• New global study of 1,000 senior IT decision makers assess digital and AI adoption across five key pillars.
• Greater readiness drives higher ROI; 53% of Leaders report gains like cost savings, revenue growth or productivity from their tech investments.
• A perception gap exists, with 60% of those who believe they are Leaders actually falling into lower readiness categories.

Thoughtworks, a global technology consultancy that integrates design, engineering and AI to drive digital innovation, today released findings from its “The State of Digital and AI Readiness” global report that reveals a stark contrast between perceived and actual levels of digital and AI maturity among organizations worldwide. The research, based on insights from 1,000 senior leaders, highlights that while many organizations believe they are ahead, only a small fraction - 17% - are truly leading the market in digital and AI readiness.

The report introduces the Digital and AI Readiness Index, which categorizes organizations into four groups - Leaders (17%), Strong Performers (54%), Emerging Players (26%) and Late Adopters (3%) - based on their adoption levels across five critical pillars: digital products, platforms and services; enterprise modernization; managing (and modernizing) technology; data modernization and scaling AI (from pilot to production).

Key findings from the report include:

• Importance of strategic alignment: The prevalence of a fully developed and optimized technology ecosystem strategy is higher among Leaders (61%) than Late Adopters (19%). This highlights the critical role of a cohesive, aligned business-technology strategy in driving digital and AI success.
• The Imperative for continuous improvement: An overwhelming 93% of organizations acknowledge the need for some level of improvement in their technology ecosystem. Interestingly, 77% of Leaders recognize the need for a complete overhaul or significant improvement, demonstrating their commitment to continuous optimization.
• Technology leadership drives ROI: A positive ROI on their technology ecosystem over the last 18 months was reported by 53% of Leaders, a distinction that sets them apart as the only group seeing gains.

Rachel Laycock, chief technology officer, Thoughtworks, said, “A key challenge highlighted by this report is the prevalence of siloed approaches to AI, data and modernization. We've seen firsthand that this fragmentation hinders progress and prevents organizations from realizing the full potential of their technology investments. At Thoughtworks, we advocate for a holistic, cross-functional strategy that aligns these initiatives with overarching business goals, fostering the collaboration and communication necessary to drive extraordinary impact for our clients.”

Vanson Bourne’s Senior Research Manager, Lauren Budd said, “Our research shows that even the most advanced organizations recognize they’re never ‘done’ - true digital and AI readiness is sustained through continuous improvement and a strategy that evolves with the business. What sets these organizations apart is their ability to stay focused, aligned and proactive in turning ambition into measurable outcomes.”

“The State of Digital and AI Readiness” global report is available for download here.

Methodology

Thoughtworks commissioned independent market research agency Vanson Bourne to conduct this research. The global study surveyed 1,000 senior IT decision makers in September and October 2024.

Organizations were based in five markets, including Australia (175), Germany (175), Singapore (175), UK (175) and US (300). They had a global annual revenue of at least $500 million and represented the public and private sectors. All interviews were conducted using a rigorous multi-level screening process to ensure that only suitable candidates were given the opportunity to participate.

Supporting resources:

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About Thoughtworks

Thoughtworks is a global technology consultancy that integrates design, engineering and AI to drive digital innovation. We are over 10,000 Thoughtworkers strong across 48 offices in 19 countries. For 30 years, we’ve delivered extraordinary impact together with our clients by helping them solve complex business problems with technology as the differentiator.

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