Wonder, Worry, and the Weight of Choice: Ipsos Global Trends 2025 Reveals How Indians Navigate AI, Trade, and Life in a Rapidly Changing Economy

Indians are navigating a world of rapid technological change, evolving economic priorities, and abundant choices, according to the Ipsos Global Trends 2025 study. The research highlights a population that is forward-looking yet discerning, balancing optimism with caution across multiple areas of daily life.

Artificial intelligence stands out as a technology of both promise and concern. 65 per cent of Indians believe AI is positively shaping the world, reflecting confidence in its potential to drive productivity, innovation, and societal progress. At the same time, many are wary of its pace and potential unintended consequences, illustrating a “wonder and worry” perspective that captures the complexity of public sentiment toward technology in India today.

Economic pragmatism is equally pronounced. With 63% of Indians supporting trade barriers to protect domestic industries, there is a clear emphasis on strengthening local manufacturing and economic resilience. Citizens are attuned to the uncertainties of the global economy and are expressing a preference for policies that safeguard domestic markets while navigating India’s increasingly interconnected position in the world.

Alongside technology and trade, the pressures of everyday life are reshaping personal priorities. Sixty-four percent of Indians report feeling overwhelmed by choices and information, from digital media to career and consumer options. This has sparked a growing focus on individualism, with citizens seeking clarity, control, and simplicity in the decisions that shape their daily lives. Managing priorities and reclaiming personal control has emerged as a central theme in how Indians are responding to modern complexity.

These insights are interpreted through the Ipsos Theory of Change, which shows how broad macro forces—such as technological acceleration, geopolitical shifts, and economic developments—drive shifts in attitudes, behaviors, and markets, which then manifest as local signals in countries like India. This layered approach allows brands, policymakers, and organisations to anticipate change and respond strategically.

Commenting on the findings, Suresh Ramalingam, CEO, Ipsos India, said:
“Indians are navigating opportunity with a mix of optimism and caution. While AI offers enormous promise, there is awareness of its challenges. At the same time, people are seeking simplicity and control over their lives and supporting policies that strengthen India’s economic resilience. The Ipsos Global Trends Report is a vital guide for marketers, highlighting the societal and consumer shifts that are shaping behavior and offering actionable insights to align brand messaging and innovation with evolving priorities. This is a population that wants progress, but on terms that are manageable, meaningful, and reflective of their everyday realities.”

The Ipsos Global Trends 2025 report identifies nine global forces shaping societies worldwide. 

Globalisation Fractures highlights strain in international connections. Splintered Societies captures emerging political and ideological divisions. Climate Convergence underscores concern for climate change amid debates over responsibility. Technowonder illustrates technology as both exciting and anxiety-inducing, reflected in Indians’ mixed views on AI. Conscientious Health focuses on holistic wellbeing and access inequalities. Retreat to Old Systems signals nostalgia for familiar structures. Nouveau Nihilism reflects economic pressures and fatalism. The Power of Trust emphasizes challenges in discerning credible information. Escape to Individualism shows citizens focusing on personal control and clarity over priorities in an overwhelming world.

Taken together, these trends paint a picture of India as technologically hopeful yet cautious, economically pragmatic, and increasingly focused on personal control and decision-making as it navigates the opportunities and complexities of modern life.