Why most organisations use AI – but only a few are unlocking enterprise-wide impact.

McKinsey’s 2025 global survey finds that AI tools are now ubiquitous – 88% of respondents report using AI in at least one function – yet most companies are still in the early stages of deployment.

Nearly two-thirds admit they haven’t scaled AI across the enterprise, and only about one-third have moved beyond pilots.

This gap shows up in business impact: 64% say AI is enabling innovation, but 39% report any material EBIT gain from AI.

The Agent Craze vs Reality

Interest in “agentic AI” (systems that plan and act on multiple steps) is very high.

About 62% of firms are at least experimenting with AI agents.

McKinsey notes that roughly a quarter have started scaling an agentic AI system (usually in only one or two functions).

Industries like tech, media and healthcare report the most agent use.

The takeaway: agents hold real promise, but most companies must integrate them judiciously into existing workflows.

From Efficiency to Innovation

Most organisations still frame AI as a cost-saving tool – 80% of respondents cite efficiency as an AI objective.

But the companies capturing the most value take a different approach.

McKinsey finds that “AI high performers” are much more likely to set growth or innovation goals alongside efficiency.

They also retool their processes: about half of high performers explicitly plan to transform business processes with AI and redesign workflows.

In practice, this means focusing AI on new products, customer experience, and other strategic areas where revenue impact can be significant.

Embracing Transformation

The survey makes clear that strong leadership and enterprise-wide ambition distinguish AI successes.

High performers are three times more likely than their peers to report senior leaders who “demonstrate ownership of and commitment to” AI initiatives.

They also invest heavily (many devote a large share of the IT budget to AI) and hire specialised talent.

The lesson: converting AI experiments into real value requires treating AI as strategic change.

Agile Force specialise in this kind of transformation.

By aligning AI deployment with your business goals, reworking workflows, and ensuring executive buy-in – all practices highlighted by the McKinsey survey – Agile Force’s experts can help your team move from AI experimentation to scaled, value-generating solutions.

Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts.