Combination of skilling, AI deployment helping businesses succeed: Microsoft research

Microsoft India on Monday released new research revealing that organisations that combine deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) with skilling initiatives are generating most value from AI.

Topline findings of the research underscore that mature AI firms are more confident about the return on AI and skills, a company statement said.

Microsoft recently conducted the global survey with approximately 12,000 people working with enterprise companies (more than 250 employees).

The research surveyed employees and leaders within large enterprises across industry verticals in India, and 19 other countries, to look at the skills needed to thrive as AI becomes increasingly adopted by businesses, as well as the key learnings from early AI adopters.

Over 93 per cent of senior executives surveyed from these companies were sure their business was gaining value from AI.

The research further highlights that employees from mature AI companies are eager to deepen their AI skills and reinvest freed up time to add value for the organisation.

Both the senior executives and employees surveyed found a direct link between having the skills needed to thrive in an AI world and the value organisations gain from their AI implementations.

The research further reveals that employees are keen to acquire AI relevant skills that are growing in importance and are of value to them personally and to the business.

In fact, organisation leaders surveyed predicted that half of all employees will be equipped with AI skills in the next 6-10 years, which is nearly one-and-a-half times more than the present estimations.

Dr Rohini Srivathsa, National Technology Officer, Microsoft India, said, "AI is at the heart of digital transformation - which has accelerated at an extraordinary pace - and will continue to play a critical role in helping businesses be more agile, resilient and competitive during this time. However, the path of unlocking the full potential of AI lies in combining its deployment with skilling initiatives that focus on both tech and soft skills."

In India, 100 per cent of the AI-leading companies say they are actively building the skills of their workers or have plans to do so. Over 93 per cent employees at these firms have already been part of re-skilling programs, according to the survey.

The employees benefitting from these programmes are actively providing strategic benefits to their companies through innovating, solving, and collaborating. Notably, 98 per cent of the employees surveyed among all the AI companies were highly motivated for reskilling, it said.

The combination of skilling and AI deployment is helping businesses succeed. Ninety-four per cent of senior executives from AI-leading businesses acknowledged that they are already seeing value from AI deployment. In fact, Indian AI Intermediate companies are also not too far behind in this aspect - with 87 per cent sharing the same view, it was stated.

Notably, at the time the survey was conducted, 98 per cent of AI-leading firms in India were increasing skills investments.

These companies were looking for ways to expand their employees' digital capabilities to unlock new avenues for growth. Ninety-three per cent of them were actively hiring skilled workers or had plans to, to complement their internal skilling programmes.

"It is also interesting to note that more 97 per cent business leaders in India are willing to provide financial rewards in some form, fast track promotion or a combination of both in order to promote job satisfaction and higher level of AI-relevant skills among employees," the statement added.

Interestingly, the overall number of Indian employees interested in skilling (85 per cent) is more than double of that of employees across all surveyed markets (38 per cent), it said.