India is leading the world in AI-driven leadership transformation, according to Microsoft's 2025 Work Trend Index. The report indicates a significant shift in how Indian organizations are preparing for the future of work, with leaders confidently and urgently integrating AI across their operations.

A key finding of the report is that a remarkable 93% of Indian leaders intend to use AI agents to expand workforce capabilities within the next 12-18 months. This demonstrates a strong commitment to leveraging AI as a strategic tool for transformation. Ninety percent of Indian business leaders identify 2025 as a pivotal year to rethink core strategies and workforce models. This is the highest percentage globally, highlighting India's proactive approach to AI adoption.

Microsoft identifies India's most forward-looking organizations as "Frontier Firms". These firms are not just adopting AI but are fundamentally redesigning operations around human-agent collaboration. Already, 59% of leaders in these firms report using AI agents to automate workstreams or business processes across entire teams. This shift is enabling organizations to scale with greater agility, speed, and purpose.

This transformation extends beyond mere automation. Organizations are actively creating new roles to support an AI-powered future. The organizational chart is being rewritten to include positions such as AI workflow designers, agent bosses, and software operators. A significant 92% of leaders say their company is considering adding AI-specific roles, and 57% expect teams to build multi-agent systems to automate complex tasks.

Indian businesses are prioritizing productivity gains (64%) and recognize the need for workforce upskilling to ensure employees can effectively collaborate with AI agents. The report indicates that 66% of employees and 80% of leaders in India are already familiar with AI agents, suggesting a strong foundation for further integration. Moreover, 63% of managers anticipate that AI training will become a core team responsibility within the next five years.

Puneet Chandok, President, Microsoft India & South Asia, commented on India's readiness to lead an AI-powered future of work, stating that India is firmly in its "AI-first era". He noted that organizations are embedding AI into the fabric of everyday work, leveraging its speed, precision, and 24/7 availability to drive meaningful transformation. AI is emerging as a true thought partner, fueling creativity, fast-tracking decisions, and redefining collaboration.

Microsoft's Work Trend Index also highlights the global adoption of its AI tools. Microsoft 365 Copilot apps have surpassed 100 million monthly active users, and over 230,000 organizations are utilizing Copilot Studio to build and deploy custom AI agents. Many companies are seeing measurable business benefits from generative AI, especially in boosting operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.