Executive summary In fewer than 70 years, artificial intelligence (AI) has evolved from a scientific concept to a societal constant. Computer scientist John McCarthy Despite these ever-expanding use cases, This journey to AI maturity has been in coined the term “artificial intelligence” when it comes to making the most of AI’s high gear for years. Pre-pandemic (2019), in 1955, proposing that, “every aspect of full potential and their own investments, AI Achievers already enjoyed 50% greater learning … can in principle be so precisely most organizations are barely scratching revenue growth on average, compared 12% described that a machine can be made to the surface. with their peers. And in 2021, among simulate it."1 executives of the world’s 2,000 largest of firms have In fact, only 12% of firms have companies (by market capitalization), advanced their Today, so much of what we take for advanced their AI maturity enough to those who discussed AI on their earnings AI maturity enough granted in our daily lives stems from achieve superior growth and business calls were 40% more likely to see their machine learning. Every time you use a transformation, according to Accenture’s firms’ share prices increase—up from 23% t o achieve superior wayfinding app to get from point A to extensive analysis of approximately 1,200 in 2018, according to analysis by performance and point B, use dictation to convert speech companies globally. We call them the Accenture. growth. to text, or unlock your phone using face “AI Achievers.” ID ... you're relying on AI. And companies across industries are also relying on—and Another 25% of firms are somewhat investing in—AI to drive logistics, improve advanced in their level of AI maturity, while customer service, increase efficiency, the remaining 63% (the majority) are still 63% empower employees and so much more. mostly testing the waters. of firms are still testing the AI waters. The art of AI maturity—Advancing from practice to performance 3