TTA AI maturity: from ambition to impact

AI adoption is accelerating, but value isn’t – what 70+ organisations globally are doing, and what this means for you

This report explores why many organisations are struggling to scale AI beyond experimentation, despite growing investment and adoption. Drawing on insights from 70+ organisations globally, it highlights the operational, cultural, and governance barriers limiting impact, alongside the approaches leading organisations are using to embed AI successfully and deliver measurable enterprise value. The first 50 organisations to register interest at the bottom of the page will also receive a complimentary AI Maturity Assessment.

Reading time: 6 minutes

AI adoption is accelerating, but enterprise-wide impact is still lagging behind. This report explores how organisations are progressing on their AI maturity journey, where the biggest barriers remain, and what leading organisations are doing differently to scale AI successfully.

Drawing on insights from 70+ organisations across 14 industries globally, we highlight the operational, cultural, and governance challenges shaping AI transformation today, alongside the practical actions organisations are taking to move from experimentation to measurable value.

Produced by The Transformation Alliance, a coalition driving transformation with European roots and global reach, this report brings together expertise from consultancies including Q5, H&Z, Cordial, MBS, Kea, and rpc.

Key findings

• Average maturity sits between 2.4 – 2.7 / 5
• From interviews we heard generally that strategy is strong, whilst execution is weaker
• Change Management and Operating Model & Processes were the weakest areas

Why AI isn’t scaling

Across industries, the same barriers keep showing up:

• Weak operating models = No clear ownership, prioritisation, or scaling pathway
• Low workforce adoption = Tools exist, but behaviours don’t change
• Poor data readiness = Fragmented, inconsistent, inaccessible data
• Limited value tracking = No clear ROI leads to no sustained investment
• AI stuck at the individual level = Widespread use of GenAI for personal productivity, but limited translation into enterprise-wide value

What leading organisations do differently

Organisations successfully scaling AI are:

• Embedding AI into core operating models, not side initiatives
• Treating change management as critical, not optional
• Building enterprise-wide AI capability, not just expert teams
• Putting governance in place early, not reacting later
• Measuring and scaling high-impact use cases systematically

How Q5 can help

We help organisations move from AI ambition to real impact – embedding AI into how you operate, not just what you use:

1. Diagnose your maturity
   Assess where you are today across all 8 pillars, benchmark against peers, and get access tailored, actionable recommendations based off your assessment using our AI Maturity Tool
2. Design for scale
   Define clear operating models, governance and prioritisation to move from pilot to enterprise adoption
3. Drive adoption
   Embed AI into day-to-day work through practical change and leadership alignment
4. Deliver measurable value
   Prioritise the right use cases and track impact to ensure sustained ROI

AI success is no longer about what we can do with AI, but how we embed AI into how we operate, to support organisations on their AI transformation journey, we are offering complimentary AI Maturity Assessments to the first 50 organisations that register interest, register in the form at the bottom of this page.

Get in touch

Ahanna Ndujiuba

Senior Consultant

[email protected]

Maddie Backhouse

Senior Consultant

[email protected]