Two years on, generative AI has evolved from a buzzword into a business essential, with leaders across India embracing its potential. According to new research by LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional network, 98% of business leaders in India say helping their organisations speed up AI adoption is their strategic priority in 2025.
However, finding talent with the right skills remains a challenge. Here’s what the reason behind it and how businesses can improve.
Finding the right mix of AI and human skills still remains a challenge
LinkedIn research shows that 54% of HR professionals in India report that only half, or fewer, of the job applications they receive meet all required and preferred qualifications. Finding candidates with the right technical (61%) and soft skills (57%) remains their biggest hiring challenge.
The hardest-to-find skills in India include technical/IT skills such as software development, engineering (44%), AI skills (34%) and soft skills like communication and problem-solving (33%).
Companies are exercising ‘selective hiring’ in 2025
HR professionals in India also state they receive too many applications (47%) from candidates who are not a fit for the role (41%), and are hiring more selectively in 2025. More than half of HR professionals in India say they would only consider reaching out to (55%) and hiring (54%) candidates who meet 80% or more of job qualifications.
The future roadmap
LinkedIn is introducing new AI-powered tools to help recruiters spend more time on their most impactful work
As companies navigate a cautious economic landscape, LinkedIn is introducing new AI-powered tools to help recruiters focus on the most strategic, people-centric tasks for their job:
LinkedIn’s new Hiring Assistant is designed to take on a recruiter’s most repetitive, time-consuming tasks so they can spend more time on their most impactful work like advising hiring managers, connecting with candidates, and creating exceptional candidate experiences. “I find the speed and delivery of candidates good and believe LinkedIn’s Hiring Assistant will continue to improve the team’s productivity,” said Sachin Borde, Global Talent Attraction Leader, IBM.
LinkedIn Learning’s new AI-powered coaching feature helps learners build soft skills through interactive, real-world scenarios using text or voice. It helps them gain confidence in workplace conversations like performance reviews and feedback discussions, and learners receive actionable, personalized feedback at the end of each practice session.
