The AI Adoption Gap: What Top 10% of Companies Do That Others Don't
Our latest polls reveal most organizations are struggling to move beyond early implementation.
While AI is estimated to contribute $15 trillion to the global economy by 2030, our latest research reveals a significant disparity between AI's recognized potential and its actual implementation across industries. This adoption gap presents both a challenge and a strategic imperative for business leaders in 2024 and beyond.
The Current State of AI Adoption
Our research, which polled 415 business leaders and professionals and analyzed 21 sources and report across North America and Europe to paint a clear picture of the AI adoption landscape.
Most companies are still in the early phase of AI adoption. In our poll, 43% of companies reported still being in the early implementation phase and 15% reported being in the planning stage. Those who are in the mature implementation and leading stages of adoption make up a minority of 13% and 10% respectively.
This reflects a global trend across industry reports and underscores a significant disparity between AI's recognized potential and its actual implementation across industries.
The AI Adoption Gap
Most organizations remain in early stages, struggling to scale AI implementation
¹Based on responses to the question: "What stage of AI adoption is your organization currently at?" AI adoption stages are not directly equivalent to company performance or AI capabilities.
Source: Mindstone AI Adoption Survey 2024
The Perception Problem: Limiting AI's Potential
Our research reveals a crucial insight into why this adoption gap persists: the overwhelming majority of professionals and business leaders see Automation and Process Optimization as the most valuable application of AI for their work.
While this is indeed a significant benefit, it represents only a fraction of AI's potential impact. This narrow focus on automation is significantly limiting the adoption stage, perceived value, and potential impact of AI in many organizations.
The AI Benefit Perception Gap
Limited Views of AI Hold Back Widespread Adoption
Working research out of the University of California, Berkeley supports this view, highlighting that many leaders are stuck looking at AI through the lens of current tasks and processes. But this approach can only show small, incremental changes, missing the big picture of how AI could completely reshape how work is done.
By focusing too much on automating what already being done, laggards are essentially trying to predict the future by looking in the rearview mirror. To truly harness AI's power, organizations need to imagine entirely new possibilities, not just slightly better versions of what is done today.
Instead of starting with "How can AI do our current jobs?", leaders should ask, "How can AI create new forms of value for our business?". This shift in thinking opens up a world of strategic opportunities that go way beyond just cutting costs or speeding up old processes.
The Path Forward: From Implementation to Transformation
The AI adoption gap represents a pivotal moment for businesses across sectors. Organizations that successfully navigate these early implementation challenges, broaden their AI applications, and progress towards mature AI integration stand to gain significant competitive advantages.
"At a time when technology is driving unprecedented change, it is key to separate hype from reality and make strategic bets on AI to lead the next wave of innovation and transformation."
Joshua Wohle and Melinda Jacobs
Co-Chief Executive Officers, Mindstone Learning
Our report highlights that this approach is in step with the few companies who are leading in AI adoption and explores other key barriers and strategies to scale.
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