According to www.thehindubusinessline.com, India’s upskilling platforms are witnessing a sharp shift in learner profiles, with mid- to senior-level professionals and non-technical roles driving demand for AI-focused programmes as enterprise adoption expands across business functions.
Non-Tech Roles Lead AI Learning Demand
The source states that enrolments in AI courses are no longer limited to engineers or early-career developers. Marketers, HR professionals, finance executives, and operations leaders are increasingly signing up to build AI capabilities within their existing roles. According to the report, close to 90% of learners across formats are opting for AI-led programmes — a figure that significantly outpaces traditional coding and full-stack courses.
“We’re seeing a clear inflection in enrolments—AI-focused programmes are now significantly outpacing traditional coding and full-stack courses. In fact, close to 90% of our learners across formats are opting for AI-led programmes.” — Anuj Vishwakarma, CEO – Higher Education Programmes at upGrad
Experienced Professionals Fuel Growth
The report highlights rising participation from professionals with over five years of experience, as well as functional users seeking to apply AI in day-to-day tasks. Simplilearn confirms similar trends, noting that AI-focused programmes have “significantly outpaced other domains in enrolments.” Gaurav Agrawal, Senior Vice President, Product and Growth at Simplilearn, stated: “We are also seeing a broader and more diverse learner base, including experienced professionals and non-tech roles.”
Redesigned Learning Pathways for Diverse Users
In response to this demand, edtech firms are moving away from one-size-fits-all curricula. The source states that platforms like upGrad and Simplilearn now offer differentiated learning pathways tailored to specific personas — from developers pursuing advanced AI capabilities to business users requiring application-led, no-code training. upGrad’s portfolio now includes generative AI, agentic workflows, and business applications, alongside no-code and low-code entry points. The report notes that the ability to engage with AI without deep coding expertise has “significantly expanded the addressable market.”
Enterprise Demand Extends Beyond Engineering Teams
On the organisational side, the shift is pronounced: companies are no longer requesting AI training solely for engineering teams. As Arushee Aggarwal, CEO of upGrad Enterprise, explained: “Organisations are no longer asking only for AI training for engineering teams—they want AI for leaders, AI for users, and AI for builders.” Simplilearn likewise offers separate tracks — code-centric for developers and application-based, no-code or low-code for business users.
Implications for Supply Chain Professionals
For global supply chain professionals, this trend signals an accelerating need to integrate AI literacy into core operational competencies — particularly in functions such as procurement, logistics planning, demand forecasting, warehouse management, and supplier risk analysis. Industry-wide, AI fluency is transitioning from a technical differentiator to a baseline requirement for decision-making and workflow efficiency. With AI tools increasingly embedded in ERP, TMS, and WMS platforms — and with vendors like SAP, Oracle, and Manhattan Associates embedding generative AI features — supply chain practitioners must now interpret AI-generated insights, validate outputs, and guide implementation aligned with business objectives. The report’s emphasis on persona-specific, application-led learning underscores the practical reality: supply chain leaders do not need to write Python scripts, but they must understand prompt engineering for procurement analytics, evaluate AI-driven inventory recommendations, and assess vendor claims about AI-powered visibility or predictive maintenance. This represents a tangible upskilling priority — one already being met by targeted, role-relevant AI programmes in markets like India, where similar enterprise upskilling initiatives are gaining traction among global logistics and manufacturing multinationals.
Source: www.thehindubusinessline.com
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
