AI is thrilling, but rushing in without a plan is a trap.
Sources from Cisco find only about 13% of companies have formal AI roadmaps and budgets in place. That means the other 87% are basically flying blind with their AI initiatives. Little wonder that surveys report data and talent gaps everywhere: nearly half of leaders worry about data accuracy or bias, and about 42% say they don’t have enough proprietary data or AI skills to get started.
These readiness gaps show up in results. McKinsey’s latest survey finds roughly two-thirds of firms are still only experimenting with AI (just one-third have scaled it). Even more telling, only about 39% of companies report any bottom-line boost from AI so far. In short: if you pour money into AI without clarity, you’ll likely join the stalled majority.
So what does AI readiness mean in practice? It starts with a strategy. Define a clear business case and success metrics, and get leadership fully aligned. Sketch out a realistic roadmap with budget, milestones, and accountability. On the tech side, audit your data and infrastructure: is the data clean, accessible, and relevant for your use case? Fix any gaps first. And on the people's side, build the right mix of skills - train existing staff or bring in partners so that your team actually uses the new tools.
The bottom line: clarity is your safeguard. Teams that do this homework avoid wasted pilots and see far better outcomes. Instead of chasing the latest AI fad, they invest in projects with solid foundations – and reap real rewards.
How Emphasis Tech Can Help: Emphasis Tech’s AI Ready service is built to deliver exactly this clarity. We assess your data, processes, and goals to pinpoint strengths and gaps up front. Then we help you make sense of the data with a 1-on-on consultation with an AI solutions consultant – so you only invest in what really matters.
In practice, this means when you launch an AI initiative, it starts on solid ground, and every dollar is driving toward real ROI, not chasing the next big AI hype. That upfront effort may feel like extra work, but it typically saves countless hours and dollars by preventing mistakes later. In other words, readiness is the secret to turning AI buzz into real business impact - without blowing your budget.
Start your AI initiative with insight and clarity.
For more information visit: AI Ready