From AI adoption to enterprise advantage
Data, context, and business reimagination define AI Leaders in 2026
93%
say scaling AI is very or extremely important this year
90%
have completely or significantly redesigned their operating model to incorporate AI
44%
report AI implementations past the pilot stage
75%
believe they’re ahead on AI. Only 12% qualify as AI Leaders.
Five takeaways every executive needs to know
The 2026 Enterprise AI Study surveyed 212 executives on how they’re using AI. These five findings are a small sample of the insights contained in the full report. Download the complete study to get a full breakdown into who’s leading, who’s lagging, and what should be your AI agenda for the upcoming year.
The 2026 Enterprise AI Study surveyed 212 executives on how they’re using AI. These five findings are a small sample of the insights contained in the full report. Download the complete study to get a full breakdown into who’s leading, who’s lagging, and what should be your AI agenda for the upcoming year.
01
<p><strong>The pilot era is over.</strong><br>93% of companies say scaling AI is critical, and AI Leaders plan on increasing their budgets by 25% next year.</p>
02
<p><strong>Perception is dangerously off.</strong><br>75% of companies believe they’re ahead of competitors on AI. Only 12% qualify as Leaders. The gap between confidence and competence is widening.</p>
03
<p><strong>Agentic AI is the new edge.</strong><br>Four in ten companies have moved agentic AI past the pilot stage. Leaders are using it to redesign work itself, not just boost productivity. One firm achieved 85% invoice matching and 50% faster processing.</p>
04
<p><strong>Data still decides winners.</strong><br>77% of companies report challenges with their data. Only 22% have data available enterprise-wide.</p>
05
<p><strong>Operating models must change.</strong><br>Leaders aren’t adapting old ways of working. They’re redesigning enterprise operating models around AI, treating the technology as a foundation rather than an overlay.</p>
Our research identified what separates AI Leaders from the rest.
AI Leaders · 12% of companies
What they do
- Fully developed AII capabilities in six-to-eight of eight core business functions
- Redesigned the entire operating model around AI
- 22% have data accessible enterprise-wide, free from silos
- 77% rate themselves as best-practice or leading-edge on data management
- Use agentic AI to redesign work, not just speed it up
Laggards · 22% of companies
Where they're stuck
- AI capabilities in two or fewer business functions
- Still adapting traditional operating models to AI requirements
- 78% of companies have data siloed in each business function
- 62% can’t access data quickly enough for timely AI decisions
- Treat agentic AI as a productivity tool, not a transformation lever.
Five imperatives for executives
These priorities will separate tomorrow’s AI winners from the competition.
- 01<p><strong>Stop measuring pilots</strong> <br>Track workflow adoption and business outcomes, not POCs.</p>
- 02<p><strong>Treat data like core infrastructure</strong><br>Quality and access to enterprise data defines AI Leaders.</p>
- 03<p><strong>Redesign your operating model</strong><br>AI transformation needs business reimagination – go beyond just adapting processes.</p>
- 04<p><strong>Build enterprise AI governance</strong><br>AI needs executive sponsorship and accountability.</p>
- 05<p><strong>Unlock value with context</strong><br>To truly work, AI needs understanding of how workflows operate, regulations, and human expertise.</p>
The next AI winners will transform first.
The complete 2026 EXL Enterprise AI study contains all the findings,
benchmarks, case studies, and strategies for executives to succeed with AI.
Download the report to get these and more insights.