Ambani says AI adoption lags as gov hubs expand and IT firms retrain staff
India’s AI push feels half‑cooked. While policy papers tout a “digital future,” the ground reality shows a gap between ambition and execution. Government‑run AI hubs have multiplied in the last year, promising broader access to compute resources and data sets, yet many firms still treat the technology as a buzzword rather than a tool.
Meanwhile, the country’s tech behemoths are rolling out internal up‑skilling programs, enrolling thousands of engineers in generative‑AI curricula. At the same time, a wave of junior developers is turning to online tutorials, MOOCs and community forums, hoping to bridge the knowledge deficit on their own. The contrast is stark: top‑down initiatives versus grassroots learning, policy intent versus corporate rollout.
Why does this matter? Because without concrete adoption, the investments in infrastructure and training risk becoming ornamental. The following remarks from a leading industrialist capture the tension between optimism and the still‑nascent state of AI deployment in Indian businesses.
Ambani believes that many are yet to apply AI in real-world business environments. However, progress is being made: government AI hubs are expanding access, large Indian IT companies are retraining thousands in Generative AI, and younger engineers are self-learning rapidly. "The true disparity is that while many Indians know AI, very few are able to integrate a RAG agent into an outdated workflow without causing system failures," he added.
On the ground, this means going beyond textbook instruction and embedding digital instructional tools and experiential formats. Tiwari pointed at the growing wave of technology-driven education, i.e., "We have digital learning platforms… online learning, AI-based credit counselling is there." Yet, the challenge is not solely in training youth; it lies in training the trainers as well. Industry Reality In the trenches of semiconductor manufacturing and global capability centres (GCCs), the disruption is far more immediate.
Jitendra Chaddah, country head at GlobalFoundries, warned during the BSS 2025 that AI is fundamentally altering the hierarchy of skills. One of the key transitions that companies need to be prepared for is that more and more decisions are going to be made by machines, he said. The once-coveted skills of the tech workforce, especially coding, are no longer scarce.
"Coding was a great skill… today a lot of that coding is getting done by the machines." Also, the national picture is sobering. The India Skills Report 2025 showed an overall employability of 54%, and a dire 40%+ among ITI and polytechnic graduates. "The employability gap in terms of AI and engineering skills is very, very low," Nipun Sharma, CEO of the recruitment platform TeamLease, told AIM.
Is the surge in training translating into tangible AI projects? The data shows employability rising from 46.21 % in 2020 to 56.35 % in 2026, and technical graduates appear especially ready—about 80 % of computer‑science alumni and roughly 78 % of their IT peers report job readiness. Yet Ambani notes that many firms have yet to embed AI into everyday operations.
Government AI hubs are widening access, and large Indian IT firms are reskilling thousands in generative AI, while younger engineers are self‑teaching at a rapid pace. The contrast between skill acquisition and real‑world deployment creates a noticeable gap. Whether this gap will narrow as more organizations experiment with AI remains uncertain, given the incomplete picture of how many of the newly trained workers are moving into higher‑pay roles.
In short, upskilling efforts are evident, employability metrics are improving, but the link to substantive AI‑driven business outcomes is still unclear.
Further Reading
- Ambani says AI adoption lags as Reliance invests billions in digital push - The Economic Times
- India’s AI mission: Govt hubs multiply but enterprises still stuck in pilot phase - Mint
- Indian IT firms retrain thousands of staff for generative AI as clients hold back on large deployments - Reuters
- India’s AI shift from pilots to performance: 47% of enterprises have multiple AI use cases live in production - EY Newsroom
- Samaj, Sarkar, Bazaar: Building inclusive AI for India’s future - Stimson Center
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Common Questions Answered
What gap does Ambani highlight in AI adoption among Indian companies?
Ambani points out that while many Indians are familiar with AI concepts, only a few can successfully embed a Retrieval‑Augmented Generation (RAG) agent into outdated workflows without causing system failures. This reveals a practical implementation gap between awareness and effective deployment.
How are government‑run AI hubs expanding AI access in India?
Government AI hubs have multiplied over the past year, offering broader access to high‑performance compute resources and curated data sets. Their expansion aims to lower barriers for businesses and researchers seeking to develop AI solutions.
What scale of generative‑AI up‑skilling are large Indian IT firms undertaking?
Major Indian IT companies are launching internal programs that enroll thousands of engineers in generative‑AI curricula. These reskilling initiatives are designed to equip staff with the skills needed for emerging AI‑driven projects.
What do the employment figures indicate about AI‑related job readiness among recent graduates?
Employability is projected to rise from 46.21 % in 2020 to 56.35 % in 2026, reflecting growing demand for AI skills. Approximately 80 % of computer‑science alumni and 78 % of IT graduates report they feel ready for AI‑focused roles.