Survey Finds 60% of Big Multinationals Believe Their Data is not Prepared and Primed to Unlock GenAI’s Next-Generation Business Value; North America Leads Level of Trust in Data Over ROW
SAN JOSE, Calif. (April 23, 2025) – A new global audit examining the state of data readiness to embrace GenAI value creation finds big companies worldwide are not confident in the quality and usability of their data assets for AI-driven business improvement.
Entitled “The Pathway to GenAI Competitive Advantage,” the report includes a survey of over 170 corporate decision-makers and drills into business model variances and regional geographic contrasts across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. It was prepared by the Business Performance Innovation (BPI) Network and the Growth Officer Council, in partnership with intelligent information management leader EncompaaS.
The study found that 79% of business leaders believe GenAI will deliver a competitive advantage, such as agentic AI improving the customer experience, over the next 18 months. However, not all organizations are prepared to capitalize on this potential.
The report revealed that 60% of business leaders lack confidence in their data-AI readiness to achieve GenAI business value. In contrast, 81% of business leaders who do feel ready – meaning they have well-governed, high-quality data to fuel AI – expect AI agents to improve customer experience, compared to just 21% of those who are unprepared.
To download the full report, please visit: https://www.bpinetwork.org/thought-leadership/studies/86
The report also analyzed responses by region, company size and B2B vs B2C focus, uncovering significant differences in GenAI readiness. North America leads in GenAI maturity and value extraction, while APAC lags far behind. Large companies express greater confidence in their data-AI readiness but primarily use structured data. B2B companies are more evolved than B2C in high-impact GenAI use cases. Notably, 90% of leaders at companies with over $5 billion in revenue are satisfied with GenAI outcomes, compared to just 16% at companies between $500 million and $1 billion.
“As organizations plot a path toward GenAI competitive advantage, they’ll need to make an honest assessment of their data-AI readiness and where they stand among their peers,” said Tom Kaneshige, Chief Content Officer at the BPI Network. “The results of the study show GenAI’s rising business value in the coming months, but the lack of data-AI readiness can lead to failed GenAI initiatives and deterioration of trust in the technology.”
The report highlights industry-wide optimism about AI alongside gaps in data. The key findings include:
- 79% of business leaders believe GenAI will deliver a competitive advantage over the next 18 months.
- 60% of business leaders lack confidence in their data-AI readiness to realize business value from GenAI.
- The top challenges to unlocking GenAI value: 69% point to data accuracy and reliability, 68% cite AI integration and implementation, and 58% are concerned about AI ethics, governance, and trust.
- 38% of business leaders in North America expressed dissatisfaction with the value they’re getting from current GenAI projects, compared to 45% in Europe, and 84% in APAC.
- Only 13% of survey respondents were “extremely” confident in their GenAI readiness.
The study evaluated organizational performance in four critical GenAI capabilities: data quality, accuracy and reliability, security and privacy, cost and ROI. Through interviews and survey findings, the study explores the initiatives organizations are planning that take advantage of GenAI, such as AI use case prioritization and investment in tools and technology.
“The current reality is that GenAI projects are failing because they are not grounded in a foundation of well-prepared, high-quality data,” said Jesse Todd, CEO at EncompaaS. “The findings of this study are striking and demonstrate the critical importance of data preparation to advance AI initiatives. They also highlight that the gap between ambition and execution is where true competitive advantage is forged.”
“The Pathway to GenAI Competitive Advantage” provides organizations with guidance on strategic initiatives, key challenges, and achievable outcomes based on their data-AI maturity.
Methodology:
The findings of the report are based on a global survey of over 170 business and functional leaders across industries and geographies. Additionally, the BPI Network and Growth Officer Council conducted in-depth interviews with executives from StarCIO, AVOA, Pegasystems, and NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.
