According to Accenture's AI-Driven Economic Growth in India report, intelligent machines and humans working together are expected to raise India’s annual growth rate by 1.3 percentage points by 2035. This translates to an additional $957 billion, or 15% of the gross value added, to India’s economy. 

However, the skill gap remains a significant barrier. According to IBM’s Augmented Work for an automated, AI-driven world report, 40% of the workforce needs to reskill to keep pace with AI adoption over the next three years. Considering this situation, organisations must devise a reskilling plan to equip their workforce to harness the potential benefits of AI and use new-age technologies effectively.

Upskilling is a cultural shift, not just technical training

Shefali Sharma Garg, VP- People Success, Publicis Sapient, emphasizes that reskilling requires cultivating learnability as a core competency. She rightly points out that reskilling beyond technical training demands a cultural shift toward continuous learning and adaptability in an AI-driven economy.

“Leveraging AI-powered tools like chatbot assistants, we simplify access to a diverse ecosystem of learning resources. These tools can empower individuals to design personalised learning journeys tailored to their unique career aspirations. Curated learning boards further enhance this experience by providing clear, step-by-step guidance for building relevant skills,” Shefali notes.

Also Read:

Tech Mahindra’s CPO Richard Lobo shares key HR strategies for 2025

AI, skills, and well-being to define workplaces in 2025

Similarly, Rekha Alagappan, Country HR Manager, SBM Offshore India, calls for implementing workforce reskilling strategies as essential to maintain competitiveness. She suggests initiatives like internal hackathons to inspire team members to explore how AI can improve productivity, streamline tasks, and create practical solutions for the organization. “This includes the introduction of business chatbot use cases for effortless and accurate Q&A, automating data entry through data and deliverable automation, and using AI-powered document verification (AI data check) to simplify document comparison and verification processes,” Rekha explains.

Focus on soft skills

Sheenam Ohrie, Managing Director, Broadridge, India, highlights that alongside technical expertise, soft skills like problem-solving, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence will remain crucial.

Problem Solving and Critical Thinking: As automation takes over routine tasks, the ability to break down existing complex business processes will be in high demand.

Emotional Intelligence: Jobs requiring empathy, relationship-building, and nuanced human interaction will become more important.

Collaboration with Technology: Developing the skills to effectively work alongside AI systems and optimize their capabilities will be a key competency.

“To thrive in 2025 and beyond, embracing the challenge of reskilling will empower us to shape a future where humans and AI technologies work together to achieve unprecedented success. Hence, building a culture of continuous learning, customised training programs, public-private partnerships, and mentorship and coaching are strategies to be considered,” adds Sheenam.

How to lead the change

The skill gap between current abilities and future requirements is increasingly widening, and without action, organisations are at risk of not being relevant to stakeholder needs.

Sunil Yadav, Distinguished Engineer, Dell Technologies, highlights the importance of skill gap analysis to understand where the workforce stands and what the future demands. “Organisations should assess current skills, identify evolving needs, and outline clear development paths to prepare employees for upcoming opportunities.”

According to Sunil, fostering a growth mindset and communicating with the team is a must. “Change often comes with resistance, but a growth mindset helps employees adapt and embrace transformation. Also, leadership must communicate a clear vision of how reskilling will benefit the organisation and its people, using all available internal platforms to amplify the message.”

Personalised development strategies, and aligning learning opportunities with team members’ interests and skill levels through mentoring, coaching, and tailored training ensure meaningful progress, Sunil suggests.

To address the skill gap in an AI-driven economy, it becomes imperative for organisations to champion a culture of continuous learning and upskilling, and if employees want to remain competitive in a strong market, skill-building and training will need to take center stage. “Innovative learning programs, curated learning experiences, and nurturing curiosity are the need of the hour,” says Rajasekar Rajagopal, Assurance Leader – EY Global Delivery Services.

For Rajasekar, upskilling isn’t just a strategic move, it's a human one. “It's about investing in our people, showing them,they're appreciated, and ensuring that our workforce evolves alongside the technological landscape, keeping us all moving forward together.”

To succeed in the AI-driven economy of 2025, organisations must embrace a holistic approach to reskilling and upskilling their workforce, combining technical expertise with strategic thinking and adaptability. Partha Sengupta, Managing Director and India GCC Head, Nielsen, believes in fostering a culture of continuous learning where teams are well-versed in AI technologies like deep learning, and generative AI to enhance content analysis and predictive modelling.

Sengupta suggests, leveraging AI-driven platforms to identify skill gaps, tailor training journeys, and track progress ensures effective learning outcomes. “Partnerships with academic and industry leaders enrich our training programs, ensuring access to cutting-edge knowledge and certifications. Furthermore, our reskilling initiatives underscore ethical AI principles such as transparency and bias mitigation, enabling employees to implement AI responsibly.”

The skill gap is widening, but organisations that act now can turn this challenge into an opportunity. Building a culture of continuous learning, leveraging AI-driven tools, and investing in both technical and soft skills are the keys to thriving in the AI-driven economy of 2025 and beyond.