Indian employees are AI-ready but enterprise workflows are a stumbling block: Study

Artificial intelligence continues to improve individual productivity but there seems to be a disconnect between the employees and enterprises, according to a study by Workday, an enterprise AI platform for HR, finance and IT.

A report titled 'The copy/paste economy: Why task-oriented AI is failing the enterprise in India' reveals the disconnect between employee enthusiasm for AI and how organisations are deploying it. While 89% of Indian employees say AI has improved their day-to-day work experience, only 32% say AI is embedded into the core systems where work happens.

The report found that while AI is helping employees complete individual tasks more efficiently, disconnected systems and workflows continue to consume substantial employee time and limit the value organisations can realise from AI.

More than one-third of employees lose over seven hours each week moving information between systems, while 56% devote at least half of their effort to coordinating across systems and teams instead of creating value for their organisations.

Despite these challenges, the findings paint an optimistic picture of India's workforce. Nearly all employees report a positive day-to-day work experience, and more than nine in ten say they make meaningful progress, feel a strong sense of ownership over their work, and understand how their contributions support broader organisational goals.

This presents a significant opportunity for organisations to move beyond standalone AI tools and embed AI into the core systems and workflows where work happens, reducing operational friction and enabling employees to focus on more strategic, high-value work.

“The next phase of enterprise AI will depend on how effectively organizations integrate AI into the way work gets done. As long as employees continue to navigate disconnected systems and workflows, organisations will only realise a fraction of AI's potential,” said Sunil Jose, President, Workday India.