The State of AI Execution 2026
Everyone measures AI adoption. Almost nobody measures AI execution — what actually made it to production, what it returned, and why most of it didn't. This report does, drawing on patterns from 300+ enterprise engagements across 28 countries.
What is the State of AI Execution report?
An annual research report from Sphere Inc. analyzing patterns from 300+ enterprise engagements: why AI initiatives stall between pilot and production, the governance paradox, and the deployment sequences that separate shippers from stallers.
A preview of what the data says.
The execution gap
why pilot success predicts production success far less than executives assume — and the variable that predicts it best
The governance paradox
companies with governance-first postures ship MORE AI to production, not less
The visibility dividend
what changes when organizations model their enterprise before automating it
The findings, the benchmarks, and the playbook — free.
Includes the five-dimension readiness benchmark (the same model as the Scorecard), vertical breakouts for regulated industries, and the deployment sequences that separated shippers from stallers.
We'll also send the annual update when next year's edition ships. Unsubscribe anytime.
Then find out where you'd land in the data.
The Scorecard scores you on the report's own benchmark, in five minutes.