Navigating the Intelligence Frontier: AI Adoption as a Success Factor Among Entrepreneurs in Delhi/NCR

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping the entrepreneurial landscape globally, yet its role as a success factor among entrepreneurs in emerging economy contexts remains insufficiently understood. This study investigates how AI adoption influences entrepreneurial success among entrepreneurs in Delhi/National Capital Region (NCR), India, one of the country's most dynamic and rapidly evolving startup ecosystems. Employing an interpretivist, qualitative research design, the study conducted sixteen in-depth semi-structured interviews with entrepreneurs spanning diverse sectors including fintech, edtech, health-tech, logistics, retail, and SaaS. Thematic analysis, following Braun and Clarke's (2006) six-phase framework, generated five overarching themes: AI as an Operational Accelerator, AI-Enabled Decision Making and Market Intelligence, Customer Experience Transformation, Barriers and the Adoption Journey, and AI as a Competitive Equaliser. Findings reveal that AI adoption produces measurable benefits in operational efficiency, strategic decision-making, and customer personalisation, while the most significant adoption barriers are human-centred, rooted in talent scarcity, organisational resistance, and change management challenges rather than technology or cost alone. A cross-cutting finding establishes that entrepreneurial mindset, particularly cognitive openness, risk tolerance, and iterative experimentation, is the strongest predictor of successful AI adoption outcomes, superseding firm size, sector, and financial capacity. Theoretically, the study extends the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Dynamic Capabilities Theory, and the Technology-Organisation-Environment (TOE) framework into the qualitative, emerging economy entrepreneurial context. The findings carry significant implications for entrepreneurs, policymakers, and educators seeking to leverage AI as a driver of inclusive and sustainable entrepreneurial success in urban India.