Senior Professionals Emerge as Largest Group in India's AI Upskilling Landscape
Artificial intelligence upskilling in India has undergone a significant transformation, with senior professionals now emerging as the dominant force in educational enrolments. According to comprehensive data released by edtech firm Great Learning, individuals with over 15 years of work experience constitute the single largest demographic enrolling in AI and generative AI programmes across the country.
Study Reveals Over 40% Enrolments from Experienced Professionals
The findings, based on behavioural data from more than one million learners on the Great Learning platform throughout 2025, demonstrate a remarkable trend: over 40 percent of all enrolments in generative AI, artificial intelligence, and machine learning programmes originated from senior talent. This substantial percentage highlights how experienced professionals are actively embracing technological education to maintain their relevance in an evolving job market.
Arjun Nair, Co-Founder of Great Learning, emphasized the widespread nature of this development. "While AI and GenAI were already among the most sought-after upskilling areas in 2024, their prominence continued well into 2025. What became increasingly clear was the extent to which AI permeated industries, job functions, and experience levels," he stated, underscoring the comprehensive reach of artificial intelligence across professional domains.
Shift from Technical Specialization to Core Leadership Capability
This emerging pattern indicates a fundamental change in how seasoned professionals perceive artificial intelligence skills. Rather than viewing AI as purely technical expertise, experienced leaders are increasingly recognizing these capabilities as critical components for effective leadership, strategic planning, and organizational decision-making. The report suggests that upskilling has transcended its previous boundaries of early adopters and specialized technology roles to become a mainstream career requirement across diverse industries and experience levels.
As enterprises accelerate their adoption of artificial intelligence technologies, senior leaders face mounting pressure to comprehend, guide, and implement AI-driven transformation throughout their organizations. This necessity has propelled experienced professionals toward educational programmes that equip them with the knowledge to navigate this technological revolution effectively.
AI and Machine Learning Dominate Upskilling Demand
Artificial intelligence and machine learning emerged as the most sought-after upskilling domains during 2025, recording an impressive 17 percent year-on-year increase in demand. These fields were followed by data science, software development, cloud computing, and cybersecurity in popularity. According to Great Learning's analysis, AI is no longer perceived as a specialist skill but rather as a core professional capability that spans multiple functions and experience levels.
Despite senior professionals dominating AI-specific enrolments, overall upskilling demand remained strongest among freshers and early-career professionals. Learners with zero to three years of experience accounted for 48 percent of total enrolments, followed by a nearly equal distribution between mid-career professionals with three to twelve years of experience and senior professionals with over twelve years in the workforce. This distribution pattern highlights how upskilling is increasingly viewed as essential throughout the entire professional lifecycle.
Expansion Beyond Traditional Technology Sectors
The data reveals a substantial expansion of artificial intelligence adoption beyond conventional technology sectors. A remarkable 77 percent of learners who upskilled during 2025 were employed in non-IT and non-ITES industries, including banking and financial services, manufacturing, energy, healthcare, and pharmaceuticals. This diversification demonstrates how artificial intelligence applications have penetrated numerous economic sectors.
Furthermore, approximately one-third of professionals choosing to learn artificial intelligence came from non-STEM educational backgrounds, emphasizing the growing accessibility of AI skills across diverse academic disciplines. Nair reinforced this observation, noting, "We observed a notable rise in professionals from non-technology sectors learning AI, reinforcing the fact that AI is no longer a niche or purely technical skill, but a core workplace capability."
Geographical Distribution of Upskilling Enrolments
Upskilling demand continued to concentrate in metropolitan areas, with 68 percent of long-term course enrolments originating from Tier-1 locations such as Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad. However, Tier-2 cities including Coimbatore, Madurai, and Kochi also demonstrated strong participation, with Tamil Nadu emerging as the leading contributor from smaller urban centers.
This geographical distribution reflects both the established technology hubs and the expanding educational infrastructure across India's urban landscape, enabling professionals from various regions to access advanced artificial intelligence education.
