India is leading the way in adopting AI for the workplace. India is standing out as a frontrunner in the field. A remarkable 70 percent of businesses in India are already implementing AI projects or are in the process.
This figure starkly contrasts with the global average of 49 percent, as per a report by NetApp.
The report highlights a promising trend: 91 percent of Indian companies plan to use at least half of their own data for training AI models in 2024. This underscores the potential for further growth and development in AI adoption.
In terms of geographical regions, 60 percent of AI-leading countries, including India, Singapore, the UK, and the USA, have active AI projects or pilots. In contrast, only 36 percent of AI-lagged countries, such as Spain, Australia/New Zealand, Germany, and Japan, have reached this stage.
When broken down by industry, technology companies lead the pack, with 70 percent having AI projects underway or in pilot phases. Following closely are banking and financial services at 55 percent and manufacturing at 50 percent. However, healthcare (38 percent) and media and entertainment (25 percent) lag in AI adoption.
Larger companies, which boast over 250 employees, are more inclined to have AI projects in progress. Sixty-two percent report projects either up and running or in pilot phases, compared to 36 percent of smaller companies with less than 250 employees.
Puneet Gupta, Vice President and Managing Director at NetApp India/SAARC, emphasized the crucial role of data in enhancing AI capabilities. He noted that India’s vast data sets contribute to its leadership in AI adoption, highlighting the importance of a unified and reliable data infrastructure for successful AI initiatives.
Furthermore, the report identifies a difference in approach between AI leaders and laggards, with 67 percent of companies in leading AI countries reporting hybrid IT environments. Notably, India leads in this aspect with 70 percent, while Japan lags significantly behind at 24 percent.
AI leaders are not just leading the pack, they are reaping significant benefits from their initiatives. These include reported increases in production rates, automation of routine activities, and enhancements in customer experience. This underscores the exciting and motivating possibilities that AI adoption can bring.