Experts Hail GenAI Learning Surge In India As Key To Future-Ready Workforce, Global Competitiveness

By Surabhi Gupta

New Delhi: India is leading a revolution in generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) learning. Global online learning platform Coursera reports that it registered over 26 million enrollments in generative AI courses in India this year, highlighting the rapid pace at which individuals across the country are embracing AI education and upskilling opportunities.

“Coursera now has 29 million learners on the platform, which means India is approaching its prime status as Coursera’s second-largest market after the US, with 26 million enrolments in GenAI subjects such as machine learning, AI fundamentals, coding, and design,” said Marni Baker Stein, chief content officer at the global digital education platform.

A nation hungry for AI skills

According to Stein, the GenAI learning surge is being led mainly by freshers taking lower-level courses on AI fundamentals, GenAI tools, and coding languages. Similarly, Coursera is seeing large numbers of working professionals reskilling or upskilling on the platform in AI-powered software development, Design Thinking, and responsible AI.

“There’s a real hunger for AI knowledge here,” Stein said. “India’s workforce is not just preparing for the future, it is building it,” she said.

And that future seems increasingly inclusive. Although 70 per cent of Indian Coursera learners are men, women now account for 30 per cent, with the number of women learners growing 290 per cent over the past year. “It’s encouraging, but we would still like to see that ratio improve,” Stein noted.

"India already inhabits the future": Experts weigh in

The GenAI education wave is not just a matter of numbers; it signals a paradigm shift in India’s talent landscape, say experts.

In a conversation with ETV Bharat, Vineet Kumar, Founder and Global President of CyberPeace, said, “It should not come as a surprise, the talent in India with Generative AI is tremendous, and AI upskilling is a necessary component of a world that is now a global village."

He sees the surge as reflective of India’s larger digital transformation. “The Coursera report reflects the paradigm shift that exudes the idea that we are already the inhabitants of the future,” Kumar added.

To remain competitive with Western superpowers, Kumar argued, Indian youth must not only gain expertise in GenAI but also establish their own “niche in areas like cybersecurity, data analytics, and finance.” He noted that the demand for AI and cybersecurity professionals is only set to grow as more organisations integrate AI into their operations.

“The youth’s interest towards building AI skills can be seen as a crucial step to fulfil the workforce shortage gap. This data aligns with the government’s commitment to shape a Bharat that is technologically advanced and in line with India’s AI mission,” Kumar said. He also pointed to the upcoming AI Impact Summit 2026, to be hosted in India, as a sign of the country’s global leadership in AI discourse.

“AI is reshaping the workplace”

Echoing similar sentiments, Jaspreet Bindra, Co-founder of AI&Beyond, told ETV Bharat that artificial intelligence is no longer a distant trend but a rapidly unfolding workplace transformation.

“With its potential to revolutionise industries, AI is poised to redefine the job market in profound ways,” Bindra said. “AI-powered automation is one of the most visible ways technology is reshaping the workplace.”

The way he sees it, the skills required in the workplace are going through a radical change. "Technical skills in AI and data analytics are becoming increasingly valuable, but machines cannot replace soft skills like critical thinking, creativity and emotional intelligence."

He made it clear that professionals who unlock GenAI's potential, "will not only be on the leading edge but will redefine the limits of the possible, generate new opportunities and re-establish the future of industries worldwide."

The increase in the number of students pursuing GenAI courses hints towards a change where the youth doesn't consider AI a threat to jobs but rather a pathway to career development.

“The future will belong to people who can think in algorithms but also think ethically”, said Stein. “And India is showing the world how to do both, at scale”.