84% of Indian C-Suite leaders say AI is creating new roles: LinkedIn report
Synopsis
LinkedIn's latest data reveals that 84% of Indian C-Suite leaders believe AI is actively creating new roles — with CMOs most bullish at 94%. But the same report flags a critical gap: nearly four in five executives feel pushed to adopt AI faster than they can measure its impact, and over half admit they cannot see what roles and skills their organisations will need next.
Key Takeaways
84 per cent of Indian C-Suite leaders say AI is creating new roles , according to a LinkedIn report released on 8 July .
CMOs are the most convinced cohort, with 94 per cent saying AI is generating new positions.
Nearly four in five senior executives feel pressure to adopt AI faster than they can effectively measure its impact.
39 per cent of C-Suite leaders cite rapid decision-making under uncertainty as a top leadership challenge.
51 per cent of Indian C-Suite leaders lack visibility into the future roles and skills their organisations will need.
Millennials now make up 55 per cent of India's C-Suite — the largest generational cohort among senior executives.
A new LinkedIn report released on 8 July reveals that 84 per cent of Indian C-Suite leaders believe artificial intelligence is generating new roles within their organisations — a finding that signals a fundamental shift in how corporate India is adapting to the AI era. The data, drawn from senior executive sentiment across industries, underscores that AI is no longer a peripheral technology investment but a core driver of workforce and strategic change.
AI Adoption at the Top
Among all C-Suite segments, Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) expressed the strongest conviction, with 94 per cent saying AI is creating new roles — the highest of any executive cohort. Equally significant, 84 per cent of Indian C-Suite leaders said inputs from AI tools have become a key component of their decision-making processes, indicating that AI is reshaping not just headcount but how leadership itself functions.
The Pressure to Move Fast
Nearly four in five Indian senior executives report being under pressure to accelerate AI adoption faster than they can effectively measure its impact. The strain is sharpest among CMOs at 82 per cent and Chief Technology Officers (CTOs) at 81 per cent. This speed-versus-measurement tension is one of the defining leadership dilemmas of the current AI cycle.
Compounding this, 39 per cent of senior executives identified making rapid decisions amid constant uncertainty as one of their biggest leadership challenges. The pressure was most acute among CMOs at 46 per cent and Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) at 43 per cent.
Workforce Readiness Gaps
The report also surfaces a significant blind spot: 51 per cent of Indian C-Suite leaders acknowledged a lack of visibility into the future roles, skills, and capabilities their organisations will require. The challenge was most pronounced among CMOs, at 58 per cent. This comes amid a broader global conversation about AI's displacement and creation effects on labour markets — and suggests Indian boardrooms have not yet resolved what their future talent architecture looks like.
Notably, Millennials now account for 55 per cent of India's C-Suite, making them the largest generational cohort among senior executives — a demographic shift that may partly explain the openness to AI-led transformation.
What Leaders Expect from AI
Despite the uncertainty and execution pressure, optimism about AI's potential remains high. Nearly nine in ten Indian C-Suite leaders identified innovation as the most important expected outcome from their AI investments — ranking it above efficiency gains or cost reduction.
Kumaresh Pattabiraman, India Country Manager and VP LSS Product at LinkedIn, said: 'India's C-Suite is entering a more demanding phase of leadership. AI is shortening the shelf life of old playbooks, which means leaders need to navigate this change, make faster decisions and measure success without a clear roadmap while staying open to new evidence.'
What This Means Going Forward
The LinkedIn findings arrive as Indian enterprises accelerate enterprise AI deployments across sectors from BFSI to retail and manufacturing. The gap between adoption pressure and measurement capability is likely to widen before it narrows — making workforce planning and AI governance two of the most consequential priorities for Indian boardrooms in the months ahead.
Point of View
Which is less a sign of confidence than of competitive anxiety. The CMO's outsized enthusiasm (94%) also warrants scrutiny: marketing functions are historically the first to adopt and the first to overstate AI's impact. The real test will come when organisations are asked to show, not just claim, the jobs AI built.
NationPress
8 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the LinkedIn AI report on Indian C-Suite leaders find?
The LinkedIn report, released on 8 July, found that 84 per cent of Indian C-Suite leaders believe AI is creating new roles within their organisations. It also revealed that an equal share — 84 per cent — now use AI tool inputs as a key part of their decision-making process.
Which C-Suite segment is most bullish on AI creating new roles?
Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) are the most convinced, with 94 per cent saying AI is generating new roles. CMOs also report the highest pressure to adopt AI quickly, at 82 per cent.
What is the biggest leadership challenge AI is creating for Indian executives?
Nearly four in five Indian C-Suite leaders say they are under pressure to move faster on AI adoption than they can effectively measure its impact. Additionally, 39 per cent cite making rapid decisions under constant uncertainty as a top challenge.
How prepared are Indian organisations for AI-driven workforce changes?
Not fully, according to the report. Some 51 per cent of Indian C-Suite leaders acknowledged a lack of visibility into the future roles, skills, and capabilities their organisations will need — with CMOs most affected at 58 per cent.
What outcome do Indian C-Suite leaders most expect from AI investments?
Innovation is the top expected outcome, with nearly nine in ten Indian C-Suite leaders identifying it as the most important result of their AI investments — ranking above cost reduction or efficiency gains.
