Talent and Data Gaps Hinder India's AI Ecosystem, Report Finds

19 Aug 2026, 5:36 pm · 24d ago · 1 min read · ET CIO

A report by policy think tank The Dialogue reveals that a shortage of skilled talent and inadequate data standardisation are the primary barriers facing India's artificial intelligence ecosystem. Titled 'Competition, Innovation, and Market Structure in India's AI Ecosystem', the study surveyed 308 stakeholders, including startups, enterprise users, and consumers. Around 47.2% of respondents cited talent availability as a major hurdle to competitiveness, tied with customer adoption. The findings indicate that structural issues in data usability and talent pipelines hinder ecosystem development more significantly than market concentration or exclusionary conduct by large technology companies across the country.