Infosys research: Companies recognise potential of AI, but must address readiness gaps : Infosys research

Companies globally recognise the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and are eager to adopt enterprise AI, yet most are far from fully integrating AI into their businesses and operations owing to large gaps in basic AI readiness, revealed new research from the Infosys Knowledge Institute (IKI), the research arm of the information technology company.

The Infosys Enterprise AI Readiness report, which includes insights from more than 1,500 respondents across Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States, and backed up with interviews with 40 senior executives in the US and UK, highlighted that while executives envision AI as the next industrial revolution, transforming business models and shaping the new economy, many companies lack the foundational building blocks for successful enterprise AI adoption.

According to the research, enterprises expect an average increase of 15% in productivity from their current AI projects, with some anticipating up to 40% gains, yet only 2% of organisations are ready across all five key dimensions: talent, strategy, governance, data and technology.

The biggest gaps lie in technology readiness, with only 9% of companies possessing the necessary AI capabilities such as machine learning frameworks, prebuilt algorithms and dynamic compute.

Additionally, data accuracy, processes and accessibility are significant challenges, with only about 10% of respondents reporting ease of data location and access for AI projects.

To overcome these hurdles and realise the full potential of AI, including generative AI, companies must address readiness gaps and foster a culture of innovation.

A clear AI strategy aligned with business objectives is essential, encompassing technology investments, talent acquisition and ethical considerations.“To become enterprise-wide AI-ready and realise the promise of this technology, including Gen AI, it is imperative to establish a robust and scalable foundation. Our research and learnings from our AI-first transformation journey has shown that data readiness, enterprise Gen AI platform with responsible AI guardrails and AI talent transformation are key to accelerate and democratise AI development,” said Mohammed Rafee Tarafdar, chief technology officer, Infosys.

This must be complemented by an AI foundry and factory model for scaling up AI initiatives across the enterprise, he said.

“Our research found that enterprise AI, including Gen AI, promises to unlock up to 40% in productivity gains, yet only 2% of companies are truly ready,” said Jeff Kavanaugh, head of Infosys Knowledge Institute. “This readiness gap represents both a challenge and a massive opportunity. Those who act now – by building a clear AI strategy, including Gen AI, establishing strong governance and upskilling talent – will not only lead the next wave of innovation but will fundamentally reshape their industries.”