According to the International Financial Services Centres Authority’s AI Survey 2026, Indian financial firms are rapidly adopting AI to enhance operational efficiency and re-skill staff, with many viewing job transformation as a positive evolution rather than a threat.
Artificial intelligence is increasingly being treated in India’s financial services centres as a force for changing jobs rather than eliminating them, according to the International Financial Services Centres Authority’s AI Survey 2026. The report found that 32% of surveyed entities expect AI to drive substantial retraining and role change instead of large net job losses, while 10% think it will create new positions through fresh products and capabilities.
The survey covers firms across fund management, banking, insurance, capital markets, finance, leasing and fintech, and suggests that most organisations are still in an early but purposeful phase of adoption. Operational efficiency is the main reason for deploying AI, with executives also pointing to lower costs, better customer service, compliance and competitive edge. The authority said employee usage has risen as firms put internal policies in place, with 57% of entities reporting that staff are already using AI tools.
Investment is also gathering pace. The survey found that 60% of entities are either already investing in AI, scaling those efforts or planning to do so, while 40% are still weighing the right approach for their business model. Most firms are keeping spending relatively modest for now, typically setting aside 1% to 5% of IT budgets, but generative AI is already being explored or used by 65% of respondents and agentic AI is emerging as the next area of interest for early adopters.
The findings fit a wider global pattern in which companies are using AI first to raise productivity and reshape work, not simply to cut staff. PwC’s 2026 Global AI Jobs Barometer said the labour market is splitting into two tracks, with AI-skilled roles growing much faster than the overall market and carrying a rising wage premium. Boston Consulting Group has separately found that many workers now spend more time supervising AI than doing the underlying task themselves, even as the technology boosts job satisfaction for many users. In the IFSC survey, the biggest concerns remain regulatory uncertainty and data quality, underlining that companies want clearer rules, stronger governance and more reliable tools before they move from experimentation to full-scale deployment.
Disclaimer: This article is intended to inform and educate, not to recommend or endorse any financial product, investment or strategy. Please consider your own financial circumstances and seek professional advice where appropriate before making financial decisions.
