Interestingly, there is a significant percentage of professionals in the country who think that they want to work for themselves in the near future, as per the findings in a latest survey.
Working For Themselves In Future
Considering the latest development, more than 7 in 10 professionals in the country say they want to work for themselves in the near future.
It appears that the thought is mainly driven by factors like AI adoption, a strong skilling appetite, and the power of trusted professional networks making it easier to start and scale their business according to a LinkedIn report.
The number of Indian members adding ‘founder’ to their profiles has increased by 104 per cent in a year as per LinkedIn’s latest Small Business Work Change India Report.
Basically, three factors which will fuel this shift include AI adoption, brand credibility, and networks, the report noted.
Further adding, “AI is becoming part of everyday operations for India’s small businesses. 82 per cent of SMB leaders here say it has made starting and running a business easier, and 97 per cent already use it in some form. For 83 per cent, AI has become critical for business growth.”
Remarkable Growth In AI Literacy In Country
The SMBs (small and medium businesses) are now building skills as quickly as they adopt new tools in order to keep the pace.
In the meantime, AI literacy has seen a growth of 52 per cent year-on-year among companies with 11–200 employees. The change is coming as 81 per cent of SMBs admit they are investing in AI capabilities.
Not only that, almost 95 per cent of Indian SMBs have already invested in or are planning AI adoption, outpacing the global average (83 per cent).
According to India Country Manager, LinkedIn, Kumaresh Pattabiraman, “India’s small businesses are moving with extraordinary speed and ambition. What sets India apart is the combination of rapid AI adoption, a strong skilling appetite, and the power of trusted professional networks. Together, these forces are reshaping how businesses build, scale, and succeed.”
It won’t be an exaggeration to say that India’s SMBs aren’t just keeping pace with global change — they’re setting the direction while entering in 2006.
In all this, LinkedIn is playing a crucial role as the platform is committed to helping them build credibility, find talent, and unlock opportunity at every stage of their growth, said Pattabiraman.
In the global scenario, around 61 per cent of small business owners are creating content themselves, and 71 per cent said showing up authentically online matters.
There is a big focus on connection and is also witnessing a rise, with 88 percent agreeing that people skills are even more important in the age of AI.
There is a change in consumer preferences as 85 per cent of marketers say audiences now follow real voices such as customers, employees, partners, and creators in India owing to the fact that they help people make smarter decisions.
“With AI-generated content rising, SMBs are treating relationships as essential infrastructure for insight, opportunity, and resilience,” as per the report.
