Google-Kantar study paints a cautiously optimistic picture of Gen AI adoption in India

While enthusiasm for AI is building, the Google-Kantar study revealed a significant knowledge gap.

A recently released study by Google in collaboration with Kantar India has shed light on the evolving landscape of Generative AI (GenAI) adoption within the country. While excitement surrounding the technology is growing, significant barriers to entry remain, particularly concerning awareness and ease of use. However, early adopters of Google’s Gemini platform are reporting substantial benefits, suggesting a potential pathway for wider acceptance if these hurdles can be addressed – with Google actively working to simplify access and expand capabilities.

The study, conducted between November 2024 and March 2025, involved over 8,000 face-to-face interviews across 18 cities from different town classes. The survey targeted respondents (referred to as ‘Indian’ in the report) aged 18-44 years, males & females from socioeconomic class A & B households.

While enthusiasm for AI is building, the study revealed a significant knowledge gap. Three out of five Indians aren’t familiar with what AI is or does, and less than one in three have tried using any Generative AI tool. Three-fourths of those not actively using GenAI cite challenges related to understanding how to access and use these tools.

Recognising this challenge, Google is focusing on streamlining its AI offerings into a more user-friendly experience. “We have started to integrate so many of those [GenAI] capabilities. Now, you’re increasingly beginning to see a single app. The Gemini app has all of these capabilities built in,” Manish Gupta, Senior Director at Google DeepMind said in an exclusive interview with The Hindu.

This consolidation aims to eliminate the confusion often associated with disparate AI services and provide users with a central hub for their generative AI needs.

To further enhance accessibility, Google is prioritising multimodal interaction “So users can ask them [AI] with a few prompts,” Mr. Gupta noted. This means users will be able to interact with Gemini using text, voice, and visual inputs, making it more intuitive for a wider range of users.

Another area Google is focusing on is inclusivity through language support. “Our team has been hard at work,” Mr. Gupta emphasised, “We can understand over 100 Indian languages and improve quality [of AI output].” This helps the company in localising AI advances particularly in India where English proficiency isn’t universal.