India’s Gen Z, millennials are more AI-ready than global peers, shows survey

India’s Gen Z and millennial workforce is embracing artificial intelligence faster and with greater confidence than their global counterparts, as AI increasingly becomes central to how young professionals learn, work and make career decisions, according to Deloitte’s Gen Z and Millennial Survey. 

The survey found that 85% of Gen Z respondents and 91% of millennials in India are confident using AI in their roles, significantly ahead of global averages. 

“Gen AI and Agentic have a pivotal role to play across business domains. Equipping the workforce to add their human perspective to artificial intelligence will ensure that everyone can stay ahead of the game,” said Deepti Sagar, Chief People and Experience Officer at Deloitte India. 

Sagar added that companies now need role-specific and immersive AI upskilling programmes to ensure employees build practical AI capabilities suited to their functions.

“The need of the hour is to have a role-specific, immersive, comprehensive AI upskilling programme. That way, everyone acquires their unique Gen AI/agentic skillsets, as per whether they need it for general problem solving or for developing go-to-market solutions,” she said. 

AI becoming a workplace support system

The survey found AI usage among young workers in India has moved beyond productivity tasks into broader workplace support functions. More than 90% of Gen Zs and millennials said they use AI for learning and development, while many also rely on it for career guidance and managing workplace stress. 

Around 93-95% of respondents said they use AI regularly at work, while 93-96% reported that AI has had a positive impact on their professional and personal lives. 

The report also highlighted strong demand for AI skilling. About 32% of Gen Z respondents and 35% of millennials said they had already completed AI training programmes, while 54% of Gen Zs and 60% of millennials expressed interest in further AI upskilling opportunities. 

At the same time, Gen Z workers reported greater friction while integrating AI tools into workflows compared to millennials, with 35% citing integration challenges versus 25% among millennials. 

Financial stress shaping life decisions

Despite strong optimism around technology adoption, the report showed financial anxiety remains high among India’s younger workforce.

According to the survey, 54% of Gen Z respondents and 44% of millennials said they had delayed major life decisions because of financial pressures. 

The strain appeared more severe among Gen Z workers, with 37% saying they could not afford a home and 29% reporting feelings of financial insecurity. Among millennials, those numbers stood at 20% and 18%, respectively. 

Unemployment emerged as the top concern for both groups, cited by 27% of Gen Z respondents and 34% of millennials. Climate change ranked as the second-largest concern for Gen Zs, while millennials highlighted cybersecurity and data protection risks. 

Purpose-driven workplaces gaining importance

The report also underscored the growing importance of workplace purpose and alignment with personal values among India’s younger workforce.

Nearly all respondents, 99% of Gen Zs and 98% of millennials, said purpose was closely linked to job satisfaction. Meanwhile, 48% of Gen Zs and 41% of millennials said they would reject employers whose values did not align with their own beliefs. 

Deloitte also found that workplace friendships play a significant role in employee retention and wellbeing. Around 79-80% of respondents said they considered colleagues as friends, with those reporting strong workplace relationships also showing higher happiness and retention levels.