Women in India top AI-related skills globally, higher than US: Report
New Delhi, May 30
As artificial intelligence adoption surges in India, Indian women score higher than women in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom on learning AI-related skills, according to a new report.
The 'Stanford AI Index 2026' found that AI skill penetration rate for Indian women stood at 1.9 -- an improvement from 1.61 registered in the previous year's index.
Among AI projects with at least 10 stars, the United States accounted for the largest share in 2025 (31.7 per cent), though that has declined steadily from nearly 80 per cent in 2011 as developers in other regions have increased their presence on the platform.
While China's share has levelled off since 2019. India remains a growing contributor, representing 5.2 per cent of projects with at least 10 stars, the report stated. The geographic distribution of more visible open-source AI projects has shifted over time.
Meanwhile, India has emerged as a global leader in artificial intelligence adoption, with 41 per cent of employees reporting that they use AI nearly every day. The report from ADP Research said that around 80 per cent of employees in India use AI at least multiple times a week - the highest levels recorded across all surveyed markets.
Indian usage is significantly higher, as only half of the workers surveyed globally use AI multiple times a week. Nigeria (39 per cent) and Vietnam (36 per cent) followed India in terms of daily AI usage.
Women in India are using AI more frequently than men, with 44 per cent using AI nearly every day at work compared to 40 per cent.
However, the findings also revealed a growing disconnect between AI adoption and perceived productivity. While 30 per cent of daily AI users reported being fully engaged, they were four times more likely than non-users to feel less productive.
As AI took over routine tasks, employees felt their contributions were harder to quantify and evaluate, the report noted.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Very encouraging data, but we need to ensure this translates into actual job opportunities and not just skill acquisition. Many women still face systemic barriers in tech workplaces.
Interesting that women in India use AI more than men. Shows our education system and online learning platforms are doing something right. But the productivity concern is real—we need better ways to measure human contribution alongside AI.
Good news no doubt, but let's not forget that India's overall AI project share is just 5.2%. We need more R&D investment and better infrastructure to truly compete with US and China.
As someone working in AI in the US, I'm genuinely impressed by India's progress. Indian women are clearly investing in their future. The productivity paradox mentioned in the article is a global issue we all need to solve together.
This is wonderful for our daughters. My niece is studying data science and she tells me how many women are in her cohort now. The future is bright! But we should also focus on ethical AI development alongside skills.
Impressive stats, but I'm skeptical about the "daily AI use" numbers. In many Indian companies, AI tools are being mandated without proper training, leading to superficial usage. Quality of learning matters more than quantity.
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