A significant percentage of professionals in the country said they want to work for themselves in the near future, with factors like AI adoption, a strong skilling appetite and the power of trusted professional networks making it easier to start and scale their business, says a LinkedIn report.
According to LinkedIn’s latest Small Business Work Change India Report, the number of Indian members adding ‘founder’ to their profiles has increased by 104 per cent in a year, as more than 7 in 10 professionals in the country say they want to work for themselves in the near future. The report noted that three factors will fuel this shift: AI adoption, brand credibility and networks. “AI is becoming part of everyday operations for India’s small businesses. Eightytwo per cent of SMB leaders here say it has made starting and running a business easier, and 97 per cent already use it in some form. For 83 per cent, AI has become critical for business growth,” the report said.
To keep pace, SMBs (small and medium businesses) are building skills as quickly as they adopt new tools. AI literacy has risen 52 per cent year-on-year among companies with 11–200 employees, as 81 per cent of SMBs admit they are investing in AI capabilities.
Around 95 per cent of Indian SMBs are already investing in or planning AI adoption, outpacing the global average (83 per cent). “India’s small businesses are moving with extraordinary speed and ambition. What sets India apart is the combination of rapid AI adoption, a strong skilling appetite and the power of trusted professional networks. Together, these forces are reshaping how businesses build, scale and succeed,” Kumaresh Pattabiraman, India Country Manager, LinkedIn, said.
As we enter 2026, India’s SMBs aren’t just keeping pace with global change — they’re setting the direction. LinkedIn is committed to helping them build credibility, find talent and unlock opportunity at every stage of their growth, Pattabiraman added. Globally, 61 per cent of small business owners are creating content themselves and 71 per cent said showing up authentically online matters. This focus on connection is also witnessing a rise, with 88 per cent agreeing that people skills are even more important in the age of AI.
Moreover, in India, 85 per cent of marketers say audiences now follow real voices such as customers, employees, partners and creators, because they help people make smarter decisions.
“With AI-generated content rising, SMBs are treating relationships as essential infrastructure for insight, opportunity, and resilience,” the report said.
