8 months ago
Economic Survey 2026 Warns of AI Risks and Market Uncertainty
ABSLI's study in 2025 showed that many people in India are worried about money and the future.
They are scared that their savings are shrinking because of inflation and that their incomes aren't keeping up with the rising costs of living.
They are also worried about not having enough money for emergencies, health insurance, and retirement.
The study shows that people who have more insurance or investment products feel less worried.
The worries are different in different parts of India, with people in the east and smaller towns feeling more anxious.
The Economic Survey 2026 also warned that prolonged uncertainty can affect financial markets and that AI could cause a big problem, even worse than the 2008 financial crisis.
It said that AI might take away jobs in India's IT sector, which has been a big part of the country's economy.
The survey suggested creating an AI Economic Council to help guide the use of AI and protect jobs.
ABSLI's अ-Nishchit Index 2.0 shows India's overall uncertainty score is 79, with high anxiety about economic and financial instability.
73% of respondents are extremely worried about their future, driven by fears of inflation eroding savings and incomes not keeping pace with living costs.
Retirement-related anxiety is high, with concerns about rising elderly care costs and inadequate retirement planning.
Financial preparedness reduces uncertainty, with those holding four or more insurance or investment products feeling more secure.
Uncertainty varies regionally, with the lowest score in southern India (71) and the highest in the east (83), and increases as city size decreases.
- Who
- Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance Company Limited (ABSLI) and the Economic Survey 2026
- What
- Released the अ-Nishchit Index 2.0 and warned about AI risks and market uncertainty
- Where
- India and global financial markets
- When
- 2025 and 2026
- Why
- To understand how Indians perceive risk and insecurity and to highlight the impact of uncertainty on financial markets and AI risks
Key facts
- Overall Uncertainty Score
- 79
- Economic and Financial Instability Score
- 80
- Inflation Eroding Savings Score
- 81
- Incomes Not Keeping Pace Score
- 80
- Retirement-Related Anxiety Score
- 78
- Uncertainty in Southern India
- 71
- Uncertainty in Eastern India
- 83
- Uncertainty in Tier-3 Towns
- 86
- AI's Contribution to S&P 500 Returns
- 75%
- AI's Contribution to Earnings Growth
- 80%
- AI's Contribution to Capital Spending Growth
- 90%
- Probability of AI-Driven Systemic Shock
- 10-20%
Timeline
Tech giants slash jobs, sparking 'forever layoffs' trend.
Companies shift focus to short-term gains, cost-cutting.
Modest 9% salary hike offered, June 2025.
Inflation soars to 1.33%, salaries stagnate, fueling Indian anxiety.
Study reveals widespread income-related stress in 2025.
Quotes
The Economic Survey 2025-26
An annual report by the Government of India that reviews the country's economic development over the past year and provides a forecast for the upcoming year.
“These trends suggest the possibility of longer and more amplified shocks in global financial markets. Parallelly, technology stocks pose an emerging risk of inflated valuations, with AI-related stocks accounting for 75 per cent of S&P 500 returns, 80 per cent of earnings growth, and 90 per cent of capital spending growth since ChatGPT launched in November 2022.”
businesstoday.in
“In turn, this can impact the real economy by impeding the flow of credit. Finally, prolonged uncertainty can increase the possibility of sharper market corrections across asset classes. In some cases, these market corrections can pave the way for financial contagion, spreading to the entire financial sector and the real economy.”
businesstoday.in
Sources
Income related anxiety high as inflation erodes savings, salary lag costs, finds अ Nishchit index
Four financial products needed for security, not two: Aditya Birla Index
'Sharper market corrections': What Economic Survey says on prolonged periods of uncertainty
'Worse Than 2008': Economic Survey's Big Warning On Global AI Infrastructure
Techie Jobs At Risk: Economic Survey Flags Threat To India's IT Sector Model
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