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Time of India
27-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
India leads the Global genAI charge with 92% of employees embracing genAI tools well ahead of global average of 72%
HighlightsNew BCG Report Based on Survey Responses from Over 10,600 Workers Across 11 Countries Shows AI Usage Has Gone Mainstream, but Business Value Requires Deep Workflow Redesign Frontline Workers' Adoption Has Stalled, and Job-Loss Fears Are Rising, Especially in Countries with the Highest Usage Three Quarters of Respondents Believe AI Agents Will Be Vital for Future Success, Yet Only 13% Say They Are Currently Integrated Broadly into Workflows, and Just One-Third Understand How They Function AI is now woven into the fabric of daily work, with 72% of respondents using it regularly. But the true value of AI is being captured by a smaller subset of companies that go beyond tool deployment to fully redesign workflows, according to a new report from Boston Consulting Group (BCG), AI at Work 2025: Momentum Builds, But Gaps Remain, released today. Strong Adoption, but a Frontline Stall—and a North/South Divide The third edition of BCG's annual survey, based on responses from over 10,600 workers across 11 countries, reveals that while AI adoption is strong overall, only 51% of frontline employees are regular users—a figure that has stagnated. Meanwhile, the Global South continues to lead in adoption, with India at 92% and the Middle East at 87% as the nations with the highest levels of regular use. Yet these two high-use countries also report the greatest fear about automation's impact, far higher than the 41% of all global respondents worried their roles could disappear within the next decade. "India is leading the global AI charge, with 92% of employees regularly using GenAI tools —well ahead of the global average of 72%. The country also ranks among the top nations experimenting with AI agents, with 17% of employees reporting integration into their workflows, placing India in the global top three. However, this rapid adoption brings new challenges. Nearly half (48%) of Indian employees fear job displacement over the next decade, highlighting a growing sense of uncertainty. Furthermore, only about one-third of the workforce feels adequately trained to fully leverage AI's potential. As we move from early adoption to delivering real business impact, Indian enterprises must invest in structured training, in-person coaching, and leadership enablement to scale value both responsibly and inclusively," said Mr. Nipun Kalra, Managing Director & Senior Partner; India Leader - BCG X, BCG. Three Key Levers to Boost AI Adoption Proper Training: Only 36% of employees feel adequately trained in AI use. Those who receive five or more hours of training—especially in person and with coaching—are significantly more likely to become regular to the Right Tools: Over half of respondents (54%) say they would use AI tools even if not authorized, with GenZ and Millennials especially prone to bypass restrictions. This "shadow AI" poses rising security Leadership Support: Just 25% of frontline workers say their leaders provide enough guidance on AI. Where leadership is engaged, adoption and employee optimism are markedly higher. Workflow Redesign: Where Real Value Emerges The companies that are truly unlocking AI's full potential are those going beyond deployment to reshape entire workflows. These organizations are: Investing heavily in people transformation—proper training, change management, and anticipating evolution in the value created by AI better with tangible resultsEmployees report saving more time within each work time is spent on strategic tasks and higher-quality greater belief that AI is improving decision making and engagement. 'Companies cannot simply roll out GenAI tools and expect transformation,' said Sylvain Duranton, Global Leader of BCG X and a coauthor of the report. 'Our research shows the real returns come when businesses invest in upskilling their people, redesign how work gets done, and align leadership around AI strategy.' AI Agents: The Next Frontier Three in four employees believe AI agents—smart digital assistants capable of independent task management—will be vital for future success. Yet only 13% say these tools are currently integrated into workflows, and just one-third understand how they function. As familiarity increases, fear fades—and workers begin to view agents as collaborators rather than competitors. Strategic Priorities for Leaders The report outlines four imperatives for organizations committed to moving from tools to transformation: Stop underestimating the importance of training. Commit appropriate levels of investment, time, and leadership the value you are generating with AI through improvements in productivity, quality, and employee in your people to reshape workflows and unlock AI's value. Anticipate AI's impact on work, individual workers, and the workforce. Build an upskilling and reskilling capabilities to support workforce deployment. Experiment rigorously with agents to accelerate the experience curve. Track impact and potential risks via A/B testing. 'Companies that reshape their workflows and invest in people are seeing superior results,' said Vinciane Beauchene, Global Lead on Human x AI at BCG and a report coauthor. 'But that transformation must be accompanied by a clear people strategy and development engine to boost adoption and tackle the impacts it will have on work, the worker and the workforce.'
Hans India
27-06-2025
- Business
- Hans India
India Leads the Global GenAI Charge with 92% of Employees Embracing GenAI Tools well ahead of global average of 72%: BCG Report
AI is now woven into the fabric of daily work, with 72% of respondents using it regularly. But the true value of AI is being captured by a smaller subset of companies that go beyond tool deployment to fully redesign workflows, according to a new report from Boston Consulting Group (BCG), AI at Work 2025: Momentum Builds, But Gaps Remain, released today. Strong Adoption, but a Frontline Stall—and a North/South Divide The third edition of BCG's annual survey, based on responses from over 10,600 workers across 11 countries, reveals that while AI adoption is strong overall, only 51% of frontline employees are regular users—a figure that has stagnated. Meanwhile, the Global South continues to lead in adoption, with India at 92% and the Middle East at 87% as the nations with the highest levels of regular use. Yet these two high-use countries also report the greatest fear about automation's impact, far higher than the 41% of all global respondents worried their roles could disappear within the next decade. "India is leading the global AI charge, with 92% of employees regularly using GenAI tools—well ahead of the global average of 72%. The country also ranks among the top nations experimenting with AI agents, with 17% of employees reporting integration into their workflows, placing India in the global top three. However, this rapid adoption brings new challenges. Nearly half (48%) of Indian employees fear job displacement over the next decade, highlighting a growing sense of uncertainty. Furthermore, only about one-third of the workforce feels adequately trained to fully leverage AI's potential. As we move from early adoption to delivering real business impact, Indian enterprises must invest in structured training, in-person coaching, and leadership enablement to scale value both responsibly and inclusively," said Nipun Kalra, Managing Director & Senior Partner; India Leader - BCG X, BCG. Three Key Levers to Boost AI Adoption Proper Training: Only 36% of employees feel adequately trained in AI use. Those who receive five or more hours of training—especially in person and with coaching—are significantly more likely to become regular users. Access to the Right Tools: Over half of respondents (54%) say they would use AI tools even if not authorized, with GenZ and Millennials especially prone to bypass restrictions. This "shadow AI" poses rising security risks. Strong Leadership Support: Just 25% of frontline workers say their leaders provide enough guidance on AI. Where leadership is engaged, adoption and employee optimism are markedly higher. Workflow Redesign: Where Real Value Emerges The companies that are truly unlocking AI's full potential are those going beyond deployment to reshape entire workflows. These organizations are: Investing heavily in people transformation—proper training, change management, and anticipating evolution in roles. Tracking the value created by AI better with tangible results Employees report saving more time within each work day. More time is spent on strategic tasks and higher-quality outputs. There's greater belief that AI is improving decision making and engagement. 'Companies cannot simply roll out GenAI tools and expect transformation,' said Sylvain Duranton, Global Leader of BCG X and a coauthor of the report. 'Our research shows the real returns come when businesses invest in upskilling their people, redesign how work gets done, and align leadership around AI strategy.' AI Agents: The Next Frontier Three in four employees believe AI agents—smart digital assistants capable of independent task management—will be vital for future success. Yet only 13% say these tools are currently integrated into workflows, and just one-third understand how they function. As familiarity increases, fear fades—and workers begin to view agents as collaborators rather than competitors. Strategic Priorities for Leaders The report outlines four imperatives for organizations committed to moving from tools to transformation: Stop underestimating the importance of training. Commit appropriate levels of investment, time, and leadership support. Track the value you are generating with AI through improvements in productivity, quality, and employee satisfaction. Invest in your people to reshape workflows and unlock AI's value. Anticipate AI's impact on work, individual workers, and the workforce. Build an upskilling and reskilling capabilities to support workforce deployment. Experiment rigorously with agents to accelerate the experience curve. Track impact and potential risks via A/B testing. 'Companies that reshape their workflows and invest in people are seeing superior results,' said Vinciane Beauchene, Global Lead on Human x AI at BCG and a report coauthor. 'But that transformation must be accompanied by a clear people strategy and development engine to boost adoption and tackle the impacts it will have on work, the worker and the workforce.'
India Gazette
26-06-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
India leads with 92% employees embracing GenAI tools, against global average of 72%
New Delhi [India], June 26 (ANI): India is leading the global GenAI charge, with 92 per cent of employees embracing such tools, well ahead of the global average of 72 per cent, according to a new report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG). AI is now woven into the fabric of daily work, with 72 per cent of respondents using it regularly. But the true value of AI is being captured by a smaller subset of companies that go beyond tool deployment to fully redesign workflows, according to the new report from BCG titled 'AI at Work 2025: Momentum Builds, But Gaps Remain', released on Thursday. The third edition of BCG's annual survey, based on responses from over 10,600 workers across 11 countries, reveals that while AI adoption is strong overall, only 51 per cent of frontline employees are regular users--a figure that has stagnated. Meanwhile, the Global South continues to lead in adoption, with India at 92 per cent and the Middle East at 87 per cent as the nations with the highest levels of regular use. Yet these two high-use countries also report the greatest fear about automation's impact, far higher than the 41 per cent of all global respondents who worried their roles could disappear within the next decade. 'The country (India) also ranks among the top nations experimenting with AI agents, with 17 per cent of employees reporting integration into their workflows, placing India in the global top three. However, this rapid adoption brings new challenges. Nearly half (48 per cent) of Indian employees fear job displacement over the next decade, highlighting a growing sense of uncertainty,' Nipun Kalra, Managing Director and Senior Partner; India Leader - BCG X, BCG. 'Furthermore, only about one-third of the workforce feels adequately trained to leverage AI's potential fully. As we move from early adoption to delivering real business impact, Indian enterprises must invest in structured training, in-person coaching, and leadership enablement to scale value both responsibly and inclusively.' The BCG report underlined three key levers to boost AI adoption. Proper Training: Only 36 per cent of employees feel adequately trained in AI use. Those who receive five or more hours of training--especially in person and with coaching--are significantly more likely to become regular users. Access to the Right Tools: Over half of respondents (54 per cent) say they would use AI tools even if not authorised, with Gen Z and Millennials especially prone to bypass restrictions. This 'shadow AI' poses rising security risks. Strong Leadership Support: Just 25 per cent of frontline workers say their leaders provide enough guidance on AI. Where leadership is engaged, adoption and employee optimism are markedly higher. 'Companies cannot simply roll out GenAI tools and expect transformation,' said Sylvain Duranton, Global Leader of BCG X and a coauthor of the report. 'Our research shows the real returns come when businesses invest in upskilling their people, redesign how work gets done, and align leadership around AI strategy.' (ANI)
India.com
26-06-2025
- Business
- India.com
India Leads With 92% Employees Embracing GenAI Tools, Against Global Average Of 72%
New Delhi: India is leading the global GenAI charge, with 92 per cent of employees embracing such tools—well ahead of the global average of 72 per cent—according to a new report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG). AI is now woven into the fabric of daily work, with 72 per cent of respondents using it regularly. However, the true value of AI is being captured by a smaller subset of companies that go beyond tool deployment to fully redesign workflows, according to BCG's new report titled "AI at Work 2025: Momentum Builds, But Gaps Remain," released on Thursday. The third edition of BCG's annual survey—based on responses from over 10,600 workers across 11 countries—reveals that while overall AI adoption is strong, only 51 per cent of frontline employees are regular users, a figure that has stagnated. Meanwhile, the Global South continues to lead in adoption, with India at 92 per cent and the Middle East at 87 per cent—making them the nations with the highest levels of regular use. Yet, these two high-use countries also report the greatest fear about automation's impact—far higher than the 41 per cent of global respondents who worry their roles could disappear within the next decade. India also ranks among the top nations experimenting with AI agents, with 17 per cent of employees reporting integration into their workflows—placing the country in the global top three. However, this rapid adoption brings new challenges. Nearly half (48 per cent) of Indian employees fear job displacement over the next decade, highlighting a growing sense of uncertainty, said Nipun Kalra, Managing Director and Senior Partner; India Leader – BCG X, BCG. 'Furthermore, only about one-third of the workforce feels adequately trained to fully leverage AI's potential. As we move from early adoption to delivering real business impact, Indian enterprises must invest in structured training, in-person coaching, and leadership enablement to scale value both responsibly and inclusively,' Kalra added. The BCG report underlined three key levers to boost AI adoption: 1. Proper Training: Only 36 per cent of employees feel adequately trained in AI use. Those who receive five or more hours of training—especially in person and with coaching—are significantly more likely to become regular users. 2. Access to the Right Tools: Over half of respondents (54 per cent) say they would use AI tools even if not authorised, with Gen Z and Millennials especially prone to bypass restrictions. This "shadow AI" poses rising security risks. 3. Strong Leadership Support: Just 25 per cent of frontline workers say their leaders provide enough guidance on AI. Where leadership is engaged, adoption and employee optimism are markedly higher. 'Companies cannot simply roll out GenAI tools and expect transformation,' said Sylvain Duranton, Global Leader of BCG X and a co-author of the report. 'Our research shows the real returns come when businesses invest in upskilling their people, redesign how work gets done, and align leadership around AI strategy.'
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WIRED
11-06-2025
- Science
- WIRED
Orbital Intelligence: When Satellites Meet Machine Learning
How BCG X, research institutions, and space agencies are using generative AI to supercharge weather forecasting with the GAIA Foundation Model. The 20,000-Foot (or Mile?) View Here's a fact that almost everyone on the planet is becoming increasingly familiar with: As the Earth's climate warms and its weather systems become less reliable, so do the weather prediction capabilities underpinning the business practices of countless agriculture, insurance, public safety, and scientific research organizations around the world. Here's a less obvious fact: As those prediction capabilities deteriorate, so do many of the public and private services we take for granted every day. 'Having better, more reliable, more detailed intelligence about what's going on in the weather system has a lot to do with who's going to win and lose in financial industries like insurance and lending, in infrastructure sectors like energy, and places like state and local government,' says David Potere, geospatial tech leader and BCG X managing director and partner. 'As an example, the way we characterize risk affects the homes we buy, the businesses we invest in, the cities that grow or don't. And right now, there is a known gap in the insurance industry being able to cover a rapidly changing game board.' The impact that this weather intelligence gap—and countless other gaps like it—has on organizational margins can trickle down to consumers in harsh ways. New volatility in the climate system can manifest as extended droughts and high winds that fuel record-breaking wildfires, or back-to-back 100-year storms that cause property damage at massive scales. A societal inability to forecast those kinds of events drives up our insurance rates, undercuts public safety measures, and strains governmental relief efforts. The world needed a novel solution to a rapidly growing problem. The BCG X AI Science Institute may have found it alongside a growing new class of gen AI-powered weather models. Turning to Eyes in the Sky Enter GAIA (Geospatial Artificial Intelligence for Atmospheres) Foundation Model, an open source foundation model built in partnership between the BCG X AI Science Institute and several of the world's leading aerospace organizations to help researchers all across the world better understand and anticipate weather's next move. Similar to large language models (LLMs) trained on text, the GAIA Foundation Model is a gen AI vision model trained on 25 years of satellite imagery that allows researchers to study climate and weather patterns at a greater speed and accessibility than ever before. Specifically, GAIA works with images from a constellation of school bus-sized satellites that 'stare' at the planet from a stationary position more than 22,000 miles above the surface, capturing high- resolution images of the entire 'disk' of the Earth every 30 minutes. This provides a continuous, real-time stream of images and atmospheric data. Taken in concert with a global array of thousands of hyper-detailed weather ground stations, meteorologists can essentially visually map weather developments in near real time across the entire globe. 'There are naturally gaps in this record, including a 'soft spot' when it comes to tracking weather in polar regions,' says Potere.. 'What we're talking about is investments on the ground through generative AI capabilities like GAIA that have the potential to unlock a synthetic fourth satellite constellation.' That kind of visualization capability, produced via open source gen AI technology, is groundbreaking on its own. But the setup behind that tooling is equally innovative. Consider compute power: Depending on the bands and mosaicking process, global satellite imagery can clock in at 3298 x 9896 pixels (and more), and a 15-year span of data measured every 30 minutes yields 263,000 images—more than the total frames in a typical Hollywood feature length film. That's 17 TB of data to be crunched per training session for the GAIA model. The team is also working with live weather data, tapping into the same operational satellites that weather forecasters use on the news at night. These foundation model approaches require a lot of GPUs—a common reason why visual-based gen AI tools have traditionally been a lesser-explored space. 'Up until now, the sheer compute and the algorithms and the know-how you need to be able to translate pixels into answers has been very rare,' Potere says. Tackling the Compute Problem BCG X made two conscious decisions when scoping the endeavor that not only proved to be novel but allowed them to bring the project online in just one year rather than the 18 to 24 months typical for other projects. The first was to commit to creating an environment that could be deployed in the cloud, rather than being tethered to a purpose-built supercomputer. According to Tom Berg, BCG X lead engineer for the project, 'There was something really daunting here; it's almost become an accepted truth that to roll up your sleeves and build your own foundational model is too expensive, if you look at the immense resources the hyperscalers are using. One of the things we wanted to show is that if it works, you don't have to have a dedicated supercomputer to do these kinds of builds.' To that end, the GAIA team turned to a national network of university computing resources distributed across the United States. This constellation of off-the-shelf GPUs (ranging from state-of-the-art to 10-year-old GPUs) is precisely what BCG X's development team had in mind. 'That profile, rather than matching a supercomputer, gave us a lot of parameters to work with,' Berg says. 'It's a very, very adaptable system, and at one point we were using 15 percent of the NRP's entire cloud.' Still, such a setup provided some interesting challenges. Where a dedicated supercomputer has all of its processing power in one building with one uniform power configuration, Berg and Potere's team would instead be connecting GPUs on opposite sides of the Earth. There were also acute issues like power outages, or a university unexpectedly cycling their data centers. Crucially, GAIA was sharing compute space with hundreds of other research applications running at the same time. 'You're basically on a busy public road rather than a dedicated racetrack,' Berg says. The team's second operational decision was to initially narrow their focus to precipitation and top-of-cloud temperature data—as opposed to modeling all aspects of every layer of the atmosphere. Because that selected data closely corresponds to a range of weather phenomena, it provided researchers with the flexibility needed to prove out the foundation model and run experiments at a still-manageable level of initial effort. Critically, by focusing on this 'lower complexity' problem statement, the GAIA team was able to immediately scale their modeling to global atmospheric conditions, putting a dent in the problem of weather predictability. That surgically targeted start allowed the team to reach an equally targeted—yet incredibly meaningful—outcome. Building a Global Toolset and Modeling Solutions A key reason why the team was able to build so rapidly: open source tools and resources, oftentimes combined with earlier research from equally pioneering research teams. 'We have the benefit of standing on the shoulders of some of the earliest groups working on this,' Potere says. 'Even now, the literature has gotten three times denser since we started, but there was something of a literature, so we certainly benefited from the second mover advantage.' That open source, iterative mindset will now define the project's next phase, as well: To give back to the research community and contribute to its ever-evolving toolset, BCG X and their collaborators released the GAIA Foundation Model to the global open source community. In other words, they modeled the Earth, for the Earth. And their work couldn't have come at a better time. As governments, businesses, and research institutions increasingly grapple with the new normal of disruptive weather volatility, gen AI weather and environmental models like GAIA can fuel faster and better decision making—something experts and organizations across the world need more every day. Climate change may very well be the defining issue of our time—and GAIA may very well be part of how the world as a whole is able to meet it. Learn more about Boston Consulting Group here.
