The majority of Indian IT leaders believe that AI enhances skill, and they concentrate on agentic AI for growth: Survey

Indian IT Leaders Lead Global Shift Toward Agentic AI, Says Thoughtworks Survey

New Delhi: Indian IT leaders are embracing agentic artificial intelligence at a far faster pace than their Western counterparts, positioning autonomous AI systems as a core driver of future business growth rather than merely a tool for efficiency, according to a new survey by technology consultancy Thoughtworks.

The report, which surveyed 3,500 C-suite executives and senior IT decision-makers across seven countries, including 500 respondents in India, found that 48% of Indian leaders consider agentic AI—systems capable of independently acting, reasoning, and adapting—as their top AI priority.

In contrast, Western markets continue to focus primarily on incremental efficiency gains. Only 28% of US leaders and 23% of Australian leaders identified agentic AI as a priority, highlighting a widening strategic gap.

“India leads the world in agentic AI adoption at 48%, creating a clear divergence from Western markets that remain focused on traditional efficiency,” the report said.

Shift Toward AI-Led Business Models

Thoughtworks noted that the strong emphasis on agentic AI reflects a fundamental change in mindset among Indian enterprises. Rather than deploying AI solely to optimise existing processes, organisations are increasingly preparing for AI-led operating and business models.

The survey also found strong confidence in AI as a workforce enabler:

• 93% of Indian respondents said the most impactful AI initiatives enhance employee skills and speed

• 86% agreed that AI is augmenting, not replacing, human talent

• 57% reported a net increase in roles as jobs are redesigned for human–AI collaboration

• 35% said their organisations have created entirely new roles or career paths due to AI adoption

Over the next 12 months, improving employee decision-making is expected to be AI’s most significant impact on the workforce.

High Revenue Expectations

Indian business leaders are also markedly more optimistic about AI’s financial upside compared with global peers. According to the survey:

• 49% expect AI to drive more than 15% revenue growth within five years, the highest confidence level globally

• 14% expect over 15% revenue uplift within the next 12 months, nearly double the global average of 8%

Thoughtworks said the findings underscore India’s ambition to move beyond AI adoption toward AI-native growth strategies, positioning the country as a leader in next-generation enterprise transformation.