AI Readiness: Are Organizations Truly Prepared for Enterprise AI?

AI adoption is no longer a futuristic goal - it’s a competitive necessity. However, our recent AI Readiness Assessment, conducted in collaboration with our partners, reveals a stark reality: while organizations are eager to implement AI, many struggle with the foundational requirements needed for successful deployment.

Our assessment gathered insights from multiple organizations across industries from Financial Services to Manufacturing, evaluating their preparedness in areas such as data integration, security, scalability, and AI implementation strategies. The findings align with broader industry research, showing that AI readiness remains a significant challenge despite growing investment in AI technologies.

The Reality of AI Readiness: Key Findings from Our Assessment

Across organizations surveyed, common themes emerged:

• Lack of Strategic AI Planning – Many businesses are exploring AI but lack a clear roadmap for deployment. Some are still in the experimental phase, while others are struggling to define AI use cases that align with business objectives.
• Data Silos and Integration Challenges – A majority of organizations report data fragmentation as a major obstacle. Without a unified data strategy, leveraging AI for enterprise-wide benefits remains difficult.
• Security and Compliance Gaps – AI governance, data privacy, and regulatory compliance (GDPR, ISO27001) hinder AI scaling, as does the enforcement of ACLs to ensure real-time, user-specific access control, reducing risks and enabling secure, compliant AI deployment.
• Scalability Barriers – While many organizations successfully launch AI pilots, they face major hurdles in scaling AI across multiple departments and business functions.

These findings echo external research, such as Cisco’s 2024 AI Readiness Index, which states that only 13% of companies are fully prepared to leverage AI’s potential, down from 14% last year, while 98% of organizations feel an increased urgency to deploy AI. Similarly, McKinsey’s "State of AI in Early 2024" report found that 65% of organizations are using Generative AI in some capacity, but only a fraction have integrated it into enterprise-wide workflows.

Bridging the AI Readiness Gap: What Organizations Can Do Next

Organizations looking to fast-track AI adoption need a structured approach to overcome these common pitfalls. Based on our findings and industry best practices, here are some actionable steps to take:

Address the AI Readiness Gap

To successfully adopt AI, organizations need to assess their readiness before making significant investments. Our guide, "Why 75% of GenAI Initiatives Fail (And How To Make Yours Succeed)", provides a framework to help businesses identify gaps in AI readiness and create a strategy for success.

Understand the Business Value of AI

Not all AI initiatives provide measurable ROI in the same way. Gartner’s research identifies three key business case patterns for AI adoption:

• Defend: Enhance productivity and protect competitive advantage.
• Extend: Transform existing processes for differentiation.
• Upend: Disrupt industries by creating new markets or value propositions.

To learn how to structure AI investments based on business impact, explore this must-read analysis from the 2025 Gartner® Report "The 3 Business Cases of Generative AI Value".

Join Our AI Readiness Webinar for Practical Insights

AI adoption requires more than just technology - it requires strategic execution. Learn from industry experts about what it takes to become AI-ready by attending our webinar on AI Readiness. This session will cover:

• Why AI initiatives fail and how to assess your readiness.
• How to securely scale AI across your enterprise while ensuring compliance.
• The Build vs. Buy dilemma and how to choose the right AI strategy.

Register now: AI Readiness Webinar

AI Readiness is a Journey, Not a Destination

Our assessment and industry research show that while AI adoption is accelerating, many organizations still lack the foundational elements needed for enterprise-scale AI success. By focusing on data integration, security, scalability, and strategic AI deployment, businesses can move beyond experimentation and start realizing the true value of AI.

The question is no longer whether AI is necessary but whether organizations are prepared to adopt it effectively. If your company is still navigating the AI readiness journey, now is the time to act. Explore our latest resources, attend our webinar, and take proactive steps toward AI success.