AI implementation sees gap between employee expectations, company readiness

While employees are eager to learn AI practices, there remains a lack of direction on companies' part regarding how to apply AI tools in daily tasks and final objectives on its use

Despite more than a year of relentless evangelism around artificial intelligence (AI), India Inc is seeing a widening gap between awareness and action. Employees may be busy reskilling, but many still lack the confidence in applying AI to real work, even as the pressure to stay “AI-ready” keeps piling on.

 

But only the employees are not to blame - companies, too, have been slow to spell out how these tools should be used in day-to-day tasks, leaving organisations brimming with AI training certificates but struggling to translate that knowledge into meaningful productivity gains.

 

According to a recent report by Udemy, an AI-powered skills platform, India-based employees in the 18-70 year old cohort of internet users are very open to using AI at work, with nearly three-quarters already leveraging it in their roles. Yet, this strong enthusiasm contrasts sharply with a lack of both personal confidence and organisational readiness to help workers translate interest into capability.

 

The report ‘Ready or Not: The Emerging Gap Between Awareness and Action in ‌AI Transformation’ found that only 3-in-10 India-based professionals feel confident in their AI skills, while 61 per cent professionals strongly or somewhat agreed that their employers didn't provide clear ways to use AI for daily tasks. Compounding this challenge, most employees in India believe it is their personal responsibility to acquire AI skills, highlighting a widening enablement gap. By addressing psychological and institutional upskilling barriers now, workers and organisations alike will be primed to take full advantage of AI’s opportunities and ensure business durability.

 

“We’re witnessing one of the most dangerous disconnects in modern workforce history,” warns Hugo Sarrazin, president and chief executive officer at Udemy. “Workers understand AI is transformative, but psychological biases and institutional barriers may be preventing them from taking the very actions that could secure their futures. In other words, the AI train is at the station, but people are hesitating to board, uncertain of the journey and unprepared for what lies ahead. Organisations that help employees overcome these blind spots now will have a massive competitive advantage, so they aren’t left waiting on the tracks when AI’s impact truly hits."

 

Similar concerns were also shared in a recent HR conclave by Biz Staffing Comrade, where 27.3 per cent of participants pointed to insufficient communication and change management, suggesting that many organisations are struggling to articulate the purpose, impact and expected outcome of AI adoption. About 9.1 per cent of respondents pointed to leadership hesitation or lack of clarity reflecting uncertainty at the top level around the direction of AI initiatives.

 

HR experts and analysts at the conclave also added that the data challenges a long-held assumption that employee resistance to AI stems from anxiety about automation. Instead, the barrier appears to lie in opacity and unclear communication - a pattern reflected in global studies showing that while AI capability has accelerated, confidence in its governance and explainability still lags behind.

 

Arjun Gupta, CEO and founder of Courseplay, a CIEL HR company, says that while there certainly is a gap, it is more a reflection of how fast technology is evolving rather than an inability of companies to keep up.

 

“Employees today are more aware of emerging skills, especially in AI and digital technologies and naturally expect continuous development opportunities. Most organisations, however, are in a transition phase. They are already investing in upskilling, but integrating new AI-focused learning into existing L&D structures takes time, planning, and alignment with business goals. So the gap is more about pace than intent,” he explained.

 

Gupta agrees that employees are taking the initiative to build AI-related skills on their own. “This is actually a positive trend. With AI tools becoming easily accessible, many professionals are experimenting, learning independently and staying curious, which is healthy for the overall talent ecosystem," he said, adding that "It doesn’t mean companies are not prioritising AI training. In fact, most organisations are already exploring structured AI learning paths, but employees often begin self-learning because the content is readily available online and helps them stay updated in real time.”