in 10 the previous year. Nearly half of the 1,000 employees surveyed said they rely on AI daily in their current role, according to the Randstad AI and Equity Report 2024, as reported by ET.
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Rise of AI in Indian Workplaces
"The commoditisation of AI tools has not only made it significantly efficient to fast-track and simplify business processes, it has also boosted workplace productivity,” the report quoted Viswanath PS, Managing Director and Chief Executive of Randstad India, a talent company, as saying.
In 2024, the survey reportedly collected responses from employees across diverse sectors, including IT services (25 percent), financial services (12 percent), education (11 percent), and manufacturing (10 percent). The respondents comprised 56 percent men and 44 percent women. The survey found that 37 percent of participants expressed concern about the potential impact of AI on their jobs.
"A certain section of the talent community is worried about the impact of AI on their job," Viswanath reportedly said, adding that one probable reason could be the chances of their role getting redundant.
AI Policies and Workplace Restrictions
One in three respondents reported that their employer had implemented a policy banning the use of AI technologies, including tools like ChatGPT, in the workplace. "Some of the potential reasons behind this could be concerns related to data security, privacy, confidentiality of organisational information, etc.," according to Randstad, the report said.
The report revealed that a large majority of respondents recognised the increasing importance of AI skills for future job security. This sentiment was particularly evident among boomers (born between 1945 and 1965) and millennials (born in the early 1980s to late 1990s). Most employees expressed that their employers could make greater use of AI in the workplace.
"This hints towards how senior leaders are looking at AI tools as tech-enabled human clones that can enable talent to thrive, rather than just another technology," said Viswanath, according to the report.
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Generational Confidence in AI Skills
According to the report, millennials showed the highest confidence in their AI skills, with 82 percent planning to use AI for job applications, compared to 76 percent of the respondents who said they planned to use AI to support their applications (e.g., CV review, cover letter writing, interview prep, etc.). Younger employees (Millennials and Gen Z) were seen as better equipped to leverage AI at work, while boomers and Millennials recognised its significance for job security. Millennials and Gen Z, or those born between the mid-1990s and early 2000s.
However, three in four respondents reportedly said they needed more learning and development around AI to future-proof their career and enhance their earning potential.
According to the report, most employees believe AI could enhance workplace equity by reducing bias, but they expressed some concerns as well. Millennials, in particular, report experiencing bias from AI systems.
Nearly 45 percent of respondents reported having experienced or suspected bias in AI systems, such as chatbots. Additionally, nearly 7 in 10 respondents (69 percent) noted that their employers had taken steps to improve workplace equity through initiatives like flexible work arrangements, inclusive training programs, and fair, unbiased hiring practices, the report said.
