AI now becoming a core workplace skill

Bengaluru: Artificial Intelligence (AI) has now become a daily workplace reality, as mid-career professionals are ready to navigate AI-integrated workplaces. AI has now moved beyond the hype cycle, and employees prefer more training to stay future-ready.

The Work Ahead study, released by job site Indeed, revealed that a majority of workers are confident about technologies such as Generative AI and Agentic AI, and that they expect to use them in the next two to five years. The survey of more than 3,000 professionals across the country also revealed that many see AI as a skill that could open doors to higher pay, promotions and new career paths.

“There’s a determined confidence building across India’s workforce,” said Sashi Kumar, Head of Sales, Indeed India. “Mid-career professionals, in particular, are not only using AI but actively seeking upskilling opportunities to master it. The rise in interest around Agentic AI signals that we are at the beginning of a transformation, one where job seekers are not just responding to change, but leading it," he added.

Among those surveyed, about 34% expect to use GenAI tools frequently in the near future. Many employees are already anticipating the adoption of Agentic AI tools, which can autonomously complete complex tasks.

Also, mid-career professionals aged 35 to 54 years say they want more AI training to stay future-ready, compared to just 41% of their younger counterparts.

Among blue-collar workers surveyed, about 70% say technology helps them at work, and two in ten are already using GenAI in their roles, from streamlining paperwork to improving customer service. Many employees are now seeing dedicated time during the workday to learn and adapt to new technologies. About 29% of the workforce is looking for access to self-paced online training programmes to upgrade their skills on their terms.

“As we move ahead, upskilling in AI wouldn’t just be good practice; it’ll be the career accelerator. Workers who build AI skills will be better positioned for higher pay, promotions, and future roles, a trend that we already see picking up,” Kumar added.

AI provides real-time budget tracking

Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) in the Asia Pacific (APAC) view AI as a valuable way to ensure ROI (Return on Investment) through better financial control. According to new research from Salesforce, close to 63% of APAC CFOs reported having a conservative AI strategy in 2020, but currently that number has declined to just 3%. A CFO survey respondent said that AI provides real-time budget tracking, which improves forecasting accuracy and helps protect ROI from overspending through better financial control.

Last year, 65% of global CFOs faced pressure to accelerate tech investment ROI. Today, they recognise that the value of AI isn’t just about short-term cost-cutting, but also long-term business outcomes like revenue generation, productivity gains and improved decision-making.

According to data, about 50% of APAC CFOs say AI agents — digital labour capable of performing tasks autonomously — are changing how they evaluate ROI, measuring the success of technology investments beyond traditional metrics to encompass a broader range of business outcomes.