A new IBM study reveals 71 per cent of Indian CEOs see effective AI governance as crucial, yet only 42 per cent have strong policies in place, highlighting significant gaps in AI implementation
A new study by the IBM Institute for Business Value found that surveyed Indian CEOs are facing workforce, culture and governance challenges as they act quickly to implement and scale generative AI across their organisations. The annual global study of 3,000 CEOs from over 30 countries and 26 industries reveals a high importance placed by Indian CEOs on AI governance, with 71 per cent of those surveyed saying trusted AI is impossible without effective AI governance in organisations. Substantiating it further, 75 per cent Indian CEO respondents say governance for generative AI must be established as solutions are designed, rather than after they are deployed.
At the same time, the study also noted a contrast in actual adoption of AI governance policies with only 42 per cent Indian CEO respondents saying they have good generative AI governance in place today. This may be because people in the organisation aren’t sure of exactly what they’re being asked to do. In the survey, 75 per cent of Indian CEO respondents say that inspiring their team with a common vision produces better outcomes than providing precise standards and targets. Yet 31 per cent acknowledge that their employees don’t fully understand how strategic decisions impact them.
Sandip Patel, Managing Director, IBM India & South Asia said, “As Indian CEOs navigate AI-led transformations within their organisations, they recognise the need for AI guardrails so that they derive real business value responsibly for growth and competitive success. However, our study reveals a gap between their intention and actual implementation. This scenario highlights the complexity of implementing AI governance, hence making a strong case for partnering with trusted experts to develop and execute effective practices and policies.”
Other key study findings include:
People and skills are at the heart of successful generative AI adoption
71 per cent of Indian CEOs surveyed say that succeeding with AI will depend more on people’s adoption than the technology itself.
49 per cent of Indian CEO respondents say they are hiring for Gen AI roles that didn’t exist last year.
CEOs surveyed from India say 34 per cent of their workforce will require retraining and re-skilling over the next three years, up from just 6 per cent globally in 2021.
Indian CEOs recognisse it takes a cultural shift to successfully scale AI, but face organisational collaboration and adoption challenges.
70 per cent of Indian CEOs surveyed say their organisation’s success is directly tied to the quality of collaboration between finance and technology, yet nearly half (48 per cent) say competition among their C-Suite executives sometimes impedes collaboration.
Nearly half (48 per cent) of those surveyed from India acknowledge that cultural change is more important to becoming a data-driven organisation than overcoming technical challenges.
58 per cent of Indian CEO respondents say they are pushing their organisation to adopt generative AI more quickly than some people are comfortable with.
Customer experience and product & service innovation are top priorities, regulatory constraints might be hindering long-term progress
Indian CEOs surveyed ranked customer experience and product & service innovation as their highest priorities for the next three years
59 per cent of respondents say they are willing to sacrifice operational efficiency for greater innovation.
However, nearly half (48 per cent) of Indian CEOs surveyed point to regulatory constraints as their top barrier to innovation.
Today, only 32 per cent of the Indian CEO respondents are primarily funding their generative AI investments with net new IT spend, with the remaining 68 per cent reducing other technology spend.
To view the full global study, including actionable strategies to help organisations navigate the complexity of generative AI adoption, visit the official website.