82% of India's Gen Z use AI tools weekly to learn new skills: Emeritus

Emeritus report finds 60 per cent of Gen Z respondents feel burned out by upskilling pressure, while interest in traditional study-abroad pathways is declining

As many as 82 per cent of the country's Gen Z population use artificial intelligence (AI) or generative AI (GenAI) tools at least once a week to learn or build new skills, highlighting the growing role of AI in how young Indians approach education and career development, according to a new report by education company Emeritus.

 

The report, titled ‘India Gen Z Outlook 2026 – The No Cap Generation: Recalculating Education, Ambition, and Success’, added that despite their strong reliance on technology for learning, Gen Z is also facing growing pressure to continuously upgrade their skills. Around 60 per cent of respondents said they feel burned out by the pressure to keep upskilling. At the same time, 75 per cent believe that learning the right skills will help them remain competitive in the workforce.

 

 

Additionally, the traditional study-abroad pathway is losing ground, as 48 per cent of those who would consider studying abroad say their interest has declined over the past year, driven by cost, visa requirements and uncertain post-study work regimes. The United States is seeing the sharpest decline. Meanwhile, a new consideration set is emerging, as 68 per cent of respondents say they would be likely or extremely likely to study a programme offered by an internationally ranked university in India. Around 69 per cent of transitioning students would actively prefer an India-based international programme over going abroad to avoid visa uncertainty.