India tops global AI use as adoption surges across workforce

“India” has become “number one in the world” in the full-scale use of artificial intelligence (AI), after Boston Consulting Group’s 2025 survey found that 92% of Indian workers use AI regularly in their jobs, the highest rate in the world. The finding reflects a major shift in the digital economy that is increasingly being driven by developing countries, or the “Global South”.

The report, produced jointly with Adobe, also found that a clear new global trend is emerging. Developing countries are beginning to “outpace” developed nations in bringing AI into real working life.

Developing countries outpace developed nations

India is not alone. Several countries in the Global South are accelerating their AI push in a significant way. Brazil ranks third in the world with an AI usage rate of 76%, while South Africa follows closely at 72%. A key driver is “necessity”, the need to improve business efficiency, cut costs and upgrade work to keep pace with the digital era.

By contrast, countries in the developed world, or the Global North, record lower overall AI usage. Spain is the exception, ranking second in the world at 78%. The United Kingdom and Italy stand at 68%, Germany at 67%, France and the United States at 64%, and Japan trails at just 51%. This points to structural constraints that may be slowing technological adaptation, including ageing societies.

Why India has “moved ahead”

Analysis suggests India’s success is no accident, but the result of several major supporting factors, including a large technology workforce, a fast-growing start-up ecosystem and an accelerating push towards digitisation across industries. Together, these have turned AI from a mere “trend” into a “real working tool” in everyday professional life.

Although AI adoption is rising worldwide, the “true indicator” lies in whether it can be used to deliver economic results.

AI tools used in document work and workflows, such as editing reports, reading and processing scanned files, and managing PDF documents, are reshaping the way people work. Platforms such as Adobe Acrobat are playing an important role in cutting repetitive tasks, increasing speed and allowing workers to focus on higher-value work.

Those who can use AI “for real” will have the advantage

The bigger picture is becoming clearer: the competition is no longer about “who has AI”, but about who can use AI deeply and embed it in real working processes. Countries that can integrate AI efficiently into workflows will gain long-term advantages in productivity, decision-making and innovation. In this new game, developing countries may no longer be “followers” but are increasingly becoming genuine “leaders” of the AI-era economy.

AI could unlock India’s economy, lifting GDP by US$600 billion by 2035

India is moving towards a “major turning point” in its economy, as AI shifts from being merely a cutting-edge innovation to becoming a “productivity engine” that could lift the entire system significantly over the coming decade.

A PwC report says AI has the potential to add US$550 billion to US$607 billion to India’s economy by 2035, equal to about 6% of the country’s GDP. The figure shows that India, one of the world’s fastest-growing large economies, could be “reset” by AI, not only in technological terms, but through a broad-based rise in “productivity” across sectors.

Manufacturing and agriculture are the main economic drivers

At the heart of this growth are two core sectors, which are expected to generate more than two-thirds of the total value. Manufacturing is projected to add US$235.0 billion to US$259.1 billion through AI applications in predictive maintenance, smart automation and supply-chain optimisation.

Agriculture is projected to add US$139.3 billion to US$153.9 billion through AI use in real-time crop monitoring, smart water management and more accurate weather forecasting. Integrating AI into these two sectors would not only help “cut costs” but also significantly raise “output per unit”, which is crucial for a country with a massive labour force like India.

AI is permeating every part of the economy

Beyond the main sectors, other industries are also set to benefit clearly, including energy and utilities at US$76.6 billion to US$84.6 billion, education at US$70.2 billion to US$77.6 billion, and healthcare at US$29.1 billion to US$32.1 billion. In education in particular, AI is beginning to reduce paperwork and administrative burdens, opening the way for teachers and staff to focus more on “learning quality” and student engagement.

What is striking is that the shift towards AI is not beginning with robots or highly complex technology, but with “everyday work” being made smarter.

Document AI tools, such as file editing, data analysis and online PDF management, are helping work move faster, cut repetitive steps and turn “information” into “decision-making” almost immediately.

India is betting on “productivity”

The growth of AI in India is not just about technology, but an “economic strategy” aimed at lifting productivity across the system. In a world where competition is no longer measured by cheap labour alone, but by “speed + efficiency + the use of data”, India is showing that developing countries can rise to the front in the AI era. The key question is whether other countries are ready, or whether they are being left behind without realising it.