Enterprises risk falling behind in AI adoption
Despite the excitement around AI as a transformative force, many enterprises are struggling to adopt the technology in meaningful ways, according to a new survey from Unily.
This has resulted in a growing gap between AI 'haves' and 'have nots,' where enterprises adopting AI tools for their people are making quicker gains than those without. At the same time employees who are open to using AI tools increasingly want more exposure to them and may even choose employers who are early AI adopters over those who are slower to adapt.
While AI has been well recognized for its potential to transform enterprise growth, innovation, and efficiency, the survey findings show that employees are uncertain about AI's role within their organization. Only 20 percent of employees say AI is a 'must-have' for business competition, and 36 percent believe that more AI adoption would not impact on their company’s performance.
The research also shows 52 percent of employees say their organization has no AI policy they know of, and 18 percent indicate that their company only has vague, informal policies. A quarter of respondents say they would use AI tools more frequently if they understood their organization’s policies around it. This could lead to paralysis and reluctance to adopt AI tools or employees turning to shadow AI.
"We conducted this survey to better understand how the largest enterprises are faring in this AI adoption race. The results show that the gap between AI leaders and laggards is growing, and the stakes are higher than ever," says Chris Ciauri, CEO at Unily. "This report is a call to action for enterprise leaders to act quickly and decisively today or risk getting left behind in this fast-changing AI world."
The report suggests that there’s a divide emerging among employees too, while over half of the surveyed employees rarely or never use AI tools, 27 percent are eager adopters, embracing new AI tech 'right away,' yet 32 percent have never used an AI tool at work. For nearly 10 percent, AI has already become a game-changer, 'dramatically increasing' their productivity. On the flip side, almost 10 percent resist AI adoption altogether unless forced.
"AI innovation is racing ahead, but companies struggle with policy and process," adds Ciauri. "This gap leads to missed opportunities, security risks, and a less engaging employee experience. Our latest research shows employees are eager for AI but encounter organizational friction that impedes full adoption. The future belongs to enterprises that successfully embed governed AI capabilities into the flow of work to accelerate decision-making and increase Organizational Velocity."
You can get the full report from the Unily site.
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