For the world’s 2,000 largest firms by AI-enabled remote systems. And the life Figure 4: Levels of AI maturity by industry, 2021 and 2024* market cap, the percentage of Achievers sciences industry will expand its use of was even smaller: 10%. These numbers AI in efficient drug development. Still, suggest that large firms may struggle to there is enormous room for growth in make the large foundational and cultural AI adoption across all industries and shifts needed to become AI Achievers. an enormous opportunity for those organizations that choose to seize it. Taken together, Achievers, Builders and Innovators tend to have more resources For industry laggards like financial (such as technology, talent and patents) services and healthcare, a range of to deliver on their AI visions and to factors may be contributing to their transform their organizations. Examples relatively low AI maturity—including can be found across a wide range of legal and regulatory challenges, industries: healthcare, financial services, inadequate AI infrastructure and a life sciences, utilities, retail, energy shortage of AI-trained workers. and more. AI, applied While industries like tech are currently far ahead in their respective AI maturity, the gap will likely narrow considerably by 2024 (Figure 4). Automotive is betting on a big surge in sales of AI-powered self- driving vehicles. Aerospace and defense firms anticipate continued demand for Source: Accenture Research Note: *2024 = estimated scores. Industries’ AI maturity scores represent the arithmetic average of their respective Foundational and Differentiation index. The art of AI maturity—Advancing from practice to performance 11