86 pc Indian employees use AI, but ROI and governance lag: Report

A report shows that while most employees in India are using AI at work, only about 35% believe it has delivered expected returns on investment. The study highlights growing AI adoption, rising training efforts, and expanding workplace use, but notes gaps in governance and measurable benefits

New Delhi: While 86 per cent of employees in India use artificial intelligence at work, only 35 per cent say AI’s return on investment has met or exceeded expectations, higher than the global average of 22 per cent, a report said on Monday. The report from ISACA said that 49 per cent of organisations in India now report having a formal, comprehensive AI policy, up from 32 per cent in 2025 and above the 38 per cent global rate.

However, 23 per cent of organisations said they have only a limited policy and 20 per cent have no active policy, it said. “AI has become embedded in day-to-day work; however, governance and operational readiness continue to lag,” the report said, adding that after a global poll of over 3,400 global digital trust professionals, including 265 from India.

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Roughly 21 per cent of Indians said they believe it is too early to tell the ROI, 21 per cent cited limited ROI so far, and 18 per cent were unaware of the returns. Indian respondents most often use AI to increase productivity (56 per cent), automate repetitive tasks (55 per cent), create written content (51 per cent) and analyse large amounts of data (42 per cent).

Roughly 82 per cent of respondents said AI skills are very important to their profession, and 35 per cent said their organisations now train all employees on AI, up from 22 per cent in 2025. Around 57 per cent of Indian respondents said that their organisation will increase AI-related jobs in the next 12 months, up from 46 per cent in 2025.

“There’s enormous pressure on organizations to show that AI is paying off, but the pulse poll reveals a more honest picture: most organisations aren’t yet sure whether it has,” said Keith Bloomfield‑DeWeese, Senior Manager of AI Product Development at ISACA. “Return on investment in AI doesn’t arrive on schedule; it’s the result of sustained investment in people, processes, and governance structures,” Keith added.