Over 40% salaried Indians say AI has improved their incomes: Report

One in five has faced financial setbacks due to the technology's impact, according to BankBazaar Aspiration Index 2025-26

More than 40 per cent of salaried Indians aged 22 to 45 agree that their income or productivity improved due to opportunities created by artificial intelligence (AI), said a report on Tuesday.

 

One in five of them financial setbacks due to AI, according to the BankBazaar Aspiration Index 2025-26 that tracks income stability, financial decisions and long-term financial planning by salaried Indians. The index stands at 85.5 for 2025-26, unchanged from last year. The flat reading suggests caution rather than pessimism: Households are not curtailing ambitions but are recalibrating them amid AI-led disruption and macroeconomic uncertainty.

 

AI: Income multiplier or risk trigger?

 

The survey of 1,529 salaried professionals aged 22–45 shows a clear split in outcomes linked to AI adoption:

 

 

• 42 per cent reported higher income or productivity gains due to AI-enabled opportunities
• 12 per cent experienced income disruption
• 8 per cent suffered direct financial losses due to over-reliance on AI tools

 

Mid-career professionals who have made AI part of their work say the technology has increased their income. For others, particularly those without skill alignment or financial buffers, AI has introduced volatility.

 

The report said that access to technology is not the key differentiator. Financial awareness, adaptability and judgement determine whether AI becomes an asset or a liability.

 

Health, home and children anchor priorities

Despite technological disruption, people’s core aspirations remain stable. Health continues to rank as the most important life goal, with an Importance Index of 89.9. However, it also shows the widest readiness gap (5.5), indicating stress and inadequate financial preparedness to sustain well-being.

 

Three priorities dominate:

• Mental health and overall well-being
• Saving and investing for children’s education

 

Buying a house

Homeownership has re-entered the top wealth goals, while aspirations such as early retirement and international travel have moderated. This signals a shift from discretionary spending to asset-backed security.

 

Gender gap widens

Women continue to report higher aspiration levels than men. However, their Aspiration–Readiness Gap has widened from 4.2 to 4.4, compared to 2.5 for men. The pressure is visible across health, children’s education and identity-led goals.

 

As AI reshapes career paths and income trajectories, the imbalance between ambition and preparedness appears to be increasing for women.

 

A behavioural reset, not retreat

Metro and non-metro scores are converging, suggesting that technology access is narrowing geographic differences. However, financial resilience remains uneven.

 

Indians are optimistic about their finances but that sentiment is measured, according to the report. AI is seen largely as an enabler — useful for tracking, insights and productivity — but not a replacement for human financial judgement.