Executive Summary
Artificial intelligence (AI) has shifted from experimentation to execution. Nearly all respondents (95%) to Constellation’s 2025 AI Survey report actively using AI technologies, with most scaling efforts focused on employee productivity and innovation. CEOs, CTOs, and CIOs now share responsibility for AI strategy, indicating a move from technical experimentation to enterprisewide transformation.
Confidence is demonstrated by planned budget increases for 2026, despite the return on investment (ROI) being in its early stages. Two-thirds of respondents say they are already building or preparing to deploy agentic AI systems—demonstrating that companies are moving beyond copilots toward autonomous applications.
Despite this momentum, returns are still in the early stages. Many organizations are facing data quality issues, operational challenges, and change management as they shift from experimentation to larger-scale deployment. At the same time, investment enthusiasm is growing: Most respondents plan to raise AI budgets in 2026, even without immediate ROI, reflecting a belief that delaying AI adoption could pose strategic risks.
