India’s AI bet goes global: 93% of businesses trust AI with data, 87% eye new markets

Indian businesses are not just embracing AI, they are increasingly confident about using it to fuel their next phase of growth. 93% of respondents believe their organisation can keep business data secure while using AI, the highest level recorded globally, while 87% are actively exploring new markets, making India the most expansion-focused country among all markets surveyed, according to Autodesk’s AI Pulse Report 2026.

The findings point to a market moving beyond AI experimentation, with businesses increasingly embedding the technology into core operations while looking to use it as a lever for growth and expansion.

That confidence is reflected in rising investment. 91% of Indian organisations have increased AI investment over the past year, ahead of the APAC average of 85% and the global average of 81%.

AI adoption is also becoming widespread. 63% of Indian organisations now use AI assistants and chatbots, the highest adoption rate in APAC, while no surveyed organisation reported operating without AI tools.

From AI adoption to business impact

As AI moves deeper into business operations, organisations are reporting tangible gains. Nearly 88% of Indian respondents say AI has improved productivity, while 84% report stronger innovation outcomes and 75% say AI is enabling better decision-making.

Investment priorities are evolving alongside this adoption. Generative AI remains the top investment priority at 74%, followed by process automation at 58% and decision-support AI at 54%. Meanwhile, 51% of businesses now prioritise investment in AI agents, with 69% expecting to adopt agentic AI within the next year.

The shift suggests that Indian organisations are increasingly viewing AI not as a standalone technology initiative, but as a strategic business capability.

“India is entering a new phase of AI adoption. The conversation is no longer about whether businesses should use AI, it's about where AI can create the greatest value,” said Haresh Khoobchandani, Vice President, APAC & Japan at Autodesk. “The next wave of competitive advantage will come from industry-specific AI that understands complex workflows, augments human expertise and helps teams make faster, better-informed decisions.”

Workforce readiness strengthens the AI story

India’s AI momentum is also being supported by growing investment in workforce capability. 70% of Indian respondents believe their organisation provides sufficient AI training, significantly ahead of the APAC average of 57% and global average of 59%.

Leadership commitment is similarly strong, with 88% saying senior leaders actively encourage AI adoption, compared with 81% across APAC.

But businesses also recognise that scaling AI will require continued investment in skills, systems and governance. Regulatory uncertainty (50%), AI skills shortages (49%), data quality (45%) and system integration (47%) remain among the biggest implementation challenges.

The survey covers 2,500 industry leaders and experts across key global markets, including India, the US, UK, Germany, France, China, Japan, Australia, Canada, Brazil, Italy, Mexico, South Korea, Spain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the Nordic countries.

Conducted by Statista Plus Research in January–February 2026, it draws perspectives from the architecture, engineering, construction and operations (AECO), design and manufacturing (D&M), and media and entertainment (M&E) sectors.