RESEARCH REPORT
The front-runner’s guide to scaling AI
How to strategically scale AI and win
5-MINUTE READ
March 17, 2025
In brief
- Scaling AI starts with data. 70% of the 2000 companies we surveyed recognize its importance, yet few fully leverage their proprietary data.
- Only 8% of companies are front-runners, scaling AI effectively and embedding it into their core strategy.
- Only 15% of the companies are AI reinvention-ready and have built the essential capabilities needed to scale AI successfully.
The Reinvention-ready advantage: Scaling AI for real impact
AI is no longer just a competitive edge-it's the foundation of reinvention. But while many companies are experimenting, only a small fraction are ready to scale. Our research reveals that just 15% of companies have built the essential capabilities needed to unleash AI’s full power. These reinvention-ready organizations aren’t just adopting AI-they’re embedding it into their core strategy, integrating AI agents, and reshaping industries.
Their approach is clear: foundational investments alone won’t drive transformation. They pair table stakes with bold strategic bets to accelerate growth, unlock productivity, and redefine customer engagement. And it’s working.
But technology readiness is only the first step. Within this group, an even more elite subset-the front-runners-are taking action and driving AI scale to the next level.
Only 8%
of companies—“front-runners”—are scaling AI at an enterprise level, embedding the technology into core business strategy.
Meet the front-runners
Are organizations successfully integrating generative AI?
What distinguishes front-runners from other AI reinvention-ready companies? Their aptitude for deploying and scaling strategic bets. Indeed, front-runners not only place more strategic bets but also scale them at a significantly higher rate than other companies. In addition, they garner stronger CEO and board sponsorship for AI initiatives, place a higher priority on change management and implement more structured training programs. As a result, they accelerate revenue growth, enhance operational efficiency and create competitive advantage.
Our report provides insights into the strategic decisions that front-runners are making, offering guidance on how your company can also achieve similar success.
AI-powered enterprise reinvention is no longer about being first—it’s about building the foundation that enables strategic scaling.
3x
Companies scaling just one strategic bet are nearly 3 times more likely to exceed their ROI expectations from AI investments.
AI and generative AI are transforming industries, but true reinvention requires more than adoption—it demands deep integration into strategy, processes and decision-making. While many organizations are still in the early stages of AI experimentation, front-runners are investing in AI-driven reinvention that fuels long-term growth, efficiency and industry leadership.
- Front-runners with annual revenue exceeding $10 billion grew their revenue 7 percentage points faster than companies still experimenting with AI.
- Across all sizes, front-runners outperformed the other three company groups, delivering shareholder returns that were 6 percentage points higher.
- After deploying and scaling AI across their enterprise, companies expect to reduce their costs by 11% and increase their productivity by 13%, on average, within 18 months.
But here’s the real insight: Even front-runners have only scaled 34% of their strategic bets, creating space for those ready to act. The organizations that scale their strategic bets today will define the industry leaders of tomorrow.
5 key practices to scale AI
Lead with value
Front-runners prioritize value creation over mere technology adoption—aligning AI investments with innovation, growth, efficiency and customer impact.
- AI investments should be aligned with business impact, with C-suite sponsorship 2.4x more likely to drive success.
Reinvent talent and ways of working
Scaling AI requires more than technology; it demands a workforce prepared to operate in an AI-driven environment. Front-runners have a talent maturity that is four times higher than companies that are simply experimenting with AI.
- Front-runners reskill and empower teams, ensuring AI fluency across the organization.
Develop an agentic, secure digital core
Front-runners build modern AI and data infrastructure that ensures AI is scalable, secure and seamlessly integrated across business operations.
- Front-runners invest 51% of their tech budgets in cloud and AI.
Close the gap on responsible AI
Scaling AI responsibly is not just about regulatory compliance; it is a competitive differentiator that builds trust, mitigates risks and ensures AI reliability.
- When companies develop highly mature responsible AI capabilities, their revenue from AI-powered products and services jumps by 18%, on average
Drive continuous reinvention
Scaling AI is not a one-time effort: Front-runners ensure that AI remains a continuously evolving driver of business reinvention.
- Front-runners continuously optimize, refine and scale AI-driven insights to maintain a competitive edge.
Leading sectors in AI adoption
The shift from AI experimentation to AI readiness
Organizations scaling AI today are shaping the future of their industries, creating new growth opportunities and redefining how business operates. The time to invest in AI reinvention is now.
The question isn’t if AI will reinvent your business—it’s whether you’re leading that transformation or being left behind.
Download the full report to secure your competitive advantage.