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Tech and BFSI sectors leading in AI maturity: Protiviti Report
One in four financial services firms report that AI has delivered ROI far beyond initial expectations. By comparison, the manufacturing sector continues to lag with 37 per cent of organizations still in the early exploration phase, added Protiviti's AI Pulse Survey 2025 report.
Fifty-one per cent of organisations remain in the earliest stages of AI maturity, still piloting isolated initiatives or evaluating potential use cases, with limited progress toward scaling. (Image Source: Unsplash)
Global consulting firm Protiviti released the findings of its inaugural AI Pulse Survey 2025.
The survey of over 1,000 executives coming from diverse job functions such as IT, operations, finance, and compliance, including 176 C-suite executives globally has revealed a striking maturity gap: only eight per cent of organizations have reached the “Transformation” stage of AI adoption where AI drives innovation, competitive advantage, and industry disruption. Those surveyed came from diverse job functions such as IT, operations, finance, and compliance.
Fifty-one per cent of organisations remain in the earliest stages of AI maturity, still piloting isolated initiatives or evaluating potential use cases, with limited progress toward scaling.
Eighty-five percent of respondents say their AI investments are meeting or exceeding expectations, with nearly one in four companies reporting significantly better-than-expected returns. Surprisingly, while 96 per cent of advanced-stage organisations say AI has met or exceeded expectations, 36 per cent of organisations in early stages claim that AI has not delivered expected value.
“Our inaugural survey demonstrates that AI success is a complex evolution for businesses worldwide, requiring strategy, patience, and a willingness to rethink the fundamentals of business,” said Sandeep Gupta, managing director, Protiviti Member Firm for India.
He added, “Success comes to those who stay agile, align AI initiatives with business outcomes, and continuously upskill teams to bridge the strategy-execution gap.”
The survey also reveals the technology and BFSI sectors lead in AI maturity worldwide, with 52 per cent of technology businesses in advanced stages (Stage 4 or 5) of AI maturity. One in four financial services firms report that AI has delivered ROI far beyond initial expectations. By comparison, the manufacturing sector continues to lag with 37 per cent of organizations still in the early exploration phase.
“The findings reveal that there is a clear reward for those who move past AI experimentation,” said Dhrubabrata Ghosh Dastidar, MD, Protiviti Member Firm for India.
He added, “The early promise of AI will remain unfulfilled unless companies operationalize it at scale.”
A key barrier to mature AI adoption as highlighted by respondents is the challenge of integrating AI into legacy systems, cited by nearly 30 per cent respondents as their top hurdle. For businesses in the early stages of AI maturity, identifying the right use cases remains a struggle, while more mature adopters are now grappling with data availability and governance, stated the report.
Read More: India’s AI plan to democratise tech, tackle local challenges, boost jobs: Ashwini Vaishnaw
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